Abstract

Four-dimensional Einstein's general relativity is shown to arise from a gauge theory for the conformal group, SO(4, 2). The theory is constructed from a topological dimensional reduction of the six-dimensional Euler density integrated over a manifold with a four-dimensional topological defect. The resulting action is a four-dimensional theory defined by a gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) term. An ansatz is found which reduces the full set of field equations to those of Einstein's general relativity. When the same ansatz is replaced in the action, the gauged WZW term reduces to the Einstein-Hilbert action. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.