  Regularization of quantum field theories introduces a mass scale which breaks
axial rotational and scaling invariances. We demonstrate from first principles
that axial torsion and torsion trace modes have non-transverse vacuum
polarization tensors, and become massive as a result. The underlying reasons
are similar to those responsible for the Adler-Bell-Jackiw (ABJ) and scaling
anomalies. Since these are the only torsion components that can couple
minimally to spin 1/2 particles, the anomalous generation of masses for these
modes, naturally of the order of the regulator scale, may help to explain why
torsion and its associated effects, including CPT violation in chiral gravity,
have so far escaped detection. As a simpler manifestation of the reasons
underpinning the ABJ anomaly than triangle diagrams, the vacuum polarization
demonstration is also pedagogically useful. In addition it is shown that the
teleparallel limit of a Weyl fermion theory coupled only to the left-handed
spin connection leads to a counter term which is the Samuel-Jacobson-Smolin
action of chiral gravity in four dimensions.
