f(T) teleparallel gravity and cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yi-Fu; Capozziello, Salvatore; De Laurentis, Mariafelicia; Saridakis, Emmanuel N

2016-10-01

Over recent decades, the role of torsion in gravity has been extensively investigated along the main direction of bringing gravity closer to its gauge formulation and incorporating spin in a geometric description. Here we review various torsional constructions, from teleparallel, to Einstein-Cartan, and metric-affine gauge theories, resulting in extending torsional gravity in the paradigm of f (T) gravity, where f (T) is an arbitrary function of the torsion scalar. Based on this theory, we further review the corresponding cosmological and astrophysical applications. In particular, we study cosmological solutions arising from f (T) gravity, both at the background and perturbation levels, in different eras along the cosmic expansion. The f (T) gravity construction can provide a theoretical interpretation of the late-time universe acceleration, alternative to a cosmological constant, and it can easily accommodate with the regular thermal expanding history including the radiation and cold dark matter dominated phases. Furthermore, if one traces back to very early times, for a certain class of f (T) models, a sufficiently long period of inflation can be achieved and hence can be investigated by cosmic microwave background observations-or, alternatively, the Big Bang singularity can be avoided at even earlier moments due to the appearance of non-singular bounces. Various observational constraints, especially the bounds coming from the large-scale structure data in the case of f (T) cosmology, as well as the behavior of gravitational waves, are described in detail. Moreover, the spherically symmetric and black hole solutions of the theory are reviewed. Additionally, we discuss various extensions of the f (T) paradigm. Finally, we consider the relation with other modified gravitational theories, such as those based on curvature, like f (R) gravity, trying to illuminate the subject of which formulation, or combination of formulations, might be more suitable

On the stability of the cosmological solutions in f(R, G) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De la Cruz-Dombriz, Álvaro; Sáez-Gómez, Diego

2012-01-01

Modified gravity is one of the most promising candidates for explaining the current accelerating expansion of the Universe, and even its unification with the inflationary epoch. Nevertheless, the wide range of models capable of explaining the phenomena of dark energy imposes that current research focuses on a more precise study of the possible effects of modified gravity on both cosmological and local levels. In this paper, we focus on the analysis of a type of modified gravity, the so-called f(R, G) gravity, and we perform a deep analysis on the stability of important cosmological solutions. This not only can help to constrain the form of the gravitational action, but also facilitate a better understanding of the behavior of the perturbations in this class of higher order theories of gravity, which will lead to a more precise analysis of the full spectrum of cosmological perturbations in future. (paper)

Cosmology and modifications of gravity at large distances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziour, R.

2010-01-01

In the framework of General Relativity, the observed current acceleration of the expansion of the Universe requires the presence of a Dark Energy component, whose nature is not well understood. In order to explain the acceleration of the Universe without introducing such a tantalizing source of energy, other gravitation theories have been designed. This thesis is devoted to the study of some of these modified gravity theories, as well as to the observation methods that could constrain them. The first part of this thesis presents a review of modified gravity theories and their motivations. The second part is devoted to the study of the massive gravity theories and of the so-called Vainshtein's mechanism, which allows some of the solutions of Massive Gravity to strongly differ from General Relativity at cosmological scales while satisfying the experimental constraints inside the solar system. For the first time, the validity of the Vainshtein's mechanism is demonstrated, through the study of specific spherically symmetric solutions. The third part deals with scalar modification of gravity; a new model of this sort is presented, inspired by the Vainshtein's mechanism in Massive Gravity. Finally, the fourth part discusses local, astrophysical and cosmological observations that might constrain modified gravity theories. (author)

Weak lensing probes of modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Fabian

2008-01-01

We study the effect of modifications to general relativity on large-scale weak lensing observables. In particular, we consider three modified gravity scenarios: f(R) gravity, the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model, and tensor-vector-scalar theory. Weak lensing is sensitive to the growth of structure and the relation between matter and gravitational potentials, both of which will in general be affected by modified gravity. Restricting ourselves to linear scales, we compare the predictions for galaxy-shear and shear-shear correlations of each modified gravity cosmology to those of an effective dark energy cosmology with the same expansion history. In this way, the effects of modified gravity on the growth of perturbations are separated from the expansion history. We also propose a test which isolates the matter-potential relation from the growth factor and matter power spectrum. For all three modified gravity models, the predictions for galaxy and shear correlations will be discernible from those of dark energy with very high significance in future weak lensing surveys. Furthermore, each model predicts a measurably distinct scale dependence and redshift evolution of galaxy and shear correlations, which can be traced back to the physical foundations of each model. We show that the signal-to-noise for detecting signatures of modified gravity is much higher for weak lensing observables as compared to the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, measured via the galaxy-cosmic microwave background cross-correlation.

Cosmological Analysis of Dynamical Chern-Simons Modified Gravity via Dark Energy Scenario

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Abdul Jawad

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to study the cosmological evolution of the universe in the framework of dynamical Chern-Simons modified gravity. We take pilgrim dark energy model with Hubble and event horizons in interacting scenario with cold dark matter. For this scenario, we discuss cosmological parameters such as Hubble and equation of state and cosmological plane like ωϑ-ωϑ′ and squared speed of sound. It is found that Hubble parameter approaches the ranges 75-0.5+0.5 (for u=2 and (74, 74.30 (for u=1,-1,-2 for Hubble horizon pilgrim dark energy. It implies the ranges 74.80-0.005+0.005 (for u=2 and (73.4, 74 (for u=-2 for event horizon pilgrim dark energy. The equation of state parameter provides consistent ranges with different observational schemes. Also, ωϑ-ωϑ′ planes lie in the range (ωϑ=-1.13-0.25+0.24,ωϑ′<1.32. The squared speed of sound shows stability for all present models in the present scenario. We would like to mention here that our results of various cosmological parameters show consistency with different observational data like Planck, WP, BAO, H0, SNLS, and WMAP.

Cosmological Observations in a Modified Theory of Gravity (MOG

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John. W. Moffat

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Our Modified Gravity Theory (MOG is a gravitational theory without exotic dark matter, based on an action principle. MOG has been used successfully tomodel astrophysical phenomena, such as galaxy rotation curves, galaxy cluster masses and lensing. MOG may also be able to account for cosmological observations. We assume that the MOG point source solution can be used to describe extended distributions of matter via an appropriately modified Poisson equation. We use this result to model perturbation growth in MOG and find that it agrees well with the observed matter power spectrum at present. As the resolution of the power spectrum improves with increasing survey size, however, significant differences emerge between the predictions of MOG and the standard Λ-cold dark matter (Λ-CDM model, as in the absence of exotic darkmatter, oscillations of the power spectrum in MOG are not suppressed. We can also use MOG to model the acoustic power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background. A suitably adapted semi-analytical model offers a first indication that MOG may pass this test and correctly model the peak of the acoustic spectrum.

Quantum Gravity Effects in Cosmology

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Gu Je-An

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Within the geometrodynamic approach to quantum cosmology, we studied the quantum gravity effects in cosmology. The Gibbons-Hawking temperature is corrected by quantum gravity due to spacetime fluctuations and the power spectrum as well as any probe field will experience the effective temperature, a quantum gravity effect.

Efficient simulations of large-scale structure in modified gravity cosmologies with comoving Lagrangian acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Valogiannis, Georgios; Bean, Rachel

2017-05-01

We implement an adaptation of the cola approach, a hybrid scheme that combines Lagrangian perturbation theory with an N-body approach, to model nonlinear collapse in chameleon and symmetron modified gravity models. Gravitational screening is modeled effectively through the attachment of a suppression factor to the linearized Klein-Gordon equations. The adapted cola approach is benchmarked, with respect to an N-body code both for the Λ cold dark matter (Λ CDM ) scenario and for the modified gravity theories. It is found to perform well in the estimation of the dark matter power spectra, with consistency of 1% to k ˜2.5 h /Mpc . Redshift space distortions are shown to be effectively modeled through a Lorentzian parametrization with a velocity dispersion fit to the data. We find that cola performs less well in predicting the halo mass functions but has consistency, within 1 σ uncertainties of our simulations, in the relative changes to the mass function induced by the modified gravity models relative to Λ CDM . The results demonstrate that cola, proposed to enable accurate and efficient, nonlinear predictions for Λ CDM , can be effectively applied to a wider set of cosmological scenarios, with intriguing properties, for which clustering behavior needs to be understood for upcoming surveys such as LSST, DESI, Euclid, and WFIRST.

The anisotropic cosmological models in f ( R , T ) gravity with Λ

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The general class of anisotropic Bianchi cosmological models in f ( R , T ) modified theories of gravity with Λ ( T ) has been considered. This paper deals with f ( R , T ) modified theories of gravity, where the gravitational Lagrangian is given by an arbitrary function of Ricci scalar R and the trace of the stress-energy tensor T ...

Cosmological bound from the neutron star merger GW170817 in scalar–tensor and F(R gravity theories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shin'ichi Nojiri

2018-04-01

Full Text Available We consider the evolution of cosmological gravitational waves in scalar–tensor theory and F(R gravity theory as typical models of the modified gravity. Although the propagation speed is not changed from the speed of light, the propagation phase changes when we compare the propagation in these modified gravity theories with the propagation in the ΛCDM model. The phase change might be detected in future observations. Keywords: Gravitational waves, Alternative theories of gravity, Cosmology

General Relativity solutions in modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Motohashi, Hayato; Minamitsuji, Masato

2018-06-01

Recent gravitational wave observations of binary black hole mergers and a binary neutron star merger by LIGO and Virgo Collaborations associated with its optical counterpart constrain deviation from General Relativity (GR) both on strong-field regime and cosmological scales with high accuracy, and further strong constraints are expected by near-future observations. Thus, it is important to identify theories of modified gravity that intrinsically possess the same solutions as in GR among a huge number of theories. We clarify the three conditions for theories of modified gravity to allow GR solutions, i.e., solutions with the metric satisfying the Einstein equations in GR and the constant profile of the scalar fields. Our analysis is quite general, as it applies a wide class of single-/multi-field scalar-tensor theories of modified gravity in the presence of matter component, and any spacetime geometry including cosmological background as well as spacetime around black hole and neutron star, for the latter of which these conditions provide a necessary condition for no-hair theorem. The three conditions will be useful for further constraints on modified gravity theories as they classify general theories of modified gravity into three classes, each of which possesses i) unique GR solutions (i.e., no-hair cases), ii) only hairy solutions (except the cases that GR solutions are realized by cancellation between singular coupling functions in the Euler-Lagrange equations), and iii) both GR and hairy solutions, for the last of which one of the two solutions may be selected dynamically.

Disformal theories of gravity: from the solar system to cosmology

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Sakstein, Jeremy, E-mail: j.a.sakstein@damtp.cam.ac.uk [DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

2014-12-01

This paper is concerned with theories of gravity that contain a scalar coupled both conformally and disformally to matter through the metric. By systematically deriving the non-relativistic limit, it is shown that no new non-linear screening mechanisms are present beyond the Vainshtein mechanism and chameleon-like screening. If one includes the cosmological expansion of the universe, disformal effects that are usually taken to be absent can be present in the solar system. When the conformal factor is absent, fifth-forces can be screened on all scales when the cosmological field is slowly-rolling. We investigate the cosmology of these models and use local tests of gravity to place new constraints on the disformal coupling and find M ∼> O(eV), which is not competitive with laboratory tests. Finally, we discuss the future prospects for testing these theories and the implications for other theories of modified gravity. In particular, the Vainshtein radius of solar system objects can be altered from the static prediction when cosmological time-derivatives are non-negligible.

Disformal theories of gravity: from the solar system to cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakstein, Jeremy

2014-01-01

This paper is concerned with theories of gravity that contain a scalar coupled both conformally and disformally to matter through the metric. By systematically deriving the non-relativistic limit, it is shown that no new non-linear screening mechanisms are present beyond the Vainshtein mechanism and chameleon-like screening. If one includes the cosmological expansion of the universe, disformal effects that are usually taken to be absent can be present in the solar system. When the conformal factor is absent, fifth-forces can be screened on all scales when the cosmological field is slowly-rolling. We investigate the cosmology of these models and use local tests of gravity to place new constraints on the disformal coupling and find M ∼> O(eV), which is not competitive with laboratory tests. Finally, we discuss the future prospects for testing these theories and the implications for other theories of modified gravity. In particular, the Vainshtein radius of solar system objects can be altered from the static prediction when cosmological time-derivatives are non-negligible

Cosmology of hybrid metric-Palatini f(X)-gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capozziello, Salvatore; Harko, Tiberiu; Koivisto, Tomi S.; Lobo, Francisco S.N.; Olmo, Gonzalo J.

2013-01-01

A new class of modified theories of gravity, consisting of the superposition of the metric Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian with an f(R) term constructed à la Palatini was proposed recently. The dynamically equivalent scalar-tensor representation of the model was also formulated, and it was shown that even if the scalar field is very light, the theory passes the Solar System observational constraints. Therefore the model predicts the existence of a long-range scalar field, modifying the cosmological and galactic dynamics. An explicit model that passes the local tests and leads to cosmic acceleration was also obtained. In the present work, it is shown that the theory can be also formulated in terms of the quantity X≡κ 2 T+R, where T and R are the traces of the stress-energy and Ricci tensors, respectively. The variable X represents the deviation with respect to the field equation trace of general relativity. The cosmological applications of this hybrid metric-Palatini gravitational theory are also explored, and cosmological solutions coming from the scalar-tensor representation of f(X)-gravity are presented. Criteria to obtain cosmic acceleration are discussed and the field equations are analyzed as a dynamical system. Several classes of dynamical cosmological solutions, depending on the functional form of the effective scalar field potential, describing both accelerating and decelerating Universes are explicitly obtained. Furthermore, the cosmological perturbation equations are derived and applied to uncover the nature of the propagating scalar degree of freedom and the signatures these models predict in the large-scale structure

Distinguishing modified gravity from dark energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertschinger, Edmund; Zukin, Phillip

2008-01-01

The acceleration of the Universe can be explained either through dark energy or through the modification of gravity on large scales. In this paper we investigate modified gravity models and compare their observable predictions with dark energy models. Modifications of general relativity are expected to be scale independent on superhorizon scales and scale dependent on subhorizon scales. For scale-independent modifications, utilizing the conservation of the curvature scalar and a parametrized post-Newtonian formulation of cosmological perturbations, we derive results for large-scale structure growth, weak gravitational lensing, and cosmic microwave background anisotropy. For scale-dependent modifications, inspired by recent f(R) theories we introduce a parametrization for the gravitational coupling G and the post-Newtonian parameter γ. These parametrizations provide a convenient formalism for testing general relativity. However, we find that if dark energy is generalized to include both entropy and shear stress perturbations, and the dynamics of dark energy is unknown a priori, then modified gravity cannot in general be distinguished from dark energy using cosmological linear perturbations.

Quantum gravity and quantum cosmology

CERN Document Server

Papantonopoulos, Lefteris; Siopsis, George; Tsamis, Nikos

2013-01-01

Quantum gravity has developed into a fast-growing subject in physics and it is expected that probing the high-energy and high-curvature regimes of gravitating systems will shed some light on how to eventually achieve an ultraviolet complete quantum theory of gravity. Such a theory would provide the much needed information about fundamental problems of classical gravity, such as the initial big-bang singularity, the cosmological constant problem, Planck scale physics and the early-time inflationary evolution of our Universe.   While in the first part of this book concepts of quantum gravity are introduced and approached from different angles, the second part discusses these theories in connection with cosmological models and observations, thereby exploring which types of signatures of modern and mathematically rigorous frameworks can be detected by experiments. The third and final part briefly reviews the observational status of dark matter and dark energy, and introduces alternative cosmological models.   ...

Cosmology based on f(R) gravity with O(1) eV sterile neutrino

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chudaykin, Anton S.; Gorbunov, Dmitry S. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60th October Anniversary prospect 7a, Moscow 117312 (Russian Federation); Starobinsky, Alexei A. [L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334 (Russian Federation); Burenin, Rodion A., E-mail: chudy@ms2.inr.ac.ru, E-mail: gorby@ms2.inr.ac.ru, E-mail: alstar@landau.ac.ru, E-mail: rodion@hea.iki.rssi.ru [Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI), Moscow, ul. Profsoyuznaya, 84/32, 117997 (Russian Federation)

2015-05-01

We address the cosmological role of an additional O(1) eV sterile neutrino in modified gravity models. We confront the present cosmological data with predictions of the FLRW cosmological model based on a variant of f(R) modified gravity proposed by one of the authors previously. This viable cosmological model which deviation from general relativity with a cosmological constant Λ decreases as R{sup −2n} for large, but not too large values of the Ricci scalar R (while no Λ is introduced by hand at small R) provides an alternative explanation of present dark energy and the accelerated expansion of the Universe (the case n=2 is considered in the paper). Various up-to-date cosmological data sets exploited include measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy, the CMB lensing potential, the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), the cluster mass function and the Hubble constant. We find that the CMB+BAO constraints strongly restrict the sum of neutrino masses from above. This excludes values of the model parameter λ∼ 1 for which distinctive cosmological features of the model are mostly pronounced as compared to the ΛCDM model, since then free streaming damping of perturbations due to neutrino rest masses is not sufficient to compensate their extra growth occurring in f(R) modified gravity. Thus, in the gravity sector we obtain λ>8.2 (2σ) with the account of systematic uncertainties in galaxy cluster mass function measurements and λ>9.4 (2σ) without them. At the same time in the latter case we find for the sterile neutrino mass 0.47 eV < m{sub ν, sterile} < 1 eV (2σ) assuming that the sterile neutrinos are thermalized and the active neutrinos are massless, not significantly larger than in the standard ΛCDM with the same data set: 0.45 eV < m{sub ν, sterile} < 0.92 eV (2σ). However, a possible discovery of a sterile neutrino with the mass m{sub ν, sterile} ≈ 1.5 eV motivated by various anomalies in neutrino oscillation

Initial conditions for cosmological N-body simulations of the scalar sector of theories of Newtonian, Relativistic and Modified Gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valkenburg, Wessel; Hu, Bin

2015-01-01

We present a description for setting initial particle displacements and field values for simulations of arbitrary metric theories of gravity, for perfect and imperfect fluids with arbitrary characteristics. We extend the Zel'dovich Approximation to nontrivial theories of gravity, and show how scale dependence implies curved particle paths, even in the entirely linear regime of perturbations. For a viable choice of Effective Field Theory of Modified Gravity, initial conditions set at high redshifts are affected at the level of up to 5% at Mpc scales, which exemplifies the importance of going beyond Λ-Cold Dark Matter initial conditions for modifications of gravity outside of the quasi-static approximation. In addition, we show initial conditions for a simulation where a scalar modification of gravity is modelled in a Lagrangian particle-like description. Our description paves the way for simulations and mock galaxy catalogs under theories of gravity beyond the standard model, crucial for progress towards precision tests of gravity and cosmology

Anamorphic quasiperiodic universes in modified and Einstein gravity with loop quantum gravity corrections

Science.gov (United States)

Amaral, Marcelo M.; Aschheim, Raymond; Bubuianu, Laurenţiu; Irwin, Klee; Vacaru, Sergiu I.; Woolridge, Daniel

2017-09-01

The goal of this work is to elaborate on new geometric methods of constructing exact and parametric quasiperiodic solutions for anamorphic cosmology models in modified gravity theories, MGTs, and general relativity, GR. There exist previously studied generic off-diagonal and diagonalizable cosmological metrics encoding gravitational and matter fields with quasicrystal like structures, QC, and holonomy corrections from loop quantum gravity, LQG. We apply the anholonomic frame deformation method, AFDM, in order to decouple the (modified) gravitational and matter field equations in general form. This allows us to find integral varieties of cosmological solutions determined by generating functions, effective sources, integration functions and constants. The coefficients of metrics and connections for such cosmological configurations depend, in general, on all spacetime coordinates and can be chosen to generate observable (quasi)-periodic/aperiodic/fractal/stochastic/(super) cluster/filament/polymer like (continuous, stochastic, fractal and/or discrete structures) in MGTs and/or GR. In this work, we study new classes of solutions for anamorphic cosmology with LQG holonomy corrections. Such solutions are characterized by nonlinear symmetries of generating functions for generic off-diagonal cosmological metrics and generalized connections, with possible nonholonomic constraints to Levi-Civita configurations and diagonalizable metrics depending only on a time like coordinate. We argue that anamorphic quasiperiodic cosmological models integrate the concept of quantum discrete spacetime, with certain gravitational QC-like vacuum and nonvacuum structures. And, that of a contracting universe that homogenizes, isotropizes and flattens without introducing initial conditions or multiverse problems.

