Lagrangian theory of constrained systems: Cosmological application

Previous work in the literature has studied the Hami]tonian structure of an R**2 model of gravity with torsion in a closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. Within the framework of Dirac's theory, torsion is found to lead to a second-class primary constraint linear in the momenta and a second-class secondary constraint quadratic in the momenta. This paper studies in detail the same problem at a Lagrangian level, i.e. working on the tangent bundle rather than on phase space. The corresponding analysis is motivated by a more general program, aiming to obtain a manifestly covariant, multisymplectic framework for the analysis of relativistic theories of gravitation regarded as constrained systems. After an ' application of the Gotay-Nester Lagrangian analysis, the paper deals with the generalized method, which has the advantage of being applicable to any system of differential equations in implicit fbrm. Multiplication of the second-order Lagrange equations by a vector with zero eigenvalue for the Hessian matrix yields the so-called first-generation constraints. Remarkably, in the cosmological model here considered, if Lagrange equations are studied using second-order formalism, a second-generation constraint is found which is absent in first-order formalism. This happens since first- and second-order formalisms are inequivalent. There are, however, no a priori reasons for arguing that one of the two is incorrect. First- and second-generation constraints are used to derive physical predictions for the cosmological model.