The Einstein–Cartan–Kibble–Sciama (ECKS) theory of gravity naturally extends Einstein’s general relativity (GR) to include intrinsic angular momentum (spin) of matter. The main feature of this theory consists of an algebraic relation between space–time torsion and spin of matter, which indeed deprives the torsion of its dynamical content. The Lagrangian of ECKS gravity is proportional to the Ricci curvature scalar constructed out of a general affine connection so that owing to the influence of matter energy–momentum and spin, curvature and torsion are produced and interact only through the space–time metric. In the absence of spin, the space–time torsion vanishes and the theory reduces to GR. It is however possible to have torsion propagation in vacuum by resorting to a model endowed with a nonminimal coupling between curvature and torsion. In the present work we try to investigate possible effects of the higher order terms that can be constructed from space–time curvature and torsion, as the two basic constituents of Riemann–Cartan geometry. We consider Lagrangians that include fourth-order scalar invariants from curvature and torsion and then investigate the resulting field equations. The solutions that we find show that there could exist, even in vacuum, nontrivial static space–times that admit both black holes and naked singularities.