Dark energy from modified gravity with Lagrange multipliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capozziello, Salvatore; Matsumoto, Jiro; Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.

2010-01-01

We study scalar-tensor theory, k-essence and modified gravity with Lagrange multiplier constraint which role is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom. Dark Energy cosmology of different types (ΛCDM, unified inflation with DE, smooth non-phantom/phantom transition epoch) is reconstructed in such models. It is demonstrated that presence of Lagrange multiplier simplifies the reconstruction scenario. It is shown that mathematical equivalence between scalar theory and F(R) gravity is broken due to presence of constraint. The cosmological evolution is defined by the second F 2 (R) function dictated by the constraint. The convenient F(R) gravity sector is relevant for local tests. This opens the possibility to make originally non-realistic theory to be viable by adding the corresponding constraint. A general discussion on the role of Lagrange multipliers to make higher-derivative gravity canonical is developed.

Brane cosmology in teleparallel and f (T ) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atazadeh, K; Eghbali, A

2015-01-01

We consider the cosmology of a brane-world scenario in the framework of teleparallel and f(T) gravity in a way that matter is localized on the brane. We show that the cosmology of such branes is different from the standard cosmology in teleparallelism. In particular, we obtain a class of new solutions with a constant five-dimensional radius and cosmologically evolving brane in the context of constant torsion f(T) gravity. (paper)

A Non-Polynomial Gravity Formulation for Loop Quantum Cosmology Bounce

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Stefano Chinaglia

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recently the so-called mimetic gravity approach has been used to obtain corrections to the Friedmann equation of General Relativity similar to the ones present in loop quantum cosmology. In this paper, we propose an alternative way to derive this modified Friedmann equation via the so-called non-polynomial gravity approach, which consists of adding geometric non-polynomial higher derivative terms to Hilbert–Einstein action, which are nonetheless polynomials and lead to a second-order differential equation in Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker space-times. Our explicit action turns out to be a realization of the Helling proposal of effective action with an infinite number of terms. The model is also investigated in the presence of a non-vanishing cosmological constant, and a new exact bounce solution is found and studied.

Cosmological bound from the neutron star merger GW170817 in scalar-tensor and F(R) gravity theories

Science.gov (United States)

Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.

2018-04-01

We consider the evolution of cosmological gravitational waves in scalar-tensor theory and F (R) gravity theory as typical models of the modified gravity. Although the propagation speed is not changed from the speed of light, the propagation phase changes when we compare the propagation in these modified gravity theories with the propagation in the ΛCDM model. The phase change might be detected in future observations.

Cosmological models in energy-momentum-squared gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Board, Charles V. R.; Barrow, John D.

2017-12-01

We study the cosmological effects of adding terms of higher order in the usual energy-momentum tensor to the matter Lagrangian of general relativity. This is in contrast to most studies of higher-order gravity which focus on generalizing the Einstein-Hilbert curvature contribution to the Lagrangian. The resulting cosmological theories give rise to field equations of similar form to several particular theories with different fundamental bases, including bulk viscous cosmology, loop quantum gravity, k -essence, and brane-world cosmologies. We find a range of exact solutions for isotropic universes, discuss their behaviors with reference to the early- and late-time evolution, accelerated expansion, and the occurrence or avoidance of singularities. We briefly discuss extensions to anisotropic cosmologies and delineate the situations where the higher-order matter terms will dominate over anisotropies on approach to cosmological singularities.

Cosmological large-scale structures beyond linear theory in modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernardeau, Francis; Brax, Philippe, E-mail: francis.bernardeau@cea.fr, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr [CEA, Institut de Physique Théorique, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cédex (France)

2011-06-01

We consider the effect of modified gravity on the growth of large-scale structures at second order in perturbation theory. We show that modified gravity models changing the linear growth rate of fluctuations are also bound to change, although mildly, the mode coupling amplitude in the density and reduced velocity fields. We present explicit formulae which describe this effect. We then focus on models of modified gravity involving a scalar field coupled to matter, in particular chameleons and dilatons, where it is shown that there exists a transition scale around which the existence of an extra scalar degree of freedom induces significant changes in the coupling properties of the cosmic fields. We obtain the amplitude of this effect for realistic dilaton models at the tree-order level for the bispectrum, finding them to be comparable in amplitude to those obtained in the DGP and f(R) models.

Deforming black hole and cosmological solutions by quasiperiodic and/or pattern forming structures in modified and Einstein gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Bubuianu, Laurenţiu; Vacaru, Sergiu I.

2018-05-01

We elaborate on the anholonomic frame deformation method, AFDM, for constructing exact solutions with quasiperiodic structure in modified gravity theories, MGTs, and general relativity, GR. Such solutions are described by generic off-diagonal metrics, nonlinear and linear connections and (effective) matter sources with coefficients depending on all spacetime coordinates via corresponding classes of generation and integration functions and (effective) matter sources. There are studied effective free energy functionals and nonlinear evolution equations for generating off-diagonal quasiperiodic deformations of black hole and/or homogeneous cosmological metrics. The physical data for such functionals are stated by different values of constants and prescribed symmetries for defining quasiperiodic structures at cosmological scales, or astrophysical objects in nontrivial gravitational backgrounds some similar forms as in condensed matter physics. It is shown how quasiperiodic structures determined by general nonlinear, or additive, functionals for generating functions and (effective) sources may transform black hole like configurations into cosmological metrics and inversely. We speculate on possible implications of quasiperiodic solutions in dark energy and dark matter physics. Finally, it is concluded that geometric methods for constructing exact solutions consist an important alternative tool to numerical relativity for investigating nonlinear effects in astrophysics and cosmology.

On the cosmology of scalar-tensor-vector gravity theory

Science.gov (United States)

Jamali, Sara; Roshan, Mahmood; Amendola, Luca

2018-01-01

We consider the cosmological consequences of a special scalar-tensor-vector theory of gravity, known as MOG (for MOdified Gravity), proposed to address the dark matter problem. This theory introduces two scalar fields G(x) and μ(x), and one vector field phiα(x), in addition to the metric tensor. We set the corresponding self-interaction potentials to zero, as in the standard form of MOG. Then using the phase space analysis in the flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker background, we show that the theory possesses a viable sequence of cosmological epochs with acceptable time dependency for the cosmic scale factor. We also investigate MOG's potential as a dark energy model and show that extra fields in MOG cannot provide a late time accelerated expansion. Furthermore, using a dynamical system approach to solve the non-linear field equations numerically, we calculate the angular size of the sound horizon, i.e. θs, in MOG. We find that 8× 10‑3rad<θs<8.2× 10‑3 rad which is way outside the current observational bounds. Finally, we generalize MOG to a modified form called mMOG, and we find that mMOG passes the sound-horizon constraint. However, mMOG also cannot be considered as a dark energy model unless one adds a cosmological constant, and more importantly, the matter dominated era is still slightly different from the standard case.

COLA with scale-dependent growth: applications to screened modified gravity models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winther, Hans A.; Koyama, Kazuya; Wright, Bill S. [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Dennis Sciama Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Manera, Marc [Centre for Theoretical Cosmology, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom); Zhao, Gong-Bo, E-mail: hans.a.winther@gmail.com, E-mail: kazuya.koyama@port.ac.uk, E-mail: manera.work@gmail.com, E-mail: bill.wright@port.ac.uk, E-mail: gong-bo.Zhao@port.ac.uk [National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100012 (China)

2017-08-01

We present a general parallelized and easy-to-use code to perform numerical simulations of structure formation using the COLA (COmoving Lagrangian Acceleration) method for cosmological models that exhibit scale-dependent growth at the level of first and second order Lagrangian perturbation theory. For modified gravity theories we also include screening using a fast approximate method that covers all the main examples of screening mechanisms in the literature. We test the code by comparing it to full simulations of two popular modified gravity models, namely f ( R ) gravity and nDGP, and find good agreement in the modified gravity boost-factors relative to ΛCDM even when using a fairly small number of COLA time steps.

MODIFIED GRAVITY SPINS UP GALACTIC HALOS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jounghun [Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, FPRD, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Zhao, Gong-Bo [National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100012 (China); Li, Baojiu [Institute of Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Koyama, Kazuya, E-mail: jounghun@astro.snu.ac.kr [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX (United Kingdom)

2013-01-20

We investigate the effect of modified gravity on the specific angular momentum of galactic halos by analyzing the halo catalogs at z = 0 from high-resolution N-body simulations for a f(R) gravity model that meets the solar-system constraint. It is shown that the galactic halos in the f(R) gravity model tend to acquire significantly higher specific angular momentum than those in the standard {Lambda}CDM model. The largest difference in the specific angular momentum distribution between these two models occurs for the case of isolated galactic halos with mass less than 10{sup 11} h {sup -1} M {sub Sun }, which are likely least shielded by the chameleon screening mechanism. As the specific angular momentum of galactic halos is rather insensitive to other cosmological parameters, it can in principle be an independent discriminator of modified gravity. We speculate a possibility of using the relative abundance of low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) as a test of general relativity given that the formation of the LSBGs occurs in fast spinning dark halos.

Cosmology from group field theory formalism for quantum gravity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gielen, Steffen; Oriti, Daniele; Sindoni, Lorenzo

2013-07-19

We identify a class of condensate states in the group field theory (GFT) formulation of quantum gravity that can be interpreted as macroscopic homogeneous spatial geometries. We then extract the dynamics of such condensate states directly from the fundamental quantum GFT dynamics, following the procedure used in ordinary quantum fluids. The effective dynamics is a nonlinear and nonlocal extension of quantum cosmology. We also show that any GFT model with a kinetic term of Laplacian type gives rise, in a semiclassical (WKB) approximation and in the isotropic case, to a modified Friedmann equation. This is the first concrete, general procedure for extracting an effective cosmological dynamics directly from a fundamental theory of quantum geometry.

Statefinder diagnostic for modified Chaplygin gas cosmology in f(R,T) gravity with particle creation

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, J. K.; Nagpal, Ritika; Pacif, S. K. J.

In this paper, we have studied flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model with modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) having equation of state pm = Aρ ‑ B ργ, where 0 ≤ A ≤ 1, 0 ≤ γ ≤ 1 and B is any positive constant in f(R,T) gravity with particle creation. We have considered a simple parametrization of the Hubble parameter H in order to solve the field equations and discussed the time evolution of different cosmological parameters for some obtained models showing unique behavior of scale factor. We have also discussed the statefinder diagnostic pair {r,s} that characterizes the evolution of obtained models and explore their stability. The physical consequences of the models and their kinematic behaviors have also been scrutinized here in some detail.

Modified geodetic brane cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordero, Rubén; Cruz, Miguel; Molgado, Alberto; Rojas, Efraín

2012-01-01

We explore the cosmological implications provided by the geodetic brane gravity action corrected by an extrinsic curvature brane term, describing a codimension-1 brane embedded in a 5D fixed Minkowski spacetime. In the geodetic brane gravity action, we accommodate the correction term through a linear term in the extrinsic curvature swept out by the brane. We study the resulting geodetic-type equation of motion. Within a Friedmann–Robertson–Walker metric, we obtain a generalized Friedmann equation describing the associated cosmological evolution. We observe that, when the radiation-like energy contribution from the extra dimension is vanishing, this effective model leads to a self-(non-self)-accelerated expansion of the brane-like universe in dependence on the nature of the concomitant parameter β associated with the correction, which resembles an analogous behaviour in the DGP brane cosmology. Several possibilities in the description for the cosmic evolution of this model are embodied and characterized by the involved density parameters related in turn to the cosmological constant, the geometry characterizing the model, the introduced β parameter as well as the dark-like energy and the matter content on the brane. (paper)

Newton law corrections and instabilities in f(R) gravity with the effective cosmological constant epoch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.

2007-01-01

We consider class of modified f(R) gravities with the effective cosmological constant epoch at the early and late universe. Such models pass most of solar system tests as well they satisfy to cosmological bounds. Despite their very attractive properties, it is shown that one realistic class of such models may lead to significant Newton law corrections at large cosmological scales. Nevertheless, these corrections are small at solar system as well as at the future universe. Another realistic model with acceptable Newton law regime shows the matter instability

Noether symmetry analysis of anisotropic universe in modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamir, M.F.; Kanwal, Fiza [National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Department of Sciences and Humanities, Lahore (Pakistan)

2017-05-15

In this paper we study the anisotropic universe using Noether symmetries in modified gravity. In particular, we choose a locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type-I universe for the analysis in f(R, G) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar and G is the Gauss-Bonnet invariant. Firstly, a model f(R, G) = f{sub 0}R{sup l} + f{sub 1}G{sup n} is proposed and the corresponding Noether symmetries are investigated. We have also recovered the Noether symmetries for f(R) and f(G) theories of gravity. Secondly, some important cosmological solutions are reconstructed. Exponential and power-law solutions are reported for a well-known f(R, G) model, i.e., f(R, G) = f{sub 0}R{sup n}G{sup 1-n}. Especially, Kasner's solution is recovered and it is anticipated that the familiar de Sitter spacetime giving ΛCDM cosmology may be reconstructed for some suitable value of n. (orig.)

Clear and Measurable Signature of Modified Gravity in the Galaxy Velocity Field

Science.gov (United States)

Hellwing, Wojciech A.; Barreira, Alexandre; Frenk, Carlos S.; Li, Baojiu; Cole, Shaun

2014-06-01

The velocity field of dark matter and galaxies reflects the continued action of gravity throughout cosmic history. We show that the low-order moments of the pairwise velocity distribution v12 are a powerful diagnostic of the laws of gravity on cosmological scales. In particular, the projected line-of-sight galaxy pairwise velocity dispersion σ12(r) is very sensitive to the presence of modified gravity. Using a set of high-resolution N-body simulations, we compute the pairwise velocity distribution and its projected line-of-sight dispersion for a class of modified gravity theories: the chameleon f(R) gravity and Galileon gravity (cubic and quartic). The velocities of dark matter halos with a wide range of masses would exhibit deviations from general relativity at the (5-10)σ level. We examine strategies for detecting these deviations in galaxy redshift and peculiar velocity surveys. If detected, this signature would be a "smoking gun" for modified gravity.

Cosmological perturbation theory and quantum gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brunetti, Romeo [Dipartimento di Matematica, Università di Trento,Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo TN (Italy); Fredenhagen, Klaus [II Institute für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg,Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg (Germany); Hack, Thomas-Paul [Institute für Theoretische Physik, Universität Leipzig,Brüderstr. 16, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Pinamonti, Nicola [Dipartimento di Matematica, Università di Genova,Via Dodecaneso 35, 16146 Genova (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Genova,Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova (Italy); Rejzner, Katarzyna [Department of Mathematics, University of York,Heslington, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)

2016-08-04

It is shown how cosmological perturbation theory arises from a fully quantized perturbative theory of quantum gravity. Central for the derivation is a non-perturbative concept of gauge-invariant local observables by means of which perturbative invariant expressions of arbitrary order are generated. In particular, in the linearised theory, first order gauge-invariant observables familiar from cosmological perturbation theory are recovered. Explicit expressions of second order quantities are presented as well.

Challenges to self-acceleration in modified gravity from gravitational waves and large-scale structure

Science.gov (United States)

Lombriser, Lucas; Lima, Nelson A.

2017-02-01

With the advent of gravitational-wave astronomy marked by the aLIGO GW150914 and GW151226 observations, a measurement of the cosmological speed of gravity will likely soon be realised. We show that a confirmation of equality to the speed of light as indicated by indirect Galactic observations will have important consequences for a very large class of alternative explanations of the late-time accelerated expansion of our Universe. It will break the dark degeneracy of self-accelerated Horndeski scalar-tensor theories in the large-scale structure that currently limits a rigorous discrimination between acceleration from modified gravity and from a cosmological constant or dark energy. Signatures of a self-acceleration must then manifest in the linear, unscreened cosmological structure. We describe the minimal modification required for self-acceleration with standard gravitational-wave speed and show that its maximum likelihood yields a 3σ poorer fit to cosmological observations compared to a cosmological constant. Hence, equality between the speeds challenges the concept of cosmic acceleration from a genuine scalar-tensor modification of gravity.

Challenges to self-acceleration in modified gravity from gravitational waves and large-scale structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lombriser, Lucas, E-mail: llo@roe.ac.uk; Lima, Nelson A.

