Abstract

We consider a scalar field action for which the Lagrangian density is a power of the massless Klein-Gordon Lagrangian. The coupling of gravity to this matter action is considered. In this case, we show the existence of nontrivial scalar field configurations with vanishing energy-momentum tensor on any static, spherically symmetric vacuum solutions of the Einstein equations. These configurations in spite of being coupled to gravity do not affect the curvature of space-time. The properties of this particular matter action are also analyzed. For a particular value of the exponent, the extended Klein-Gordon action is shown to exhibit a conformal invariance without requiring the introduction of a nonminimal coupling. We also establish a correspondence between this action and a nonrelativistic isentropic fluid in one fewer dimension. This fluid can be identified with the (generalized) Chaplygin gas for a particular value of the power. It is also shown that the nonrelativistic fluid admits, apart from the Galileo symmetry, an additional symmetry whose action is a rescaling of the time. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.