HUSAIN-KUCHAR MODEL - TIME VARIABLES AND NONDEGENERATE METRICS

We study the Husain-Kuchar model by introducing a new action principle similar to the self-dual action used in the Ashtekar variables approa ch to quantum gravity. This new action has several interesting feature s, among them the presence of a scalar time variable that allows the d efinition of geometric observables without adding new degrees of freed om, the appearance of a natural nondegenerate four-metric, and the pos sibility of coupling ordinary matter.