2017-02-10

With the advent of gravitational-wave astronomy marked by the aLIGO GW150914 and GW151226 observations, a measurement of the cosmological speed of gravity will likely soon be realised. We show that a confirmation of equality to the speed of light as indicated by indirect Galactic observations will have important consequences for a very large class of alternative explanations of the late-time accelerated expansion of our Universe. It will break the dark degeneracy of self-accelerated Horndeski scalar–tensor theories in the large-scale structure that currently limits a rigorous discrimination between acceleration from modified gravity and from a cosmological constant or dark energy. Signatures of a self-acceleration must then manifest in the linear, unscreened cosmological structure. We describe the minimal modification required for self-acceleration with standard gravitational-wave speed and show that its maximum likelihood yields a 3σ poorer fit to cosmological observations compared to a cosmological constant. Hence, equality between the speeds challenges the concept of cosmic acceleration from a genuine scalar–tensor modification of gravity.

Challenges to self-acceleration in modified gravity from gravitational waves and large-scale structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucas Lombriser

2017-02-01

Full Text Available With the advent of gravitational-wave astronomy marked by the aLIGO GW150914 and GW151226 observations, a measurement of the cosmological speed of gravity will likely soon be realised. We show that a confirmation of equality to the speed of light as indicated by indirect Galactic observations will have important consequences for a very large class of alternative explanations of the late-time accelerated expansion of our Universe. It will break the dark degeneracy of self-accelerated Horndeski scalar–tensor theories in the large-scale structure that currently limits a rigorous discrimination between acceleration from modified gravity and from a cosmological constant or dark energy. Signatures of a self-acceleration must then manifest in the linear, unscreened cosmological structure. We describe the minimal modification required for self-acceleration with standard gravitational-wave speed and show that its maximum likelihood yields a 3σ poorer fit to cosmological observations compared to a cosmological constant. Hence, equality between the speeds challenges the concept of cosmic acceleration from a genuine scalar–tensor modification of gravity.

Quantum Gravity and Cosmology: an intimate interplay

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellariadou, Mairi

2017-08-01

I will briefly discuss three cosmological models built upon three distinct quantum gravity proposals. I will first highlight the cosmological rôle of a vector field in the framework of a string/brane cosmological model. I will then present the resolution of the big bang singularity and the occurrence of an early era of accelerated expansion of a geometric origin, in the framework of group field theory condensate cosmology. I will then summarise results from an extended gravitational model based on non-commutative spectral geometry, a model that offers a purely geometric explanation for the standard model of particle physics.

Dark-energy cosmological models in f(G) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamir, M. F., E-mail: farasat.shamir@nu.edu.pk [National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences Lahore Campus, Department of Sciences and Humanities (Pakistan)

2016-10-15

We discuss dark-energy cosmological models in f(G) gravity. For this purpose, a locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I cosmological model is considered. First, exact solutions with a well-known form of the f(G) model are explored. One general solution is discussed using a power-law f(G) gravity model and physical quantities are calculated. In particular, Kasner’s universe is recovered and the corresponding f(G) gravity models are reported. Second, the energy conditions for the model under consideration are discussed using graphical analysis. It is concluded that solutions with f(G) = G{sup 5/6} support expansion of universe while those with f(G) = G{sup 1/2} do not favor the current expansion.

BOOK REVIEW: Canonical Gravity and Applications: Cosmology, Black Holes, and Quantum Gravity Canonical Gravity and Applications: Cosmology, Black Holes, and Quantum Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Husain, Viqar

2012-03-01

Research on quantum gravity from a non-perturbative 'quantization of geometry' perspective has been the focus of much research in the past two decades, due to the Ashtekar-Barbero Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity. This approach provides an SU(2) gauge field as the canonical configuration variable; the analogy with Yang-Mills theory at the kinematical level opened up some research space to reformulate the old Wheeler-DeWitt program into what is now known as loop quantum gravity (LQG). The author is known for his work in the LQG approach to cosmology, which was the first application of this formalism that provided the possibility of exploring physical questions. Therefore the flavour of the book is naturally informed by this history. The book is based on a set of graduate-level lectures designed to impart a working knowledge of the canonical approach to gravitation. It is more of a textbook than a treatise, unlike three other recent books in this area by Kiefer [1], Rovelli [2] and Thiemann [3]. The style and choice of topics of these authors are quite different; Kiefer's book provides a broad overview of the path integral and canonical quantization methods from a historical perspective, whereas Rovelli's book focuses on philosophical and formalistic aspects of the problems of time and observables, and gives a development of spin-foam ideas. Thiemann's is much more a mathematical physics book, focusing entirely on the theory of representing constraint operators on a Hilbert space and charting a mathematical trajectory toward a physical Hilbert space for quantum gravity. The significant difference from these books is that Bojowald covers mainly classical topics until the very last chapter, which contains the only discussion of quantization. In its coverage of classical gravity, the book has some content overlap with Poisson's book [4], and with Ryan and Shepley's older work on relativistic cosmology [5]; for instance the contents of chapter five of the

Cosmological stability bound in massive gravity and bigravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fasiello, Matteo; Tolley, Andrew J.

2013-01-01

We give a simple derivation of a cosmological bound on the graviton mass for spatially flat FRW solutions in massive gravity with an FRW reference metric and for bigravity theories. This bound comes from the requirement that the kinetic term of the helicity zero mode of the graviton is positive definite. The bound is dependent only on the parameters in the massive gravity potential and the Hubble expansion rate for the two metrics. We derive the decoupling limit of bigravity and FRW massive gravity, and use this to give an independent derivation of the cosmological bound. We recover our previous results that the tension between satisfying the Friedmann equation and the cosmological bound is sufficient to rule out all observationally relevant FRW solutions for massive gravity with an FRW reference metric. In contrast, in bigravity this tension is resolved due to different nature of the Vainshtein mechanism. We find that in bigravity theories there exists an FRW solution with late-time self-acceleration for which the kinetic terms for the helicity-2, helicity-1 and helicity-0 are generically nonzero and positive making this a compelling candidate for a model of cosmic acceleration. We confirm that the generalized bound is saturated for the candidate partially massless (bi)gravity theories but the existence of helicity-1/helicity-0 interactions implies the absence of the conjectured partially massless symmetry for both massive gravity and bigravity

Astrophysical black holes in screened modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Anne-Christine; Jha, Rahul; Muir, Jessica [Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WA (United Kingdom); Gregory, Ruth, E-mail: acd@damtp.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: r.a.w.gregory@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: r.jha@damtp.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: jlmuir@umich.edu [Centre for Particle Theory, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

2014-08-01

Chameleon, environmentally dependent dilaton, and symmetron gravity are three models of modified gravity in which the effects of the additional scalar degree of freedom are screened in dense environments. They have been extensively studied in laboratory, cosmological, and astrophysical contexts. In this paper, we present a preliminary investigation into whether additional constraints can be provided by studying these scalar fields around black holes. By looking at the properties of a static, spherically symmetric black hole, we find that the presence of a non-uniform matter distribution induces a non-constant scalar profile in chameleon and dilaton, but not necessarily symmetron gravity. An order of magnitude estimate shows that the effects of these profiles on in-falling test particles will be sub-leading compared to gravitational waves and hence observationally challenging to detect.

Astrophysical black holes in screened modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, Anne-Christine; Jha, Rahul; Muir, Jessica; Gregory, Ruth

2014-01-01

Chameleon, environmentally dependent dilaton, and symmetron gravity are three models of modified gravity in which the effects of the additional scalar degree of freedom are screened in dense environments. They have been extensively studied in laboratory, cosmological, and astrophysical contexts. In this paper, we present a preliminary investigation into whether additional constraints can be provided by studying these scalar fields around black holes. By looking at the properties of a static, spherically symmetric black hole, we find that the presence of a non-uniform matter distribution induces a non-constant scalar profile in chameleon and dilaton, but not necessarily symmetron gravity. An order of magnitude estimate shows that the effects of these profiles on in-falling test particles will be sub-leading compared to gravitational waves and hence observationally challenging to detect

Bouncing cosmologies via modified gravity in the ADM formalism: Application to loop quantum cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

de Haro, Jaume; Amorós, Jaume

2018-03-01

We consider the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formalism as a tool to build bouncing cosmologies. In this approach, the foliation of the spacetime has to be fixed in order to go beyond general relativity modifying the gravitational sector. Once a preferred slicing, which we choose based on the matter content of the Universe following the spirit of Weyl's postulate, has been fixed, f theories depending on the extrinsic and intrinsic curvature of the slicing are covariant for all the reference frames preserving the foliation; i.e., the constraint and dynamical equations have the same form for all these observers. Moreover, choosing multivalued f functions, bouncing backgrounds emerge in a natural way. In fact, the simplest is the one corresponding to holonomy corrected loop quantum cosmology. The final goal of this work is to provide the equations of perturbations which, unlike the full equations, become gauge invariant in this theory, and apply them to the so-called matter bounce scenario.

Searching for modified gravity with baryon oscillations: From SDSS to wide field multiobject spectroscopy (WFMOS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Bassett, Bruce A.; Nichol, Robert C.; Suto, Yasushi; Yahata, Kazuhiro

2006-01-01

We discuss how the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) signatures in the galaxy power spectrum can distinguish between modified gravity and the cosmological constant as the source of cosmic acceleration. To this end we consider a model characterized by a parameter n, which corresponds to the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati (DGP) model if n=2 and reduces to the standard spatially flat cosmological constant concordance model for n equal to infinity. We find that the different expansion histories of the modified gravity models systematically shifts the peak positions of BAO. A preliminary analysis using the current SDSS luminous red galaxy (LRG) sample indicates that the original DGP model is disfavored unless the matter density parameter exceeds 0.3. The constraints will be strongly tightened with future spectroscopic samples of galaxies at high redshifts. We demonstrate that WFMOS, in collaboration with other surveys such as Planck, will powerfully constrain modified gravity alternatives to dark energy as the explanation of cosmic acceleration

Cosmology in massive gravity with effective composite metric

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heisenberg, Lavinia [Institute for Theoretical Studies, ETH Zurich Clausiusstrasse 47, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Refregier, Alexandre, E-mail: lavinia.heisenberg@eth-its.ethz.ch, E-mail: alexandre.refregier@phys.ethz.ch [Institute for Astronomy, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093, Zurich (Switzerland)

2016-09-01

This paper is dedicated to scrutinizing the cosmology in massive gravity. A matter field of the dark sector is coupled to an effective composite metric while a standard matter field couples to the dynamical metric in the usual way. For this purpose, we study the dynamical system of cosmological solutions by using phase analysis, which provides an overview of the class of cosmological solutions in this setup. This also permits us to study the critical points of the cosmological equations together with their stability. We show the presence of stable attractor de Sitter critical points relevant to the late-time cosmic acceleration. Furthermore, we study the tensor, vector and scalar perturbations in the presence of standard matter fields and obtain the conditions for the absence of ghost and gradient instabilities. Hence, massive gravity in the presence of the effective composite metric can accommodate interesting dark energy phenomenology, that can be observationally distinguished from the standard model according to the expansion history and cosmic growth.

Generalized Curvature-Matter Couplings in Modified Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiberiu Harko

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this work, we review a plethora of modified theories of gravity with generalized curvature-matter couplings. The explicit nonminimal couplings, for instance, between an arbitrary function of the scalar curvature R and the Lagrangian density of matter, induces a non-vanishing covariant derivative of the energy-momentum tensor, implying non-geodesic motion and, consequently, leads to the appearance of an extra force. Applied to the cosmological context, these curvature-matter couplings lead to interesting phenomenology, where one can obtain a unified description of the cosmological epochs. We also consider the possibility that the behavior of the galactic flat rotation curves can be explained in the framework of the curvature-matter coupling models, where the extra terms in the gravitational field equations modify the equations of motion of test particles and induce a supplementary gravitational interaction. In addition to this, these models are extremely useful for describing dark energy-dark matter interactions and for explaining the late-time cosmic acceleration.

Infinite derivative gravity : non-singular cosmology & blackhole solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mazumdar, Anupam

2017-01-01

Both Einstein's theory of General Relativity and Newton's theory of gravity possess a short dis- tance and small time scale catastrophe. The blackhole singularity and cosmological Big Bang singularity problems highlight that current theories of gravity are incomplete description at early times and

Distinguishing modified gravity models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brax, Philippe; Davis, Anne-Christine

2015-01-01

Modified gravity models with screening in local environments appear in three different guises: chameleon, K-mouflage and Vainshtein mechanisms. We propose to look for differences between these classes of models by considering cosmological observations at low redshift. In particular, we analyse the redshift dependence of the fine structure constant and the proton to electron mass ratio in each of these scenarios. When the absorption lines belong to unscreened regions of space such as dwarf galaxies, a time variation would be present for chameleons. For both K-mouflage and Vainshtein mechanisms, the cosmological time variation of the scalar field is not suppressed in both unscreened and screened environments, therefore enhancing the variation of constants and their detection prospect. We also consider the time variation of the redshift of distant objects using their spectrocopic velocities. We find that models of the K-mouflage and Vainshtein types have very different spectroscopic velocities as a function of redshift and that their differences with the Λ-CDM template should be within reach of the future ELT-HIRES observations

Distinguishing modified gravity models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brax, Philippe [Institut de Physique Théorique, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, F-91191 Gif/Yvette Cedex (France); Davis, Anne-Christine, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr, E-mail: A.C.Davis@damtp.cam.ac.uk [DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

2015-10-01

Modified gravity models with screening in local environments appear in three different guises: chameleon, K-mouflage and Vainshtein mechanisms. We propose to look for differences between these classes of models by considering cosmological observations at low redshift. In particular, we analyse the redshift dependence of the fine structure constant and the proton to electron mass ratio in each of these scenarios. When the absorption lines belong to unscreened regions of space such as dwarf galaxies, a time variation would be present for chameleons. For both K-mouflage and Vainshtein mechanisms, the cosmological time variation of the scalar field is not suppressed in both unscreened and screened environments, therefore enhancing the variation of constants and their detection prospect. We also consider the time variation of the redshift of distant objects using their spectrocopic velocities. We find that models of the K-mouflage and Vainshtein types have very different spectroscopic velocities as a function of redshift and that their differences with the Λ-CDM template should be within reach of the future ELT-HIRES observations.

Energy conditions in modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Nadiezhda Montelongo; Harko, Tiberiu; Lobo, Francisco S. N.; Mimoso, Jose P.

2011-01-01

In considering alternative higher-order gravity theories, one is liable to be motivated in pursuing models consistent and inspired by several candidates of a fundamental theory of quantum gravity. Indeed, motivations from string/M theory predict that scalar field couplings with the Gauss-Bonnet invariant, G, are important in the appearance of nonsingular early time cosmologies. In this work, we discuss the viability of an interesting alternative gravitational theory, namely, modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity or f(G) gravity. We consider specific realistic forms of f(G) analyzed in the literature that account for the late-time cosmic acceleration and that have been found to cure the finite-time future singularities present in the dark energy models. We present the general inequalities imposed by the energy conditions and use the recent estimated values of the Hubble, deceleration, jerk and snap parameters to examine the viability of the above-mentioned forms of f(G) imposed by the weak energy condition.

Systematic simulations of modified gravity: chameleon models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brax, Philippe [Institut de Physique Theorique, CEA, IPhT, CNRS, URA 2306, F-91191Gif/Yvette Cedex (France); Davis, Anne-Christine [DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom); Li, Baojiu [Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Winther, Hans A. [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo (Norway); Zhao, Gong-Bo, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr, E-mail: a.c.davis@damtp.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: baojiu.li@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: h.a.winther@astro.uio.no, E-mail: gong-bo.zhao@port.ac.uk [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom)

2013-04-01

In this work we systematically study the linear and nonlinear structure formation in chameleon theories of modified gravity, using a generic parameterisation which describes a large class of models using only 4 parameters. For this we have modified the N-body simulation code ecosmog to perform a total of 65 simulations for different models and parameter values, including the default ΛCDM. These simulations enable us to explore a significant portion of the parameter space. We have studied the effects of modified gravity on the matter power spectrum and mass function, and found a rich and interesting phenomenology where the difference with the ΛCDM paradigm cannot be reproduced by a linear analysis even on scales as large as k ∼ 0.05 hMpc{sup −1}, since the latter incorrectly assumes that the modification of gravity depends only on the background matter density. Our results show that the chameleon screening mechanism is significantly more efficient than other mechanisms such as the dilaton and symmetron, especially in high-density regions and at early times, and can serve as a guidance to determine the parts of the chameleon parameter space which are cosmologically interesting and thus merit further studies in the future.

Systematic simulations of modified gravity: chameleon models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brax, Philippe; Davis, Anne-Christine; Li, Baojiu; Winther, Hans A.; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2013-01-01

In this work we systematically study the linear and nonlinear structure formation in chameleon theories of modified gravity, using a generic parameterisation which describes a large class of models using only 4 parameters. For this we have modified the N-body simulation code ecosmog to perform a total of 65 simulations for different models and parameter values, including the default ΛCDM. These simulations enable us to explore a significant portion of the parameter space. We have studied the effects of modified gravity on the matter power spectrum and mass function, and found a rich and interesting phenomenology where the difference with the ΛCDM paradigm cannot be reproduced by a linear analysis even on scales as large as k ∼ 0.05 hMpc −1 , since the latter incorrectly assumes that the modification of gravity depends only on the background matter density. Our results show that the chameleon screening mechanism is significantly more efficient than other mechanisms such as the dilaton and symmetron, especially in high-density regions and at early times, and can serve as a guidance to determine the parts of the chameleon parameter space which are cosmologically interesting and thus merit further studies in the future

Unified cosmic history in modified gravity: From F(R) theory to Lorentz non-invariant models

Science.gov (United States)

Nojiri, Shin'Ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.

2011-08-01

The classical generalization of general relativity is considered as the gravitational alternative for a unified description of the early-time inflation with late-time cosmic acceleration. The structure and cosmological properties of a number of modified theories, including traditional F(R) and Hořava-Lifshitz F(R) gravity, scalar-tensor theory, string-inspired and Gauss-Bonnet theory, non-local gravity, non-minimally coupled models, and power-counting renormalizable covariant gravity are discussed. Different representations of and relations between such theories are investigated. It is shown that some versions of the above theories may be consistent with local tests and may provide a qualitatively reasonable unified description of inflation with the dark energy epoch. The cosmological reconstruction of different modified gravities is provided in great detail. It is demonstrated that eventually any given universe evolution may be reconstructed for the theories under consideration, and the explicit reconstruction is applied to an accelerating spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe. Special attention is paid to Lagrange multiplier constrained and conventional F(R) gravities, for latter F(R) theory, the effective ΛCDM era and phantom divide crossing acceleration are obtained. The occurrences of the Big Rip and other finite-time future singularities in modified gravity are reviewed along with their solutions via the addition of higher-derivative gravitational invariants.

