Abstract
Lagrange scalar densities which are concomitants of a pseudo-Riemannian metric-tensor, a scalar field and their derivatives of arbitrary order are considered. The most general second-order Euler-Lagrange tensors derivable from such a Lagrangian in a four-dimensional space are constructed, and it is shown that these Euler-Lagrange tensors may be obtained from a Lagrangian which is at most of second order in the derivatives of the field functions.
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Horndeski, G.W. Second-order scalar-tensor field equations in a four-dimensional space. Int J Theor Phys 10, 363–384 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01807638
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01807638