Abstract. A simple technique for the construction of gravity theories in Born–Infeld style is presented, and the properties of some of these novel theories are investigated. They regularize the positive energy Schwarzschild singularity, and a large class of models allows for the cancellation of ghosts. The possible correspondence with low-energy string theory is discussed. By including curvature corrections to all orders in α', the new theories nicely illustrate a mechanism that string theory might use to regularize gravitational singularities.

PACS numbers: 04.90.+e, 04.20.Cv, 04.50.-h

A corrigendum for this article has been published in 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 5297

Print publication: Issue 8 (21 April 2004)
Received 7 October 2003
Published 16 March 2004