Late-time cosmological approach in mimetic f(R, T) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baffou, E.H. [Institut de Mathematiques et de Sciences Physiques (IMSP), Porto-Novo (Benin); Houndjo, M.J.S. [Institut de Mathematiques et de Sciences Physiques (IMSP), Porto-Novo (Benin); Faculte des Sciences et Techniques de Natitingou, Natitingou (Benin); Hamani-Daouda, M. [Universite de Niamey, Departement de Physique, Niamey (Niger); Alvarenga, F.G. [Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Departamento de Engenharia e Ciencias Naturais, CEUNES, Sao Mateus, ES (Brazil)

2017-10-15

In this paper, we investigate the late-time cosmic acceleration in mimetic f(R, T) gravity with the Lagrange multiplier and potential in a Universe containing, besides radiation and dark energy, a self-interacting (collisional) matter. We obtain through the modified Friedmann equations the main equation that can describe the cosmological evolution. Then, with several models from Q(z) and the well-known particular model f(R, T), we perform an analysis of the late-time evolution. We examine the behavior of the Hubble parameter, the dark energy equation of state and the total effective equation of state and in each case we compare the resulting picture with the non-collisional matter (assumed as dust) and also with the collisional matter in mimetic f(R, T) gravity. The results obtained are in good agreement with the observational data and show that in the presence of the collisional matter the dark energy oscillations in mimetic f(R, T) gravity can be damped. (orig.)

Finite-time future singularities in modified Gauss-Bonnet and F(R,G) gravity and singularity avoidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bamba, Kazuharu; Odintsov, Sergei D.; Sebastiani, Lorenzo; Zerbini, Sergio

2010-01-01

We study all four types of finite-time future singularities emerging in the late-time accelerating (effective quintessence/phantom) era from F(R,G)-gravity, where R and G are the Ricci scalar and the Gauss-Bonnet invariant, respectively. As an explicit example of F(R,G)-gravity, we also investigate modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity, so-called F(G)-gravity. In particular, we reconstruct the F(G)-gravity and F(R,G)-gravity models where accelerating cosmologies realizing the finite-time future singularities emerge. Furthermore, we discuss a possible way to cure the finite-time future singularities in F(G)-gravity and F(R,G)-gravity by taking into account higher-order curvature corrections. The example of non-singular realistic modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity is presented. It turns out that adding such non-singular modified gravity to singular Dark Energy makes the combined theory a non-singular one as well. (orig.)

Nonsingular cosmology from evolutionary quantum gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Cianfrani, Francesco; Montani, Giovanni; Pittorino, Fabrizio

2014-11-01

We provide a cosmological implementation of the evolutionary quantum gravity, describing an isotropic Universe, in the presence of a negative cosmological constant and a massive (preinflationary) scalar field. We demonstrate that the considered Universe has a nonsingular quantum behavior, associated to a primordial bounce, whose ground state has a high occupation number. Furthermore, in such a vacuum state, the super-Hamiltonian eigenvalue is negative, corresponding to a positive emerging dust energy density. The regularization of the model is performed via a polymer quantum approach to the Universe scale factor and the proper classical limit is then recovered, in agreement with a preinflationary state of the Universe. Since the dust energy density is redshifted by the Universe de Sitter phase and the cosmological constant does not enter the ground state eigenvalue, we get a late-time cosmology, compatible with the present observations, endowed with a turning point in the far future.

FRW cosmology in F(R,T) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myrzakulov, Ratbay

2012-01-01

In this paper, we consider a theory of gravity with a metric-dependent torsion namely the F(R,T) gravity, where R is the curvature scalar and T is the torsion scalar. We study the geometric root of such theory. In particular we give the derivation of the model from the geometrical point of view. Then we present the more general form of F(R,T) gravity with two arbitrary functions and give some of its particular cases. In particular, the usual F(R) and F(T) gravity theories are particular cases of the F(R,T) gravity. In the cosmological context, we find that our new gravitational theory can describe the accelerated expansion of the Universe. (orig.)

Quantum cosmology of classically constrained gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabadadze, Gregory; Shang Yanwen

2006-01-01

In [G. Gabadadze, Y. Shang, hep-th/0506040] we discussed a classically constrained model of gravity. This theory contains known solutions of General Relativity (GR), and admits solutions that are absent in GR. Here we study cosmological implications of some of these new solutions. We show that a spatially-flat de Sitter universe can be created from 'nothing'. This universe has boundaries, and its total energy equals to zero. Although the probability to create such a universe is exponentially suppressed, it favors initial conditions suitable for inflation. Then we discuss a finite-energy solution with a nonzero cosmological constant and zero space-time curvature. There is no tunneling suppression to fluctuate into this state. We show that for a positive cosmological constant this state is unstable-it can rapidly transition to a de Sitter universe providing a new unsuppressed channel for inflation. For a negative cosmological constant the space-time flat solutions is stable.

Can modified gravity from extra dimensions explain dark matter effects?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kar, S.; Bharadwaj, S.; Pal, S.

2006-01-01

Observations on galaxy rotation curves and X-ray profiles of galaxy clusters over several decades have shown us that there exists a need for non-luminous (dark) matter. Cosmological observations also point towards the existence of dark components of two kinds - dark matter and dark energy - which, together, seem to be most of what is there the universe. However, for several years, there has been a line of thought which proposes modified gravity as an alternative to dark matter. In this article, we show, how the effective Einstein equations which arise in the context of the currently fashionable warped braneworld models, can explain the effects of dark matter as a manifestation of the consequences of the existence of extra dimensions. Finally, in order to distinguish between the effects of material dark matter and modified gravity, we calculate gravitational lensing in our modified gravity theory and show distinct differences in the deflection angles. If confirmed with observations, our results may shed new light on the existence of extra dimensions and dark matter. (authors)

Nonderivative Modified Gravity: a Classification

CERN Document Server

Comelli, Denis; Pilo, Luigi

2014-01-01

We analyze the theories of gravity modified by a generic nonderivative potential built from the metric, under the minimal requirement of unbroken spatial rotations. Using the canonical analysis, we classify the potentials $V$ according to the number of degrees of freedom (DoF) that propagate at the nonperturbative level. We then compare the nonperturbative results with the perturbative DoF propagating around Minkowski and FRW backgrounds. A generic $V$ implies 6 propagating DoF at the non-perturbative level, with a ghost on Minkowski background. There exist potentials which propagate 5 DoF, as already studied in previous works. Here, no $V$ with unbroken rotational invariance admitting 4 DoF is found. Theories with 3 DoF turn out to be strongly coupled on Minkowski background. Finally, potentials with only the 2 DoF of a massive graviton exist. Their effect on cosmology is simply equivalent to a cosmological constant. Potentials with 2 or 5 DoF and explicit time dependence appear to be a further viable possib...

Modified General Relativity and Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Rahman, A.-M. M.

1997-10-01

Aspects of the modified general relativity theory of Rastall, Al-Rawaf and Taha are discussed in both the radiation- and matter-dominated flat cosmological models. A nucleosynthesis constraint on the theory's free parameter is obtained and the implication for the age of the Universe is discussed. The consistency of the modified matter- dominated model with the neoclassical cosmological tests is demonstrated.

Pulsar spin down and cosmologies with varying gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansfield, V.N.

1976-01-01

Reference is made to the measured spin down of the pulsar JP1953 and it is stated that this conflicts with conclusions concerning cosmologies having weakening gravity. An explanation is also given for the lack of long period pulsars in terms of group theory cosmologies with strengthening gravity. The implications of Dirac's large number hypothesis are considered, including possibilities for the implied continuous creation of matter, both 'additive creation' in which nucleons are created uniformly throughout space and 'multiplicative creation' in which matter is created where it already exists in proportion to the amount existing. Malin's suggestion (Phys. Rev. D9:3228 (1974)) that the mass of all particles varies inversely as the four-dimensional radius of curvature of the universe is also considered. (U.K.)

Holographic dark energy from fluid/gravity duality constraint by cosmological observations

Science.gov (United States)

Pourhassan, Behnam; Bonilla, Alexander; Faizal, Mir; Abreu, Everton M. C.

2018-06-01

In this paper, we obtain a holographic model of dark energy using the fluid/gravity duality. This model will be dual to a higher dimensional Schwarzschild black hole, and we would use fluid/gravity duality to relate to the parameters of this black hole to such a cosmological model. We will also analyze the thermodynamics of such a solution, and discuss the stability model. Finally, we use cosmological data to constraint the parametric space of this dark energy model. Thus, we will use observational data to perform cosmography for this holographic model based on fluid/gravity duality.

Simultaneous effect of modified gravity and primordial non-Gaussianity in large scale structure observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirzatuny, Nareg; Khosravi, Shahram; Baghram, Shant; Moshafi, Hossein

2014-01-01

In this work we study the simultaneous effect of primordial non-Gaussianity and the modification of the gravity in f(R) framework on large scale structure observations. We show that non-Gaussianity and modified gravity introduce a scale dependent bias and growth rate functions. The deviation from ΛCDM in the case of primordial non-Gaussian models is in large scales, while the growth rate deviates from ΛCDM in small scales for modified gravity theories. We show that the redshift space distortion can be used to distinguish positive and negative f NL in standard background, while in f(R) theories they are not easily distinguishable. The galaxy power spectrum is generally enhanced in presence of non-Gaussianity and modified gravity. We also obtain the scale dependence of this enhancement. Finally we define galaxy growth rate and galaxy growth rate bias as new observational parameters to constrain cosmology

Cosmology and a general scalar-tensor theory of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, N.T.

1976-01-01

The cosmological models resulting from a general scalar-tensor theory of gravity are discussed. Those models for which the scalar field varies as a power of the cosmological expansion factor (i.e. phi varies as Rsup(n)) are considered in detail, leading to a set of such models compatible with observation. This set includes models in which the scalar coupling parameter ω is negative. The models described here are similar to those of Newtonian cosmology obtained from an impotence principle. (author)

Cosmological perturbations in the projectable version of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerioni, Alessandro; Brandenberger, Robert H.

2011-01-01

We consider linear perturbations about a homogeneous and isotropic cosmological background in the projectable version of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity. Starting from the action for cosmological perturbations, we identify the canonically normalized fluctuation variables. We find that - in contrast to what happens in the non-projectable version of the theory - the extra scalar cosmological perturbation mode is already dynamical at the level of linear perturbations and is either ghost-like or tachyonic depending on the value of a free parameter. This indicates a problem for the projectable version of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

Nonlocal gravity. Conceptual aspects and cosmological predictions

Science.gov (United States)

Belgacem, Enis; Dirian, Yves; Foffa, Stefano; Maggiore, Michele

2018-03-01

Even if the fundamental action of gravity is local, the corresponding quantum effective action, that includes the effect of quantum fluctuations, is a nonlocal object. These nonlocalities are well understood in the ultraviolet regime but much less in the infrared, where they could in principle give rise to important cosmological effects. Here we systematize and extend previous work of our group, in which it is assumed that a mass scale Λ is dynamically generated in the infrared, giving rise to nonlocal terms in the quantum effective action of gravity. We give a detailed discussion of conceptual aspects related to nonlocal gravity (including causality, degrees of freedom, ambiguities related to the boundary conditions of the nonlocal operator, scenarios for the emergence of a dynamical scale in the infrared) and of the cosmological consequences of these models. The requirement of providing a viable cosmological evolution severely restricts the form of the nonlocal terms, and selects a model (the so-called RR model) that corresponds to a dynamical mass generation for the conformal mode. For such a model: (1) there is a FRW background evolution, where the nonlocal term acts as an effective dark energy with a phantom equation of state, providing accelerated expansion without a cosmological constant. (2) Cosmological perturbations are well behaved. (3) Implementing the model in a Boltzmann code and comparing with observations we find that the RR model fits the CMB, BAO, SNe, structure formation data and local H0 measurements at a level statistically equivalent to ΛCDM. (4) Bayesian parameter estimation shows that the value of H0 obtained in the RR model is higher than in ΛCDM, reducing to 2.0σ the tension with the value from local measurements. (5) The RR model provides a prediction for the sum of neutrino masses that falls within the limits set by oscillation and terrestrial experiments (in contrast to ΛCDM, where letting the sum of neutrino masses vary as a free

Gamma-ray bursts as cosmological probes: ΛCDM vs. conformal gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaferio, Antonaldo; Ostorero, Luisa; Cardone, Vincenzo

2011-01-01

ΛCDM, for the currently preferred cosmological density Ω 0 and cosmological constant Ω Λ , predicts that the Universe expansion decelerates from early times to redshift z ≈ 0.9 and accelerates at later times. On the contrary, the cosmological model based on conformal gravity predicts that the cosmic expansion has always been accelerating. To distinguish between these two very different cosmologies, we resort to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which have been suggested to probe the Universe expansion history at z > 1, where identified type Ia supernovae (SNe) are rare. We use the full Bayesian approach to infer the cosmological parameters and the additional parameters required to describe the GRB data available in the literature. For the first time, we use GRBs as cosmological probes without any prior information from other data. In addition, when we combine the GRB samples with SNe, our approach neatly avoids all the inconsistencies of most numerous previous methods that are plagued by the so-called circularity problem. In fact, when analyzed properly, current data are consistent with distance moduli of GRBs and SNe that can respectively be, in a variant of conformal gravity, ∼ 15 and ∼ 3 magnitudes fainter than in ΛCDM. Our results indicate that the currently available SN and GRB samples are accommodated equally well by both ΛCDM and conformal gravity and do not exclude a continuous accelerated expansion. We conclude that GRBs are currently far from being effective cosmological probes, as they are unable to distinguish between these two very different expansion histories

Exact solutions for scalar field cosmology in f(R) gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Maharaj, S. D.; Goswami, R.; Chervon, S. V.; Nikolaev, A. V.

2017-09-01

We study scalar field FLRW cosmology in the content of f(R) gravity. Our consideration is restricted to the spatially flat Friedmann universe. We derived the general evolution equations of the model, and showed that the scalar field equation is automatically satisfied for any form of the f(R) function. We also derived representations for kinetic and potential energies, as well as for the acceleration in terms of the Hubble parameter and the form of the f(R) function. Next we found the exact cosmological solutions in modified gravity without specifying the f(R) function. With negligible acceleration of the scalar curvature, we found that the de Sitter inflationary solution is always attained. Also we obtained new solutions with special restrictions on the integration constants. These solutions contain oscillating, accelerating, decelerating and even contracting universes. For further investigation, we selected special cases which can be applied with early or late inflation. We also found exact solutions for the general case for the model with negligible acceleration of the scalar curvature in terms of special Airy functions. Using initial conditions which represent the universe at the present epoch, we determined the constants of integration. This allows for the comparison of the scale factor in the new solutions with that for current stage of the universe evolution in the ΛCDM model.

Algorithmic Complexity in Cosmology and Quantum Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Singleton

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: In this article we use the idea of algorithmic complexity (AC to study various cosmological scenarios, and as a means of quantizing the ravitational interaction. We look at 5D and 7D cosmological models where the Universe begins as a higher dimensional Planck size spacetime which fluctuates between Euclidean and Lorentzian signatures. These fluctuations are overned by the AC of the two different signatures. At some point a transition to a 4D Lorentzian signature Universe occurs, with the extra dimensions becoming "frozen" or non-dynamical. We also apply the idea of algorithmic complexity to study composite wormholes, the entropy of black holes, and the path integral for quantum gravity. Some of the physical consequences of the idea presented here are:the birth of the Universe with a fluctuating metric signature; the transition from a fluctuating metric signature to Lorentzian one; "frozen" extra dimensions as a consequence of this transition; quantum handles in the spacetime foam as regions with multidimensional gravity.

TCP, quantum gravity, the cosmological constant and all that .

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banks, T.

1985-01-01

We study cosmology from the point of view of quantum gravity. Some light is thrown on the nature of time, and it is suggested that the cosmological arrow of time is generated by a spontaneous breakdown of TCP. Conventional cosmological models in which quantum fields interact with a time-dependent gravitational field are shown to describe an approximation to the quantum gravitational wave function which is valid in the long-wavelength limit. Two problems with initial conditions are resolved in models in which a negative bare cosmological constant is cancelled by the classical excitation of a Bose field eta with a very flat potential. These models can also give a natural explanation for the observed value of the cosmological constant. (orig.)

Parametrized post-Friedmann framework for modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Wayne; Sawicki, Ignacy

2007-01-01

We develop a parametrized post-Friedmann (PPF) framework which describes three regimes of modified gravity models that accelerate the expansion without dark energy. On large scales, the evolution of scalar metric and density perturbations must be compatible with the expansion history defined by distance measures. On intermediate scales in the linear regime, they form a scalar-tensor theory with a modified Poisson equation. On small scales in dark matter halos such as our own galaxy, modifications must be suppressed in order to satisfy stringent local tests of general relativity. We describe these regimes with three free functions and two parameters: the relationship between the two metric fluctuations, the large and intermediate scale relationships to density fluctuations, and the two scales of the transitions between the regimes. We also clarify the formal equivalence of modified gravity and generalized dark energy. The PPF description of linear fluctuation in f(R) modified action and the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati braneworld models show excellent agreement with explicit calculations. Lacking cosmological simulations of these models, our nonlinear halo-model description remains an ansatz but one that enables well-motivated consistency tests of general relativity. The required suppression of modifications within dark matter halos suggests that the linear and weakly nonlinear regimes are better suited for making a complementary test of general relativity than the deeply nonlinear regime

Inflationary cosmology from quantum conformal gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jizba, Petr; Kleinert, Hagen; Scardigli, Fabio

2015-01-01

We analyze the functional integral for quantum conformal gravity and show that, with the help of a Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation, the action can be broken into a local quadratic-curvature theory coupled to a scalar field. A one-loop effective-action calculation reveals that strong fluctuations of the metric field are capable of spontaneously generating a dimensionally transmuted parameter which, in the weak-field sector of the broken phase, induces a Starobinsky-type f(R)-model with a gravi-cosmological constant. A resulting non-trivial relation between Starobinsky's parameter and the gravi-cosmological constant is highlighted and implications for cosmic inflation are briefly discussed and compared with the recent PLANCK and BICEP2 data. (orig.)

Modifications of Einstein's theory of gravity at large distances

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

In the last few years modified gravity theories have been proposed as extensions of Einstein's theory of gravity. Their main motivation is to explain the latest cosmological and astrophysical data on dark energy and dark matter. The study of general relativity at small scales has already produced important results (cf e.g. LNP 863 Quantum Gravity and Quantum Cosmology) while its study at large scales is challenging because recent and upcoming observational results will provide important information on the validity of these modified theories.   In this volume, various aspects of modified gravity at large scales will be discussed: high-curvature gravity theories; general scalar-tensor theories; Galileon theories and their cosmological applications; F(R) gravity theories; massive, new massive and topologically massive gravity; Chern-Simons modifications of general relativity (including holographic variants) and higher-spin gravity theories, to name but a few of the most important recent developments.   Edite...

Parameterized post-Newtonian cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghai, Viraj A A; Clifton, Timothy

2017-01-01

Einstein’s theory of gravity has been extensively tested on solar system scales, and for isolated astrophysical systems, using the perturbative framework known as the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism. This framework is designed for use in the weak-field and slow-motion limit of gravity, and can be used to constrain a large class of metric theories of gravity with data collected from the aforementioned systems. Given the potential of future surveys to probe cosmological scales to high precision, it is a topic of much contemporary interest to construct a similar framework to link Einstein’s theory of gravity and its alternatives to observations on cosmological scales. Our approach to this problem is to adapt and extend the existing PPN formalism for use in cosmology. We derive a set of equations that use the same parameters to consistently model both weak fields and cosmology. This allows us to parameterize a large class of modified theories of gravity and dark energy models on cosmological scales, using just four functions of time. These four functions can be directly linked to the background expansion of the universe, first-order cosmological perturbations, and the weak-field limit of the theory. They also reduce to the standard PPN parameters on solar system scales. We illustrate how dark energy models and scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories of gravity fit into this framework, which we refer to as ‘parameterized post-Newtonian cosmology’ (PPNC). (paper)

Parameterized post-Newtonian cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Sanghai, Viraj A. A.; Clifton, Timothy

2017-03-01

Einstein’s theory of gravity has been extensively tested on solar system scales, and for isolated astrophysical systems, using the perturbative framework known as the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism. This framework is designed for use in the weak-field and slow-motion limit of gravity, and can be used to constrain a large class of metric theories of gravity with data collected from the aforementioned systems. Given the potential of future surveys to probe cosmological scales to high precision, it is a topic of much contemporary interest to construct a similar framework to link Einstein’s theory of gravity and its alternatives to observations on cosmological scales. Our approach to this problem is to adapt and extend the existing PPN formalism for use in cosmology. We derive a set of equations that use the same parameters to consistently model both weak fields and cosmology. This allows us to parameterize a large class of modified theories of gravity and dark energy models on cosmological scales, using just four functions of time. These four functions can be directly linked to the background expansion of the universe, first-order cosmological perturbations, and the weak-field limit of the theory. They also reduce to the standard PPN parameters on solar system scales. We illustrate how dark energy models and scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories of gravity fit into this framework, which we refer to as ‘parameterized post-Newtonian cosmology’ (PPNC).

Time varying G and \\varLambda cosmology in f(R,T) gravity theory

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, R. K.; Beesham, A.; Singh, Rameshwar; Tiwari, L. K.

2017-08-01

We have studied the time dependence of the gravitational constant G and cosmological constant Λ by taking into account an anisotropic and homogeneous Bianchi type-I space-time in the framework of the modified f(R,T) theory of gravity proposed by Harko et al. (Phys. Rev. D 84:024020, 2011). For a specific choice of f(R,T)=R+2f(T) where f(T)=-λ T, two solutions of the modified gravity field equations have been generated with the help of a variation law between the expansion anisotropy ({σ}/{θ}) and the scale factor (S), together with a general non-linear equation of state. The solution for m≠3 corresponds to singular model of the universe whereas the solution for m=3 represents a non-singular model. We infer that the models entail a constant value of the deceleration parameter. A careful analysis of all the physical parameters of the models has also been carried out.

Dynamics of anisotropic power-law f(R) cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shamir, M. F.

2016-01-01

Modified theories of gravity have attracted much attention of the researchers in the recent years. In particular, the f(R) theory has been investigated extensively due to important f(R) gravity models in cosmological contexts. This paper is devoted to exploring an anisotropic universe in metric f(R) gravity. A locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I cosmological model is considered for this purpose. Exact solutions of modified field equations are obtained for a well-known f(R) gravity model. The energy conditions are also discussed for the model under consideration. The viability of the model is investigated via graphical analysis using the present-day values of cosmological parameters. The model satisfies null energy, weak energy, and dominant energy conditions for a particular range of the anisotropy parameter while the strong energy condition is violated, which shows that the anisotropic universe in f(R) gravity supports the crucial issue of accelerated expansion of the universe.

Dynamics of anisotropic power-law f(R) cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamir, M. F., E-mail: farasat.shamir@nu.edu.pk [National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore Campus, Department of Sciences and Humanities (Pakistan)

2016-12-15

Modified theories of gravity have attracted much attention of the researchers in the recent years. In particular, the f(R) theory has been investigated extensively due to important f(R) gravity models in cosmological contexts. This paper is devoted to exploring an anisotropic universe in metric f(R) gravity. A locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I cosmological model is considered for this purpose. Exact solutions of modified field equations are obtained for a well-known f(R) gravity model. The energy conditions are also discussed for the model under consideration. The viability of the model is investigated via graphical analysis using the present-day values of cosmological parameters. The model satisfies null energy, weak energy, and dominant energy conditions for a particular range of the anisotropy parameter while the strong energy condition is violated, which shows that the anisotropic universe in f(R) gravity supports the crucial issue of accelerated expansion of the universe.

Cosmological dynamics of mimetic gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Jibitesh; Khyllep, Wompherdeiki; Saridakis, Emmanuel N.; Tamanini, Nicola; Vagnozzi, Sunny

2018-02-01

We present a detailed investigation of the dynamical behavior of mimetic gravity with a general potential for the mimetic scalar field. Performing a phase-space and stability analysis, we show that the scenario at hand can successfully describe the thermal history of the universe, namely the successive sequence of radiation, matter, and dark-energy eras. Additionally, at late times the universe can either approach a de Sitter solution, or a scaling accelerated attractor where the dark-matter and dark-energy density parameters are of the same order, thus offering an alleviation of the cosmic coincidence problem. Applying our general analysis to various specific potential choices, including the power-law and the exponential ones, we show that mimetic gravity can be brought into good agreement with the observed behavior of the universe. Moreover, with an inverse square potential we find that mimetic gravity offers an appealing unified cosmological scenario where both dark energy and dark matter are characterized by a single scalar field, and where the cosmic coincidence problem is alleviated.

Exact solution in the cosmological chaotic inflation model with induced gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Wenfu

2004-01-01

We present a new, exact solution in the cosmological chaotic inflation model with induced gravity. The spectral index of the scalar density fluctuations, n s , is computed, and is consistent with the analyses of BOOMERANG data. The effective cosmological constant Λ eff tends to zero when inflation ends

Off-diagonal ekpyrotic scenarios and equivalence of modified, massive and/or Einstein gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergiu I. Vacaru

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Using our anholonomic frame deformation method, we show how generic off-diagonal cosmological solutions depending, in general, on all spacetime coordinates and undergoing a phase of ultra-slow contraction can be constructed in massive gravity. In this paper, there are found and studied new classes of locally anisotropic and (inhomogeneous cosmological metrics with open and closed spatial geometries. The late time acceleration is present due to effective cosmological terms induced by nonlinear off-diagonal interactions and graviton mass. The off-diagonal cosmological metrics and related Stückelberg fields are constructed in explicit form up to nonholonomic frame transforms of the Friedmann–Lamaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW coordinates. We show that the solutions include matter, graviton mass and other effective sources modeling nonlinear gravitational and matter fields interactions in modified and/or massive gravity, with polarization of physical constants and deformations of metrics, which may explain certain dark energy and dark matter effects. There are stated and analyzed the conditions when such configurations mimic interesting solutions in general relativity and modifications and recast the general Painlevé–Gullstrand and FLRW metrics. Finally, we elaborate on a reconstruction procedure for a subclass of off-diagonal cosmological solutions which describe cyclic and ekpyrotic universes, with an emphasis on open issues and observable signatures.

Unifying inflation with dark energy in modified F(R) Horava-Lifshitz gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elizalde, E.; Saez-Gomez, D.; Nojiri, S.; Odintsov, S.D.

2010-01-01

We study FRW cosmology for a non-linear modified F(R) Horava-Lifshitz gravity which has a viable convenient counterpart. A unified description of early-time inflation and late-time acceleration is possible in this theory, but the cosmological dynamic details are generically different from the ones of the convenient viable F(R) model. Remarkably, for some specific choice of parameters they do coincide. The emergence of finite-time future singularities is investigated in detail. It is shown that these singularities can be cured by adding an extra, higher-derivative term, which turns out to be qualitatively different when compared with the corresponding one of the convenient F(R) theory. (orig.)

Duality gives rise to Chaplygin cosmologies with a big rip

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chimento, Luis P; Lazkoz, Ruth

2006-01-01

We consider modifications to the Friedmann equation motivated by recent proposals along these lines pursuing an explanation to the observed late time acceleration. Here we show that these approaches can be framed within a theory with modified gravity, and we discuss the construction of the duals of the cosmologies generated within that framework. We then investigate the modifications required to generate extended, generalized and modified Chaplygin cosmologies, and then show that their duals belong to a larger family of cosmologies we call enlarged Chaplygin cosmologies. Finally, by letting the parameters of these models take values not earlier considered in the literature we show that some representatives of that family of cosmologies display sudden future singularities. This fact indicates that the behaviour of these spacetimes is rather different from that of generalized or modified Chaplygin gas cosmologies. This reinforces the idea that modifications of gravity can be responsible for unexpected evolutionary features in the universe

Cosmological consistency tests of gravity theory and cosmic acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Ishak-Boushaki, Mustapha B.

2017-01-01

Testing general relativity at cosmological scales and probing the cause of cosmic acceleration are among the important objectives targeted by incoming and future astronomical surveys and experiments. I present our recent results on consistency tests that can provide insights about the underlying gravity theory and cosmic acceleration using cosmological data sets. We use statistical measures, the rate of cosmic expansion, the growth rate of large scale structure, and the physical consistency of these probes with one another.

Bouncing cosmologies from quantum gravity condensates

Science.gov (United States)

Oriti, Daniele; Sindoni, Lorenzo; Wilson-Ewing, Edward

2017-02-01

We show how the large-scale cosmological dynamics can be obtained from the hydrodynamics of isotropic group field theory condensate states in the Gross-Pitaevskii approximation. The correct Friedmann equations are recovered in the classical limit for some choices of the parameters in the action for the group field theory, and quantum gravity corrections arise in the high-curvature regime causing a bounce which generically resolves the big-bang and big-crunch singularities.

Cosmology of f(R) gravity in the metric variational approach

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Baojiu; Barrow, John D.

2007-04-01

We consider the cosmologies that arise in a subclass of f(R) gravity with f(R)=R+μ2n+2/(-R)n and n∈(-1,0) in the metric (as opposed to the Palatini) variational approach to deriving the gravitational field equations. The calculations of the isotropic and homogeneous cosmological models are undertaken in the Jordan frame and at both the background and the perturbation levels. For the former, we also discuss the connection to the Einstein frame in which the extra degree of freedom in the theory is associated with a scalar field sharing some of the properties of a “chameleon” field. For the latter, we derive the cosmological perturbation equations in general theories of f(R) gravity in covariant form and implement them numerically to calculate the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and matter power spectra of the cosmological model. The CMB power is shown to reduce at low l’s, and the matter power spectrum is almost scale independent at small scales, thus having a similar shape to that in standard general relativity. These are in stark contrast with what was found in the Palatini f(R) gravity, where the CMB power is largely amplified at low l’s and the matter spectrum is strongly scale dependent at small scales. These features make the present model more adaptable than that arising from the Palatini f(R) field equations, and none of the data on background evolution, CMB power spectrum, or matter power spectrum currently rule it out.

Strong Constraints on Cosmological Gravity from GW170817 and GRB 170817A

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, T.; Bellini, E.; Ferreira, P. G.; Lagos, M.; Noller, J.; Sawicki, I.

2017-12-01

The detection of an electromagnetic counterpart (GRB 170817A) to the gravitational-wave signal (GW170817) from the merger of two neutron stars opens a completely new arena for testing theories of gravity. We show that this measurement allows us to place stringent constraints on general scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories, while allowing us to place an independent bound on the graviton mass in bimetric theories of gravity. These constraints severely reduce the viable range of cosmological models that have been proposed as alternatives to general relativistic cosmology.

Thermodynamics and cosmological reconstruction in f(T , B) gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Bahamonde, Sebastian; Zubair, M.; Abbas, G.

2018-03-01

Recently, it was formulated a teleparallel theory called f(T , B) gravity which connects both f(T) and f(R) under suitable limits. In this theory, the function in the action is assumed to depend on the torsion scalar T and also on a boundary term related with the divergence of torsion, B = 2∇μTμ. In this work, we study different features of a flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology in this theory. First, we show that the FLRW equations can be transformed to the form of Clausius relation TˆhSeff = - dE + WdV, where Tˆh is the horizon temperature and Seff is the entropy which contains contributions both from horizon entropy and an additional entropy term introduced due to the non-equilibrium. We also formulate the constraint for the validity of the generalised second law of thermodynamics (GSLT). Additionally, using a cosmological reconstruction technique, we show that both f(T , B) and - T + F(B) gravity can mimic power-law, de-Sitter and ΛCDM models. Finally, we formulate the perturbed evolution equations and analyse the stability of some important cosmological solutions.

From quantum cosmology to quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Englert, F.

1983-01-01

A theory is proposed which solves the problem of the acausal character of the hot big bang cosmology in general relativity. The initial thermal state is stabilized by constructing a semi-classical solution to the coupled graviation and matter system with zero cosmological constant. This solution is an expanding deSitter in which black holes are created by a quantum process out of the expansion energy. It is argued that the initial nucleation process originates from a quantum metric fluctuation. Universe-like configurations must be added over the path integral metrics. This stabilizes the path integral and saturates it with a ''foam of universes'' where the nonrenormalizability of gravity can be seen as the manifestation of long range interactions within a universe. This description introduces indeterminacy into quantum field theory and suggests that 4-D space-time should be explained by new concepts

Nonsingular universe in massive gravity's rainbow

Science.gov (United States)

Hendi, S. H.; Momennia, M.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.

2017-06-01

One of the fundamental open questions in cosmology is whether we can regard the universe evolution without singularity like a Big Bang or a Big Rip. This challenging subject stimulates one to regard a nonsingular universe in the far past with an arbitrarily large vacuum energy. Considering the high energy regime in the cosmic history, it is believed that Einstein gravity should be corrected to an effective energy dependent theory which could be acquired by gravity's rainbow. On the other hand, employing massive gravity provided us with solutions to some of the long standing fundamental problems of cosmology such as cosmological constant problem and self acceleration of the universe. Considering these aspects of gravity's rainbow and massive gravity, in this paper, we initiate studying FRW cosmology in the massive gravity's rainbow formalism. At first, we show that although massive gravity modifies the FRW cosmology, but it does not itself remove the big bang singularity. Then, we generalize the massive gravity to the case of energy dependent spacetime and find that massive gravity's rainbow can remove the early universe singularity. We bring together all the essential conditions for having a nonsingular universe and the effects of both gravity's rainbow and massive gravity generalizations on such criteria are determined.

Terrestrial Sagnac delay constraining modified gravity models

Science.gov (United States)

Karimov, R. Kh.; Izmailov, R. N.; Potapov, A. A.; Nandi, K. K.

2018-04-01

Modified gravity theories include f(R)-gravity models that are usually constrained by the cosmological evolutionary scenario. However, it has been recently shown that they can also be constrained by the signatures of accretion disk around constant Ricci curvature Kerr-f(R0) stellar sized black holes. Our aim here is to use another experimental fact, viz., the terrestrial Sagnac delay to constrain the parameters of specific f(R)-gravity prescriptions. We shall assume that a Kerr-f(R0) solution asymptotically describes Earth's weak gravity near its surface. In this spacetime, we shall study oppositely directed light beams from source/observer moving on non-geodesic and geodesic circular trajectories and calculate the time gap, when the beams re-unite. We obtain the exact time gap called Sagnac delay in both cases and expand it to show how the flat space value is corrected by the Ricci curvature, the mass and the spin of the gravitating source. Under the assumption that the magnitude of corrections are of the order of residual uncertainties in the delay measurement, we derive the allowed intervals for Ricci curvature. We conclude that the terrestrial Sagnac delay can be used to constrain the parameters of specific f(R) prescriptions. Despite using the weak field gravity near Earth's surface, it turns out that the model parameter ranges still remain the same as those obtained from the strong field accretion disk phenomenon.

Cosmological reconstruction and Om diagnostic analysis of Einstein-Aether theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasqua, Antonio [Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 2, 34127 Trieste (Italy); Chattopadhyay, Surajit [Pailan College of Management and Technology, Bengal Pailan Park, Kolkata-700 104 (India); Momeni, Davood; Myrzakulov, Ratbay [Eurasian International Center for Theoretical Physics and Department of General and Theoretical Physics, Eurasian National University, Astana 010008 (Kazakhstan); Raza, Muhammad [Department of Mathematics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal 57000 (Pakistan); Faizal, Mir, E-mail: toto.pasqua@gmail.com, E-mail: surajcha@iucaa.ernet.in, E-mail: d.momeni@yahoo.com, E-mail: mraza@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: rmyrzakulov@gmail.com, E-mail: mirfaizalmir@gmail.com [Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia—Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia V1V 1V7 (Canada)

2017-04-01

In this paper, we analyze the cosmological models in Einstein-Aether gravity, which is a modified theory of gravity in which a time-like vector field breaks the Lorentz symmetry. We use this formalism to analyse different cosmological models with different behavior of the scale factor. In this analysis, we use a certain functional dependence of the Dark Energy (DE) on the Hubble parameter H . It will be demonstrated that the Aether vector field has a non-trivial effect on these cosmological models. We also perform the Om diagnostic in Einstein-Aether gravity and we fit the parameters of the cosmological models using recent observational data.

Mimetic Gravity: A Review of Recent Developments and Applications to Cosmology and Astrophysics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Sebastiani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mimetic gravity is a Weyl-symmetric extension of General Relativity, related to the latter by a singular disformal transformation, wherein the appearance of a dust-like perfect fluid can mimic cold dark matter at a cosmological level. Within this framework, it is possible to provide a unified geometrical explanation for dark matter, the late-time acceleration, and inflation, making it a very attractive theory. In this review, we summarize the main aspects of mimetic gravity, as well as extensions of the minimal formulation of the model. We devote particular focus to the reconstruction technique, which allows the realization of any desired expansionary history of the universe by an accurate choice of potential or other functions defined within the theory (as in the case of mimetic f(R gravity. We briefly discuss cosmological perturbation theory within mimetic gravity. As a case study within which we apply the concepts previously discussed, we study a mimetic Hořava-like theory, of which we explore solutions and cosmological perturbations in detail. Finally, we conclude the review by discussing static spherically symmetric solutions within mimetic gravity and apply our findings to the problem of galactic rotation curves. Our review provides an introduction to mimetic gravity, as well as a concise but self-contained summary of recent findings, progress, open questions, and outlooks on future research directions.

LINKING TESTS OF GRAVITY ON ALL SCALES: FROM THE STRONG-FIELD REGIME TO COSMOLOGY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, Tessa [Astrophysics, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Psaltis, Dimitrios [Astronomy Department, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue., Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Skordis, Constantinos, E-mail: tessa.baker@astro.ox.ac.uk, E-mail: dpsaltis@email.arizona.edu, E-mail: skordis@ucy.ac.cy [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD (United Kingdom)

2015-03-20

The current effort to test general relativity (GR) employs multiple disparate formalisms for different observables, obscuring the relations between laboratory, astrophysical, and cosmological constraints. To remedy this situation, we develop a parameter space for comparing tests of gravity on all scales in the universe. In particular, we present new methods for linking cosmological large-scale structure, the cosmic microwave background, and gravitational waves with classic PPN tests of gravity. Diagrams of this gravitational parameter space reveal a noticeable untested regime. The untested window, which separates small-scale systems from the troubled cosmological regime, could potentially hide the onset of corrections to GR.

Cosmological evolution of generalized non-local gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xue; Wu, Ya-Bo; Liu, Yu-Chen; Chen, Bo-Hai; Chai, Yun-Tian; Shu, Shuang [Department of Physics, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029 (China); Li, Song, E-mail: zxue0128@163.com, E-mail: ybwu61@163.com, E-mail: sli@cnu.edu.cn, E-mail: wuli11liuyuchen@163.com, E-mail: bchenphy@163.com, E-mail: chaiyuntian1881@sina.com, E-mail: sshu1230@163.com [Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048 (China)

2016-07-01

We construct a class of generalized non-local gravity (GNLG) model which is the modified theory of general relativity (GR) obtained by adding a term m {sup 2} {sup n} {sup -2} R □{sup -} {sup n} R to the Einstein-Hilbert action. Concretely, we not only study the gravitational equation for the GNLG model by introducing auxiliary scalar fields, but also analyse the classical stability and examine the cosmological consequences of the model for different exponent n . We find that the half of the scalar fields are always ghost-like and the exponent n must be taken even number for a stable GNLG model. Meanwhile, the model spontaneously generates three dominant phases of the evolution of the universe, and the equation of state parameters turn out to be phantom-like. Furthermore, we clarify in another way that exponent n should be even numbers by the spherically symmetric static solutions in Newtonian gauge. It is worth stressing that the results given by us can include ones in refs. [28, 34] as the special case of n =2.

Using voids to unscreen modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Falck, Bridget; Koyama, Kazuya; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Cautun, Marius

2018-04-01

The Vainshtein mechanism, present in many models of gravity, is very effective at screening dark matter haloes such that the fifth force is negligible and general relativity is recovered within their Vainshtein radii. Vainshtein screening is independent of halo mass and environment, in contrast to e.g. chameleon screening, making it difficult to test. However, our previous studies have found that the dark matter particles in filaments, walls, and voids are not screened by the Vainshtein mechanism. We therefore investigate whether cosmic voids, identified as local density minima using a watershed technique, can be used to test models of gravity that exhibit Vainshtein screening. We measure density, velocity, and screening profiles of stacked voids in cosmological N-body simulations using both dark matter particles and dark matter haloes as tracers of the density field. We find that the voids are completely unscreened, and the tangential velocity and velocity dispersion profiles of stacked voids show a clear deviation from Λ cold dark matter at all radii. Voids have the potential to provide a powerful test of gravity on cosmological scales.

Ricci dark energy in Chern-Simons modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, J.G.; Santos, A.F. [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Campo Grande, MT (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Full text: Currently the accelerated expansion of the universe has been strongly confirmed by some independent experiments such as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In an attempt to explain this phenomenon there are two possible paths; first option - propose corrections to general relativity, second option - assuming that there is a dominant component of the universe, a kind of antigravity called dark energy. Any way that we intend to follow, there are numerous models that attempt to explain this effect. One of the models of modified gravity that has stood out in recent years is the Chern-Simons modified gravity. This modification consists in the addition of the Pontryagin density, which displays violation of parity symmetry in Einstein-Hilbert action. From among the various models proposed for dark energy there are some that are based on the holographic principle, known as holographic dark energy. Such models are based on the idea that the energy density of a given system is proportional to the inverse square of some characteristic length of the system. From these studies, here we consider the model proposed by Gao et. al., a model of dark energy where the characteristic length is given by the average radius of the Ricci scalar. Thus, the dark energy density is proportional to the Ricci scalar, i.e., ρ{sub x} ∝ R. It is a phenomenologically viable model and displays results similar to that presented by the cosmological model ACDM. In this work, we have considered the Ricci dark energy model in the dynamic Chern-Simons modified gravity. We show that in this context the evolution of the scale factor is similar to that displayed by the modified Chaplygin gas. (author)

Ricci dark energy in Chern-Simons modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, J.G.; Santos, A.F.

2013-01-01

Full text: Currently the accelerated expansion of the universe has been strongly confirmed by some independent experiments such as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In an attempt to explain this phenomenon there are two possible paths; first option - propose corrections to general relativity, second option - assuming that there is a dominant component of the universe, a kind of antigravity called dark energy. Any way that we intend to follow, there are numerous models that attempt to explain this effect. One of the models of modified gravity that has stood out in recent years is the Chern-Simons modified gravity. This modification consists in the addition of the Pontryagin density, which displays violation of parity symmetry in Einstein-Hilbert action. From among the various models proposed for dark energy there are some that are based on the holographic principle, known as holographic dark energy. Such models are based on the idea that the energy density of a given system is proportional to the inverse square of some characteristic length of the system. From these studies, here we consider the model proposed by Gao et. al., a model of dark energy where the characteristic length is given by the average radius of the Ricci scalar. Thus, the dark energy density is proportional to the Ricci scalar, i.e., ρ x ∝ R. It is a phenomenologically viable model and displays results similar to that presented by the cosmological model ACDM. In this work, we have considered the Ricci dark energy model in the dynamic Chern-Simons modified gravity. We show that in this context the evolution of the scale factor is similar to that displayed by the modified Chaplygin gas. (author)

Aspects of Nonlocality in Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Gravity and Cosmology

CERN Document Server

Barvinsky, A O

2015-01-01

This paper contains a collection of essays on nonlocal phenomena in quantum field theory, gravity and cosmology. Mechanisms of nonlocal contributions to the quantum effective action are discussed within the covariant perturbation expansion in field strengths and spacetime curvatures and the nonperturbative method based on the late time asymptotics of the heat kernel. Euclidean version of the Schwinger-Keldysh technique for quantum expectation values is presented as a special rule of obtaining the nonlocal effective equations of motion for the mean quantum field from the Euclidean effective action. This rule is applied to a new model of ghost free nonlocal cosmology which can generate the de Sitter stage of cosmological evolution at an arbitrary value of $\\varLambda$ -- a model of dark energy with its scale played by the dynamical variable that can be fixed by a kind of a scaling symmetry breaking mechanism. This model is shown to interpolate between the superhorizon phase of gravity theory mediated by a scala...

Higher dimensional loop quantum cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiangdong

2016-01-01

Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) is the symmetric sector of loop quantum gravity. In this paper, we generalize the structure of loop quantum cosmology to the theories with arbitrary spacetime dimensions. The isotropic and homogeneous cosmological model in n + 1 dimensions is quantized by the loop quantization method. Interestingly, we find that the underlying quantum theories are divided into two qualitatively different sectors according to spacetime dimensions. The effective Hamiltonian and modified dynamical equations of n + 1 dimensional LQC are obtained. Moreover, our results indicate that the classical big bang singularity is resolved in arbitrary spacetime dimensions by a quantum bounce. We also briefly discuss the similarities and differences between the n + 1 dimensional model and the 3 + 1 dimensional one. Our model serves as a first example of higher dimensional loop quantum cosmology and offers the possibility to investigate quantum gravity effects in higher dimensional cosmology. (orig.)

Constraining f(R) gravity in solar system, cosmology and binary pulsar systems

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tan; Zhang, Xing; Zhao, Wen

2018-02-01

The f (R) gravity can be cast into the form of a scalar-tensor theory, and scalar degree of freedom can be suppressed in high-density regions by the chameleon mechanism. In this article, for the general f (R) gravity, using a scalar-tensor representation with the chameleon mechanism, we calculate the parametrized post-Newtonian parameters γ and β, the effective gravitational constant Geff, and the effective cosmological constant Λeff. In addition, for the general f (R) gravity, we also calculate the rate of orbital period decay of the binary system due to gravitational radiation. Then we apply these results to specific f (R) models (Hu-Sawicki model, Tsujikawa model and Starobinsky model) and derive the constraints on the model parameters by combining the observations in solar system, cosmological scales and the binary systems.

Dynamics and phenomenology of higher order gravity cosmological models

Science.gov (United States)

Moldenhauer, Jacob Andrew

2010-10-01

I present here some new results about a systematic approach to higher-order gravity (HOG) cosmological models. The HOG models are derived from curvature invariants that are more general than the Einstein-Hilbert action. Some of the models exhibit late-time cosmic acceleration without the need for dark energy and fit some current observations. The open question is that there are an infinite number of invariants that one could select, and many of the published papers have stressed the need to find a systematic approach that will allow one to study methodically the various possibilities. We explore a new connection that we made between theorems from the theory of invariants in general relativity and these cosmological models. In summary, the theorems demonstrate that curvature invariants are not all independent from each other and that for a given Ricci Segre type and Petrov type (symmetry classification) of the space-time, there exists a complete minimal set of independent invariants (a basis) in terms of which all the other invariants can be expressed. As an immediate consequence of the proposed approach, the number of invariants to consider is dramatically reduced from infinity to four invariants in the worst case and to only two invariants in the cases of interest, including all Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker metrics. We derive models that pass stability and physical acceptability conditions. We derive dynamical equations and phase portrait analyses that show the promise of the systematic approach. We consider observational constraints from magnitude-redshift Supernovae Type Ia data, distance to the last scattering surface of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations. We put observational constraints on general HOG models. We constrain different forms of the Gauss-Bonnet, f(G), modified gravity models with these observations. We show some of these models pass solar system tests. We seek to find models that pass physical and

Beyond Einstein Gravity A Survey of Gravitational Theories for Cosmology and Astrophysics

CERN Document Server

Faraoni, Valerio

2011-01-01

Beyond Einstein’s Gravity is a graduate level introduction to extended theories of gravity and cosmology, including variational principles, the weak-field limit, gravitational waves, mathematical tools, exact solutions, as well as cosmological and astrophysical applications. The book provides a critical overview of the research in this area and unifies the existing literature using a consistent notation. Although the results apply in principle to all alternative gravities, a special emphasis is on scalar-tensor and f(R) theories. They were studied by theoretical physicists from early on, and in the 1980s they appeared in attempts to renormalize General Relativity and in models of the early universe. Recently, these theories have seen a new lease of life, in both their metric and metric-affine versions, as models of the present acceleration of the universe without introducing the mysterious and exotic dark energy. The dark matter problem can also be addressed in extended gravity. These applications are contr...

Planck 2015 results. XIV. Dark energy and modified gravity

CERN Document Server

Ade, P.A.R.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A.J.; Barreiro, R.B.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Battye, R.; Benabed, K.; Benoit, A.; Benoit-Levy, A.; Bernard, J.P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J.R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.R.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R.C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.F.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, H.C.; Christensen, P.R.; Church, S.; Clements, D.L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L.P.L.; Combet, C.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B.P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R.D.; Davis, R.J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Desert, F.X.; Diego, J.M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Dore, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Ensslin, T.A.; Eriksen, H.K.; Fergusson, J.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A.A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Heraud, Y.; Gjerlow, E.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Gorski, K.M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J.E.; Hansen, F.K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D.L.; Heavens, A.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versille, S.; Hernandez-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S.R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W.A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huang, Z.; Huffenberger, K.M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A.H.; Jaffe, T.R.; Jones, W.C.; Juvela, M.; Keihanen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T.S.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lahteenmaki, A.; Lamarre, J.M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C.R.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P.B.; Linden-Vornle, M.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P.M.; Ma, Y.Z.; Macias-Perez, J.F.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Marchini, A.; Martin, P.G.; Martinelli, M.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; McGehee, P.; Meinhold, P.R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschenes, M.A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J.A.; Narimani, A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C.B.; Norgaard-Nielsen, H.U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oxborrow, C.A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T.J.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Popa, L.; Pratt, G.W.; Prezeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.L.; Rachen, J.P.; Reach, W.T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Rubino-Martin, J.A.; Rusholme, B.; Salvatelli, V.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Schaefer, B.M.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M.D.; Shellard, E.P.S.; Spencer, L.D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.S.; Sygnet, J.F.; Tauber, J.A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Viel, M.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L.A.; Wandelt, B.D.; Wehus, I.K.; White, M.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-09-20

We study the implications of Planck data for models of dark energy (DE) and modified gravity (MG), beyond the cosmological constant scenario. We start with cases where the DE only directly affects the background evolution, considering Taylor expansions of the equation of state, principal component analysis and parameterizations related to the potential of a minimally coupled DE scalar field. When estimating the density of DE at early times, we significantly improve present constraints. We then move to general parameterizations of the DE or MG perturbations that encompass both effective field theories and the phenomenology of gravitational potentials in MG models. Lastly, we test a range of specific models, such as k-essence, f(R) theories and coupled DE. In addition to the latest Planck data, for our main analyses we use baryonic acoustic oscillations, type-Ia supernovae and local measurements of the Hubble constant. We further show the impact of measurements of the cosmological perturbations, such as redshif...

Studies into the nature of cosmic acceleration: Dark energy or a modification to gravity on cosmological scales

Science.gov (United States)

Dossett, Jason Nicholas

Since its discovery more than a decade ago, the problem of cosmic acceleration has become one of the largest in cosmology and physics as a whole. An unknown dark energy component of the universe is often invoked to explain this observation. Mathematically, this works because inserting a cosmic fluid with a negative equation of state into Einstein's equations provides an accelerated expansion. There are, however, alternative explanations for the observed cosmic acceleration. Perhaps the most promising of the alternatives is that, on the very largest cosmological scales, general relativity needs to be extended or a new, modified gravity theory must be used. Indeed, many modified gravity models are not only able to replicate the observed accelerated expansion without dark energy, but are also more compatible with a unified theory of physics. Thus it is the goal of this dissertation to develop and study robust tests that will be able to distinguish between these alternative theories of gravity and the need for a dark energy component of the universe. We will study multiple approaches using the growth history of large-scale structure in the universe as a way to accomplish this task. These approaches include studying what is known as the growth index parameter, a parameter that describes the logarithmic growth rate of structure in the universe, which describes the rate of formation of clusters and superclusters of galaxies over the entire age of the universe. We will explore the effectiveness of this parameter to distinguish between general relativity and modifications to gravity physics given realistic expectations of results from future experiments. Next, we will explore the modified growth formalism wherein deviations from the growth expected in general relativity are parameterized via changes to the growth equations, i.e. the perturbed Einstein's equations. We will also explore the impact of spatial curvature on these tests. Finally, we will study how dark energy

Higher-order gravity in higher dimensions: geometrical origins of four-dimensional cosmology?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Troisi, Antonio [Universita degli Studi di Salerno, Dipartimento di Fisica ' ' E.R. Caianiello' ' , Salerno (Italy)

2017-03-15

Determining the cosmological field equations is still very much debated and led to a wide discussion around different theoretical proposals. A suitable conceptual scheme could be represented by gravity models that naturally generalize Einstein theory like higher-order gravity theories and higher-dimensional ones. Both of these two different approaches allow one to define, at the effective level, Einstein field equations equipped with source-like energy-momentum tensors of geometrical origin. In this paper, the possibility is discussed to develop a five-dimensional fourth-order gravity model whose lower-dimensional reduction could provide an interpretation of cosmological four-dimensional matter-energy components. We describe the basic concepts of the model, the complete field equations formalism and the 5-D to 4-D reduction procedure. Five-dimensional f(R) field equations turn out to be equivalent, on the four-dimensional hypersurfaces orthogonal to the extra coordinate, to an Einstein-like cosmological model with three matter-energy tensors related with higher derivative and higher-dimensional counter-terms. By considering the gravity model with f(R) = f{sub 0}R{sup n} the possibility is investigated to obtain five-dimensional power law solutions. The effective four-dimensional picture and the behaviour of the geometrically induced sources are finally outlined in correspondence to simple cases of such higher-dimensional solutions. (orig.)

Constraining f(R gravity in solar system, cosmology and binary pulsar systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Liu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The f(R gravity can be cast into the form of a scalar–tensor theory, and scalar degree of freedom can be suppressed in high-density regions by the chameleon mechanism. In this article, for the general f(R gravity, using a scalar–tensor representation with the chameleon mechanism, we calculate the parametrized post-Newtonian parameters γ and β, the effective gravitational constant Geff, and the effective cosmological constant Λeff. In addition, for the general f(R gravity, we also calculate the rate of orbital period decay of the binary system due to gravitational radiation. Then we apply these results to specific f(R models (Hu–Sawicki model, Tsujikawa model and Starobinsky model and derive the constraints on the model parameters by combining the observations in solar system, cosmological scales and the binary systems.

Testing Modified Gravity Theories via Wide Binaries and GAIA

Science.gov (United States)

Pittordis, Charalambos; Sutherland, Will

2018-06-01

The standard ΛCDM model based on General Relativity (GR) including cold dark matter (CDM) is very successful at fitting cosmological observations, but recent non-detections of candidate dark matter (DM) particles mean that various modified-gravity theories remain of significant interest. The latter generally involve modifications to GR below a critical acceleration scale ˜10-10 m s-2. Wide-binary (WB) star systems with separations ≳ 5 kAU provide an interesting test for modified gravity, due to being in or near the low-acceleration regime and presumably containing negligible DM. Here, we explore the prospects for new observations pending from the GAIA spacecraft to provide tests of GR against MOND or TeVes-like theories in a regime only partially explored to date. In particular, we find that a histogram of (3D) binary relative velocities, relative to equilibrium circular velocity predicted from the (2D) projected separation predicts a rather sharp feature in this distribution for standard gravity, with an 80th (90th) percentile value close to 1.025 (1.14) with rather weak dependence on the eccentricity distribution. However, MOND/TeVeS theories produce a shifted distribution, with a significant increase in these upper percentiles. In MOND-like theories without an external field effect, there are large shifts of order unity. With the external field effect included, the shifts are considerably reduced to ˜0.04 - 0.08, but are still potentially detectable statistically given reasonably large samples and good control of contaminants. In principle, followup of GAIA-selected wide binaries with ground-based radial velocities accurate to ≲ 0.03 { km s^{-1}} should be able to produce an interesting new constraint on modified-gravity theories.

One-loop effective action for non-local modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity in de Sitter space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cognola, Guido; Zerbini, Sergio [Universita di Trento (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Gruppo Collegato di Trento, Dipartimento di Fisica, Trento (Italy); Elizalde, Emilio [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (ICE/CSIC) and Institut d' Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Facultat Ciencies, Bellaterra (Barcelona) (Spain); Nojiri, Shin' ichi [Nagoya University, Department of Physics, Nagoya (Japan); Odintsov, Sergei D. [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (ICE/CSIC) and Institut d' Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Facultat Ciencies, Bellaterra (Barcelona) (Spain); ICREA, Barcelona (Spain); TSPU, Center of Theor. Phys., Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2009-12-15

We discuss the classical and quantum properties of non-local modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity in de Sitter space, using its equivalent representation via string-inspired local scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity with a scalar potential. A classical, multiple de Sitter universe solution is found where one of the de Sitter phases corresponds to the primordial inflationary epoch, while the other de Sitter space solution - the one with the smallest Hubble rate - describes the late-time acceleration of our universe. A Chameleon scenario for the theory under investigation is developed, and it is successfully used to show that the theory complies with gravitational tests. An explicit expression for the one-loop effective action for this non-local modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity in the de Sitter space is obtained. It is argued that this effective action might be an important step towards the solution of the cosmological constant problem. (orig.)

Cosmological evolution in vector-tensor theories of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltran Jimenez, Jose; Maroto, Antonio L.

2009-01-01

We present a detailed study of the cosmological evolution in general vector-tensor theories of gravity without potential terms. We consider the evolution of the vector field throughout the expansion history of the Universe and carry out a classification of models according to the behavior of the vector field in each cosmological epoch. We also analyze the case in which the Universe is dominated by the vector field, performing a complete analysis of the system phase map and identifying those attracting solutions which give rise to accelerated expansion. Moreover, we consider the evolution in a universe filled with a pressureless fluid in addition to the vector field and study the existence of attractors in which we can have a transition from matter domination to vector domination with accelerated expansion so that the vector field may play the role of dark energy. We find that the existence of solutions with late-time accelerated expansion is a generic prediction of vector-tensor theories and that such solutions typically lead to the presence of future singularities. Finally, limits from local gravity tests are used to get constraints on the value of the vector field at small (Solar System) scales.

Cosmological attractors in massive gravity

CERN Document Server

Dubovsky, S; Tkachev, I I

2005-01-01

We study Lorentz-violating models of massive gravity which preserve rotations and are invariant under time-dependent shifts of the spatial coordinates. In the linear approximation the Newtonian potential in these models has an extra ``confining'' term proportional to the distance from the source. We argue that during cosmological expansion the Universe may be driven to an attractor point with larger symmetry which includes particular simultaneous dilatations of time and space coordinates. The confining term in the potential vanishes as one approaches the attractor. In the vicinity of the attractor the extra contribution is present in the Friedmann equation which, in a certain range of parameters, gives rise to the cosmic acceleration.

Towards a resolution of the cosmological singularity in non-local higher derivative theories of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biswas, Tirthabir; Koivisto, Tomi; Mazumdar, Anupam

2010-01-01

One of the greatest problems of standard cosmology is the Big Bang singularity. Previously it has been shown that non-local ghostfree higher-derivative modifications of Einstein gravity in the ultra-violet regime can admit non-singular bouncing solutions. In this paper we study in more details the dynamical properties of the equations of motion for these theories of gravity in presence of positive and negative cosmological constants and radiation. We find stable inflationary attractor solutions in the presence of a positive cosmological constant which renders inflation geodesically complete, while in the presence of a negative cosmological constant a cyclic universe emerges. We also provide an algorithm for tracking the super-Hubble perturbations during the bounce and show that the bouncing solutions are free from any perturbative instability

Unimodular-mimetic cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nojiri, S; Odintsov, S D; Oikonomou, V K

2016-01-01

We combine the unimodular gravity and mimetic gravity theories into a unified theoretical framework, which is proposed to provide a suggestive proposal for a framework that may assist in the discussion and search for a solution to the cosmological constant problem and the dark matter issue. After providing the formulation of the unimodular mimetic gravity and investigating all the new features that the vacuum unimodular gravity implies, by using the underlying reconstruction method, we realize some well known cosmological evolutions, with some of these being exotic for the ordinary Einstein–Hilbert gravity. Specifically we provide the vacuum unimodular mimetic gravity description of the de Sitter cosmology and of the perfect fluid with constant equation of state cosmology. As we demonstrate, these cosmologies can be realized by vacuum mimetic unimodular gravity, without the existence of any matter fluid source. Moreover, we investigate how cosmologically viable cosmologies, which are compatible with the recent observational data, can be realized by the vacuum unimodular mimetic gravity. Since in some cases, a graceful exit from inflation problem might exist, we provide a qualitative description of the mechanism that can potentially generate the graceful exit from inflation in these theories, by searching for the unstable de Sitter solutions in the context of unimodular mimetic theories of gravity. (paper)

Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frolov, Valeri P

2013-01-01

Book review: The book Black holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions written by Kirill A Bronnikov and Sergey G Rubin has been published recently by World Scientific Publishing Company. The authors are well known experts in gravity and cosmology. The book is a monograph, a considerable part of which is based on the original work of the authors. Their original point of view on some of the problems makes the book quite interesting, covering a variety of important topics of the modern theory of gravity, astrophysics and cosmology. It consists of 11 chapters which are organized in three parts. The book starts with an introduction, where the authors briefly discuss the main ideas of General Relativity, giving some historical remarks on its development and application to cosmology, and mentioning some more recent subjects such as brane worlds, f (R)−theories and gravity in higher dimensions. Part I of the book is called ‘Gravity’. Chapters two and three are devoted to the Einstein equations and their spherical symmetric black hole solutions. Part II (Cosmology) starts with discussion of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker and de Sitter solutions of the Einstein equations and their properties. Part III covers the material on extra dimensions. It describes how Einstein gravity is modified in the presence of one or more additional spatial dimensions and how these extra dimensions are compactified in the Kaluza–Klein scheme

Earth’s gravity and the cosmological constant: a worked example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, J A M

2016-01-01

The cosmological constant regained the attention of the scientific community following the recent discovery of the accelerated expansion of the Universe. Consequently, interest in the subject increased amongst the public such that it now often appears in the classroom and popular science publications. The purpose of this article is to use basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics, like dynamics, kinetic energy and potential energy diagrams, in a scenario where the cosmological constant’s action, considered as being an inertial force driven by the accelerated expansion of the Universe, could counteract Earth’s gravity. The effect that the cosmological constant might have near the Earth’s surface is discussed showing how everyday life would change. This is done in such a way that makes it accessible to students in their first year of college. Finally, the modern interpretation of the cosmological constant, associated with the existence of dark energy, is briefly discussed along with upper limit estimations for its value based on the anthropic principle. (paper)

Galaxy clustering in 3D and modified gravity theories

Science.gov (United States)

Munshi, D.; Pratten, G.; Valageas, P.; Coles, P.; Brax, P.

2016-02-01

We study Modified Gravity (MG) theories by modelling the redshifted matter power spectrum in a spherical Fourier-Bessel basis. We use a fully non-linear description of the real-space matter power spectrum and include the lowest order redshift-space correction (Kaiser effect), taking into account some additional non-linear contributions. Ignoring relativistic corrections, which are not expected to play an important role for a shallow survey, we analyse two different MG scenarios, namely the generalized Dilaton scalar-tensor theories and the f (R) models in the large curvature regime. We compute the 3D power spectrum C^s_{ℓ}(k_1,k_2) for various such MG theories with and without redshift-space distortions, assuming precise knowledge of background cosmological parameters. Using an all-sky spectroscopic survey with Gaussian selection function \\varphi (r)∝ exp (-{r^2/r^2_0}), r_0=150h^{-1} Mpc, and number density of galaxies bar{N} =10^{-4}Mpc^{-3}, we use a χ2 analysis, and find that the lower order (ℓ ≤ 25) multipoles of C^s_ℓ (k,k^' }) (with radial modes restricted to k 25 modes can further reduce the error bars and thus in principle make cosmological gravity constraints competitive with Solar system tests. However this will require an accurate modelling of non-linear redshift-space distortions. Using a tomographic β(a)-m(a) parametrization we also derive constraints on specific parameters describing the Dilaton models of MG.

Theories of modified gravity and reconstruction schemes of cosmological models

OpenAIRE

López Revelles, Antonio Jesús

2013-01-01

[spa] En esta memoria de tesis se expone el trabajo llevado a cabo por el doctorando durante los últimos cuatro años, el cual versa principalmente sobre diversos aspectos de soluciones cosmológicas obtenidas a partir de teorías de gravedad modificada. Para entender el origen y la importancia de las teorías de gravedad modificada es necesario comentar antes algunos hechos acontecidos durante el siglo XX en el marco de la cosmología. La cosmología como ciencia nació gracias a la Teoría de la Re...

Late time acceleration in a non-commutative model of modified cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malekolkalami, B., E-mail: b.malakolkalami@uok.ac.ir [Department of Physics, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran St., Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Atazadeh, K., E-mail: atazadeh@azaruniv.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, 53714-161, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Vakili, B., E-mail: b-vakili@iauc.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-12-12

We investigate the effects of non-commutativity between the position–position, position–momentum and momentum–momentum of a phase space corresponding to a modified cosmological model. We show that the existence of such non-commutativity results in a Moyal Poisson algebra between the phase space variables in which the product law between the functions is of the kind of an α-deformed product. We then transform the variables in such a way that the Poisson brackets between the dynamical variables take the form of a usual Poisson bracket but this time with a noncommutative structure. For a power law expression for the function of the Ricci scalar with which the action of the gravity model is modified, the exact solutions in the commutative and noncommutative cases are presented and compared. In terms of these solutions we address the issue of the late time acceleration in cosmic evolution.

Late time acceleration in a non-commutative model of modified cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malekolkalami, B.; Atazadeh, K.; Vakili, B.

2014-01-01

We investigate the effects of non-commutativity between the position–position, position–momentum and momentum–momentum of a phase space corresponding to a modified cosmological model. We show that the existence of such non-commutativity results in a Moyal Poisson algebra between the phase space variables in which the product law between the functions is of the kind of an α-deformed product. We then transform the variables in such a way that the Poisson brackets between the dynamical variables take the form of a usual Poisson bracket but this time with a noncommutative structure. For a power law expression for the function of the Ricci scalar with which the action of the gravity model is modified, the exact solutions in the commutative and noncommutative cases are presented and compared. In terms of these solutions we address the issue of the late time acceleration in cosmic evolution

Speeding up N-body simulations of modified gravity: chameleon screening models

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Sownak; Li, Baojiu; Barreira, Alexandre; He, Jian-hua; Hellwing, Wojciech A.; Koyama, Kazuya; Llinares, Claudio; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2017-02-01

We describe and demonstrate the potential of a new and very efficient method for simulating certain classes of modified gravity theories, such as the widely studied f(R) gravity models. High resolution simulations for such models are currently very slow due to the highly nonlinear partial differential equation that needs to be solved exactly to predict the modified gravitational force. This nonlinearity is partly inherent, but is also exacerbated by the specific numerical algorithm used, which employs a variable redefinition to prevent numerical instabilities. The standard Newton-Gauss-Seidel iterative method used to tackle this problem has a poor convergence rate. Our new method not only avoids this, but also allows the discretised equation to be written in a form that is analytically solvable. We show that this new method greatly improves the performance and efficiency of f(R) simulations. For example, a test simulation with 5123 particles in a box of size 512 Mpc/h is now 5 times faster than before, while a Millennium-resolution simulation for f(R) gravity is estimated to be more than 20 times faster than with the old method. Our new implementation will be particularly useful for running very high resolution, large-sized simulations which, to date, are only possible for the standard model, and also makes it feasible to run large numbers of lower resolution simulations for covariance analyses. We hope that the method will bring us to a new era for precision cosmological tests of gravity.

Speeding up N -body simulations of modified gravity: chameleon screening models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, Sownak; Li, Baojiu; He, Jian-hua; Llinares, Claudio; Barreira, Alexandre; Hellwing, Wojciech A.; Koyama, Kazuya; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2017-01-01

We describe and demonstrate the potential of a new and very efficient method for simulating certain classes of modified gravity theories, such as the widely studied f ( R ) gravity models. High resolution simulations for such models are currently very slow due to the highly nonlinear partial differential equation that needs to be solved exactly to predict the modified gravitational force. This nonlinearity is partly inherent, but is also exacerbated by the specific numerical algorithm used, which employs a variable redefinition to prevent numerical instabilities. The standard Newton-Gauss-Seidel iterative method used to tackle this problem has a poor convergence rate. Our new method not only avoids this, but also allows the discretised equation to be written in a form that is analytically solvable. We show that this new method greatly improves the performance and efficiency of f ( R ) simulations. For example, a test simulation with 512 3 particles in a box of size 512 Mpc/ h is now 5 times faster than before, while a Millennium-resolution simulation for f ( R ) gravity is estimated to be more than 20 times faster than with the old method. Our new implementation will be particularly useful for running very high resolution, large-sized simulations which, to date, are only possible for the standard model, and also makes it feasible to run large numbers of lower resolution simulations for covariance analyses. We hope that the method will bring us to a new era for precision cosmological tests of gravity.

Speeding up N -body simulations of modified gravity: chameleon screening models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bose, Sownak; Li, Baojiu; He, Jian-hua; Llinares, Claudio [Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Barreira, Alexandre [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85741 Garching (Germany); Hellwing, Wojciech A.; Koyama, Kazuya [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Zhao, Gong-Bo, E-mail: sownak.bose@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: baojiu.li@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: barreira@mpa-garching.mpg.de, E-mail: jianhua.he@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: wojciech.hellwing@port.ac.uk, E-mail: kazuya.koyama@port.ac.uk, E-mail: claudio.llinares@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: gbzhao@nao.cas.cn [National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100012 (China)

2017-02-01

We describe and demonstrate the potential of a new and very efficient method for simulating certain classes of modified gravity theories, such as the widely studied f ( R ) gravity models. High resolution simulations for such models are currently very slow due to the highly nonlinear partial differential equation that needs to be solved exactly to predict the modified gravitational force. This nonlinearity is partly inherent, but is also exacerbated by the specific numerical algorithm used, which employs a variable redefinition to prevent numerical instabilities. The standard Newton-Gauss-Seidel iterative method used to tackle this problem has a poor convergence rate. Our new method not only avoids this, but also allows the discretised equation to be written in a form that is analytically solvable. We show that this new method greatly improves the performance and efficiency of f ( R ) simulations. For example, a test simulation with 512{sup 3} particles in a box of size 512 Mpc/ h is now 5 times faster than before, while a Millennium-resolution simulation for f ( R ) gravity is estimated to be more than 20 times faster than with the old method. Our new implementation will be particularly useful for running very high resolution, large-sized simulations which, to date, are only possible for the standard model, and also makes it feasible to run large numbers of lower resolution simulations for covariance analyses. We hope that the method will bring us to a new era for precision cosmological tests of gravity.

Teichmueller motion of (2+1)-dimensional gravity with the cosmological constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiwara, Yoshihisa; Soda, Jiro.

1989-08-01

The (2+1)-dimensional Einstein gravity with a cosmological constant is studied in the ADM canonical formalism. Adopting the York's time slice, we completely solve the initial-value problem and the time evolution equations with an initial spacelike 2-surface being a closed Riemann surface of genus zero and one. The result in a torus case is that the Teichmueller parameters for the torus follow a geodesic in the Teichmueller space but its motion asymptotically stops due to the presence of the cosmological constant. (author)

Constraints on deviations from ΛCDM within Horndeski gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bellini, Emilio; Cuesta, Antonio J. [ICCUB, University of Barcelona (IEEC-UB), Martí i Franquès 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain); Jimenez, Raul; Verde, Licia, E-mail: emilio.bellini@icc.ub.edu, E-mail: ajcuesta@icc.ub.edu, E-mail: rauljimenez@g.harvard.edu, E-mail: liciaverde@icc.ub.edu [Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona (Spain)

2016-02-01

Recent anomalies found in cosmological datasets such as the low multipoles of the Cosmic Microwave Background or the low redshift amplitude and growth of clustering measured by e.g., abundance of galaxy clusters and redshift space distortions in galaxy surveys, have motivated explorations of models beyond standard ΛCDM. Of particular interest are models where general relativity (GR) is modified on large cosmological scales. Here we consider deviations from ΛCDM+GR within the context of Horndeski gravity, which is the most general theory of gravity with second derivatives in the equations of motion. We adopt a parametrization in which the four additional Horndeski functions of time α{sub i}(t) are proportional to the cosmological density of dark energy Ω{sub DE}(t). Constraints on this extended parameter space using a suite of state-of-the art cosmological observations are presented for the first time. Although the theory is able to accommodate the low multipoles of the Cosmic Microwave Background and the low amplitude of fluctuations from redshift space distortions, we find no significant tension with ΛCDM+GR when performing a global fit to recent cosmological data and thus there is no evidence against ΛCDM+GR from an analysis of the value of the Bayesian evidence ratio of the modified gravity models with respect to ΛCDM, despite introducing extra parameters. The posterior distribution of these extra parameters that we derive return strong constraints on any possible deviations from ΛCDM+GR in the context of Horndeski gravity. We illustrate how our results can be applied to a more general frameworks of modified gravity models.

Exact cosmological solutions for MOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roshan, Mahmood

2015-01-01

We find some new exact cosmological solutions for the covariant scalar-tensor-vector gravity theory, the so-called modified gravity (MOG). The exact solution of the vacuum field equations has been derived. Also, for non-vacuum cases we have found some exact solutions with the aid of the Noether symmetry approach. More specifically, the symmetry vector and also the Noether conserved quantity associated to the point-like Lagrangian of the theory have been found. Also we find the exact form of the generic vector field potential of this theory by considering the behavior of the relevant point-like Lagrangian under the infinitesimal generator of the Noether symmetry. Finally, we discuss the cosmological implications of the solutions. (orig.)

Cosmology in general massive gravity theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comelli, D.; Nesti, F.; Pilo, L.

2014-01-01

We study the cosmological FRW flat solutions generated in general massive gravity theories. Such a model are obtained adding to the Einstein General Relativity action a peculiar non derivative potentials, function of the metric components, that induce the propagation of five gravitational degrees of freedom. This large class of theories includes both the case with a residual Lorentz invariance as well as the case with rotational invariance only. It turns out that the Lorentz-breaking case is selected as the only possibility. Moreover it turns out that that perturbations around strict Minkowski or dS space are strongly coupled. The upshot is that even though dark energy can be simply accounted by massive gravity modifications, its equation of state w eff has to deviate from -1. Indeed, there is an explicit relation between the strong coupling scale of perturbations and the deviation of w eff from -1. Taking into account current limits on w eff and submillimiter tests of the Newton's law as a limit on the possible strong coupling scale, we find that it is still possible to have a weakly coupled theory in a quasi dS background. Future experimental improvements on short distance tests of the Newton's law may be used to tighten the deviation of w eff form -1 in a weakly coupled massive gravity theory

Model-independent constraints on modified gravity from current data and from the Euclid and SKA future surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taddei, Laura; Martinelli, Matteo; Amendola, Luca, E-mail: taddei@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de, E-mail: martinelli@lorentz.leidenuniv.nl, E-mail: amendola@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2016-12-01

The aim of this paper is to constrain modified gravity with redshift space distortion observations and supernovae measurements. Compared with a standard ΛCDM analysis, we include three additional free parameters, namely the initial conditions of the matter perturbations, the overall perturbation normalization, and a scale-dependent modified gravity parameter modifying the Poisson equation, in an attempt to perform a more model-independent analysis. First, we constrain the Poisson parameter Y (also called G {sub eff}) by using currently available f σ{sub 8} data and the recent SN catalog JLA. We find that the inclusion of the additional free parameters makes the constraints significantly weaker than when fixing them to the standard cosmological value. Second, we forecast future constraints on Y by using the predicted growth-rate data for Euclid and SKA missions. Here again we point out the weakening of the constraints when the additional parameters are included. Finally, we adopt as modified gravity Poisson parameter the specific Horndeski form, and use scale-dependent forecasts to build an exclusion plot for the Yukawa potential akin to the ones realized in laboratory experiments, both for the Euclid and the SKA surveys.

Model-independent constraints on modified gravity from current data and from the Euclid and SKA future surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taddei, Laura; Martinelli, Matteo; Amendola, Luca

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to constrain modified gravity with redshift space distortion observations and supernovae measurements. Compared with a standard ΛCDM analysis, we include three additional free parameters, namely the initial conditions of the matter perturbations, the overall perturbation normalization, and a scale-dependent modified gravity parameter modifying the Poisson equation, in an attempt to perform a more model-independent analysis. First, we constrain the Poisson parameter Y (also called G eff ) by using currently available f σ 8 data and the recent SN catalog JLA. We find that the inclusion of the additional free parameters makes the constraints significantly weaker than when fixing them to the standard cosmological value. Second, we forecast future constraints on Y by using the predicted growth-rate data for Euclid and SKA missions. Here again we point out the weakening of the constraints when the additional parameters are included. Finally, we adopt as modified gravity Poisson parameter the specific Horndeski form, and use scale-dependent forecasts to build an exclusion plot for the Yukawa potential akin to the ones realized in laboratory experiments, both for the Euclid and the SKA surveys.

Optimizing Spectroscopic and Photometric Galaxy Surveys: Same-Sky Benefits for Dark Energy and Modified Gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirk, Donnacha [University Coll. London; Lahav, Ofer [University Coll. London; Bridle, Sarah [Manchester U.; Jouvel, Stephanie [Barcelona, IEEC; Abdalla, Filipe B. [University Coll. London; Frieman, Joshua A. [Chicago U., KICP

2015-08-21

The combination of multiple cosmological probes can produce measurements of cosmological parameters much more stringent than those possible with any individual probe. We examine the combination of two highly correlated probes of late-time structure growth: (i) weak gravitational lensing from a survey with photometric redshifts and (ii) galaxy clustering and redshift space distortions from a survey with spectroscopic redshifts. We choose generic survey designs so that our results are applicable to a range of current and future photometric redshift (e.g. KiDS, DES, HSC, Euclid) and spectroscopic redshift (e.g. DESI, 4MOST, Sumire) surveys. Combining the surveys greatly improves their power to measure both dark energy and modified gravity. An independent, non-overlapping combination sees a dark energy figure of merit more than 4 times larger than that produced by either survey alone. The powerful synergies between the surveys are strongest for modified gravity, where their constraints are orthogonal, producing a non-overlapping joint figure of merit nearly 2 orders of magnitude larger than either alone. Our projected angular power spectrum formalism makes it easy to model the cross-correlation observable when the surveys overlap on the sky, producing a joint data vector and full covariance matrix. We calculate a same-sky improvement factor, from the inclusion of these cross-correlations, relative to non-overlapping surveys. We find nearly a factor of 4 for dark energy and more than a factor of 2 for modified gravity. The exact forecast figures of merit and same-sky benefits can be radically affected by a range of forecasts assumption, which we explore methodically in a sensitivity analysis. We show that that our fiducial assumptions produce robust results which give a good average picture of the science return from combining photometric and spectroscopic surveys.

The quantum cosmological wavefunction at very early times for a quadratic gravity theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, Simon

2003-01-01

The quantum cosmological wavefunction for a quadratic gravity theory derived from the heterotic string effective action is obtained near the inflationary epoch and during the initial Planck era. Neglecting derivatives with respect to the scalar field, the wavefunction would satisfy a third-order differential equation near the inflationary epoch which has a solution that is singular in the scale factor limit a(t) → 0. When scalar field derivatives are included, a sixth-order differential equation is obtained for the wavefunction and the solution by Mellin transform is regular in the a → 0 limit. It follows that inclusion of the scalar field in the quadratic gravity action is necessary for consistency of the quantum cosmology of the theory at very early times

CMB lensing constraints on dark energy and modified gravity scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calabrese, Erminia; Cooray, Asantha; Martinelli, Matteo; Melchiorri, Alessandro; Pagano, Luca; Slosar, Anze; Smoot, George F.

2009-01-01

Weak gravitational lensing leaves a characteristic imprint on the cosmic microwave background temperature and polarization angular power spectra. Here, we investigate the possible constraints on the integrated lensing potential from future cosmic microwave background angular spectra measurements expected from Planck and EPIC. We find that Planck and EPIC will constrain the amplitude of the integrated projected potential responsible for lensing at 6% and 1% level, respectively, with very little sensitivity to the shape of the lensing potential. We discuss the implications of such a measurement in constraining dark energy and modified gravity scalar-tensor theories. We then discuss the impact of a wrong assumption on the weak lensing potential amplitude on cosmological parameter inference.

Towards cosmological dynamics from loop quantum gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bao-Fei; Singh, Parampreet; Wang, Anzhong

2018-04-01

We present a systematic study of the cosmological dynamics resulting from an effective Hamiltonian, recently derived in loop quantum gravity using Thiemann's regularization and earlier obtained in loop quantum cosmology (LQC) by keeping the Lorentzian term explicit in the Hamiltonian constraint. We show that quantum geometric effects result in higher than quadratic corrections in energy density in comparison to LQC, causing a nonsingular bounce. Dynamics can be described by the Hamilton or Friedmann-Raychaudhuri equations, but the map between the two descriptions is not one to one. A careful analysis resolves the tension on symmetric versus asymmetric bounce in this model, showing that the bounce must be asymmetric and symmetric bounce is physically inconsistent, in contrast to the standard LQC. In addition, the current observations only allow a scenario where the prebounce branch is asymptotically de Sitter, similar to a quantization of the Schwarzschild interior in LQC, and the postbounce branch yields the classical general relativity. For a quadratic potential, we find that a slow-roll inflation generically happens after the bounce, which is quite similar to what happens in LQC.

Physics on all scales. Scalar-tensor theories of quantum gravity in particle physics and cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henz, Tobias

2016-05-10

In this thesis, we investigate dilaton quantum gravity using a functional renormalization group approach. We derive and discuss flow equations both in the background field approximation and using a vertex expansion as well as solve the fixed point equations globally to show how realistic gravity, connecting ultraviolet and infrared physics, can be realized on a pure fixed point trajectory by virtue of spontaneous breaking of scale invariance. The emerging physical system features a dynamically generated moving Planck scale resembling the Newton coupling as well as slow roll inflation with an exponentially decreasing effective cosmological constant that vanishes completely in the infrared. The moving Planck scale might make quantum gravity experimentally accessible at a different energy scale than previously believed. We therefore not only provide further evidence for the existence of a consistent quantum theory of gravity based on general relativity, but also offer potential solutions towards the hierarchy and cosmological constant problems, thereby opening up exciting opportunities for further research.

Testing general relativity at cosmological scales: Implementation and parameter correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dossett, Jason N.; Ishak, Mustapha; Moldenhauer, Jacob

2011-01-01

The testing of general relativity at cosmological scales has become a possible and timely endeavor that is not only motivated by the pressing question of cosmic acceleration but also by the proposals of some extensions to general relativity that would manifest themselves at large scales of distance. We analyze here correlations between modified gravity growth parameters and some core cosmological parameters using the latest cosmological data sets including the refined Cosmic Evolution Survey 3D weak lensing. We provide the parametrized modified growth equations and their evolution. We implement known functional and binning approaches, and propose a new hybrid approach to evolve the modified gravity parameters in redshift (time) and scale. The hybrid parametrization combines a binned redshift dependence and a smooth evolution in scale avoiding a jump in the matter power spectrum. The formalism developed to test the consistency of current and future data with general relativity is implemented in a package that we make publicly available and call ISiTGR (Integrated Software in Testing General Relativity), an integrated set of modified modules for the publicly available packages CosmoMC and CAMB, including a modified version of the integrated Sachs-Wolfe-galaxy cross correlation module of Ho et al. and a new weak-lensing likelihood module for the refined Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Evolution Survey weak gravitational lensing tomography data. We obtain parameter constraints and correlation coefficients finding that modified gravity parameters are significantly correlated with σ 8 and mildly correlated with Ω m , for all evolution methods. The degeneracies between σ 8 and modified gravity parameters are found to be substantial for the functional form and also for some specific bins in the hybrid and binned methods indicating that these degeneracies will need to be taken into consideration when using future high precision data.

Gravity's rainbow: A bridge between LQC and DSR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.A. Gorji

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The doubly special relativity (DSR theories are constructed in order to take into account an observer-independent length scale in special relativity framework. Gravity's rainbow is a simple generalization of DSR theories to incorporate gravity. In this paper, we show that the effective Friedmann equations that are suggested by loop quantum cosmology (LQC can be exactly reobtained in rainbow cosmology setup. The deformed geometry of LQC then fixes the modified dispersion relation and results in a unique DSR model. In comparison with standard LQC scenario where only the geometry is modified, both geometry and matter parts get modified in our setup. In this respect, we show that the total number of microstates for the universe is finite which suggests the statistical origin of the energy and entropy density bounds. These results explicitly show that the DSR theories are appropriate candidates for the flat limit of loop quantum gravity.

Nonlocal Gravity and Structure in the Universe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dodelson, Scott [Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Park, Sohyun [Penn State U., University Park, IGC

2014-08-26

The observed acceleration of the Universe can be explained by modifying general relativity. One such attempt is the nonlocal model of Deser and Woodard. Here we fix the background cosmology using results from the Planck satellite and examine the predictions of nonlocal gravity for the evolution of structure in the universe, confronting the model with three tests: gravitational lensing, redshift space distortions, and the estimator of gravity $E_G$. Current data favor general relativity (GR) over nonlocal gravity: fixing primordial cosmology with the best fit parameters from Planck leads to weak lensing results favoring GR by 5.9 sigma; redshift space distortions measurements of the growth rate preferring GR by 7.8 sigma; and the single measurement of $E_G$ favoring GR, but by less than 1-sigma. The significance holds up even after the parameters are allowed to vary within Planck limits. The larger lesson is that a successful modified gravity model will likely have to suppress the growth of structure compared to general relativity.

Cosmology with modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanders, R. H.

1998-01-01

It is well known that the application of Newtonian dynamics to an expanding spherical region leads to the correct relativistic expression (the Friedmann equation) for the evolution of the cosmic scalefactor. Here, the cosmological implications of Milgrom's modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) are

Gauss–Bonnet cosmology with induced gravity and a non-minimally coupled scalar field on the brane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nozari, Kourosh; Fazlpour, Behnaz

2008-01-01

We construct a cosmological model with a non-minimally coupled scalar field on the brane, where Gauss–Bonnet and induced gravity effects are taken into account. This model has 5D character at both high and low energy limits but reduces to 4D gravity for intermediate scales. While induced gravity is a manifestation of the IR limit of the model, the Gauss–Bonnet term and non-minimal coupling of the scalar field and induced gravity are essentially related to the UV limit of the scenario. We study the cosmological implications of this scenario focusing on the late time behavior of the solutions. In this setup, non-minimal coupling plays the role of an additional fine-tuning parameter that controls the initial density of the predicted finite density big bang. Also, non-minimal coupling has important implications for the bouncing nature of the solutions

FLRW Cosmology with Horava-Lifshitz Gravity: Impacts of Equations of State

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, A.; Abou El Dahab, E.

2017-07-01

Inspired by Lifshitz theory for quantum critical phenomena in condensed matter, Horava proposed a theory for quantum gravity with an anisotropic scaling in ultraviolet. In Horava-Lifshitz gravity (HLG), we have studied the impacts of six types of equations of state on the evolution of various cosmological parameters such as Hubble parameters and scale factor. From the comparison of the general relativity gravity with the HLG with detailed and without with non-detailed balance conditions, remarkable differences are found. Also, a noticeable dependence of singular and non-singular Big Bang on the equations of state is observed. We conclude that HLG explains various epochs in the early universe and might be able to reproduce the entire cosmic history with and without singular Big Bang.

Nonsingular bouncing cosmologies in light of BICEP2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, Yi-Fu; Quintin, Jerome; Saridakis, Emmanuel N.; Wilson-Ewing, Edward

2014-01-01

We confront various nonsingular bouncing cosmologies with the recently released BICEP2 data and investigate the observational constraints on their parameter space. In particular, within the context of the effective field approach, we analyze the constraints on the matter bounce curvaton scenario with a light scalar field, and the new matter bounce cosmology model in which the universe successively experiences a period of matter contraction and an ekpyrotic phase. Additionally, we consider three nonsingular bouncing cosmologies obtained in the framework of modified gravity theories, namely the Hořava-Lifshitz bounce model, the f(T) bounce model, and loop quantum cosmology

Loop Quantum Cosmology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojowald Martin

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Quantum gravity is expected to be necessary in order to understand situations in which classical general relativity breaks down. In particular in cosmology one has to deal with initial singularities, i.e., the fact that the backward evolution of a classical spacetime inevitably comes to an end after a finite amount of proper time. This presents a breakdown of the classical picture and requires an extended theory for a meaningful description. Since small length scales and high curvatures are involved, quantum effects must play a role. Not only the singularity itself but also the surrounding spacetime is then modified. One particular theory is loop quantum cosmology, an application of loop quantum gravity to homogeneous systems, which removes classical singularities. Its implications can be studied at different levels. The main effects are introduced into effective classical equations, which allow one to avoid the interpretational problems of quantum theory. They give rise to new kinds of early-universe phenomenology with applications to inflation and cyclic models. To resolve classical singularities and to understand the structure of geometry around them, the quantum description is necessary. Classical evolution is then replaced by a difference equation for a wave function, which allows an extension of quantum spacetime beyond classical singularities. One main question is how these homogeneous scenarios are related to full loop quantum gravity, which can be dealt with at the level of distributional symmetric states. Finally, the new structure of spacetime arising in loop quantum gravity and its application to cosmology sheds light on more general issues, such as the nature of time.

Loop Quantum Cosmology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojowald Martin

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Quantum gravity is expected to be necessary in order to understand situations where classical general relativity breaks down. In particular in cosmology one has to deal with initial singularities, i.e., the fact that the backward evolution of a classical space-time inevitably comes to an end after a finite amount of proper time. This presents a breakdown of the classical picture and requires an extended theory for a meaningful description. Since small length scales and high curvatures are involved, quantum effects must play a role. Not only the singularity itself but also the surrounding space-time is then modified. One particular realization is loop quantum cosmology, an application of loop quantum gravity to homogeneous systems, which removes classical singularities. Its implications can be studied at different levels. Main effects are introduced into effective classical equations which allow to avoid interpretational problems of quantum theory. They give rise to new kinds of early universe phenomenology with applications to inflation and cyclic models. To resolve classical singularities and to understand the structure of geometry around them, the quantum description is necessary. Classical evolution is then replaced by a difference equation for a wave function which allows to extend space-time beyond classical singularities. One main question is how these homogeneous scenarios are related to full loop quantum gravity, which can be dealt with at the level of distributional symmetric states. Finally, the new structure of space-time arising in loop quantum gravity and its application to cosmology sheds new light on more general issues such as time.

Vacuum solutions of Bianchi cosmologies in quadratic gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deus, Juliano Alves de; Muller, Daniel

2011-01-01

Full text: In this work we solve numerically the vacuum solutions of field equations of Bianchi homogeneous universes in the context of Semiclassical theory. Our interest is to study the quadratic theory of gravity with regard in the cosmological description of our universe in periods of intense fields. Bianchi cosmologies are anisotropic homogeneous cosmological models, but can include the isotropic models as particular cases (Bianchi I, VII and IX include homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann models plane, hyperbolic and spherical, respectively). Homogeneous models are good cosmological representations of our universe. With focus in solutions for intense fields, like the early universe, where isotropy is not necessarily required, the adopted scenario is the vacuum solutions, where the geometry is dominant in determining the gravitation. Still following in this way, the Semiclassical theory, which considers quantum matter fields propagating in classical geometrical background, is addressed to give the field equations. This formalism leads to fourth-order ordinary differential equations, in contrast to second-order equations from General Relativity. The Lagrangian of the theory is quadratic in the Ricci scalar and in the Ricci tensor. The equations system is highly non-linear and can be only numerically solved, except perhaps for few particular cases. We obtained numerical solutions for Bianchi V II A evolving to Minkowski and to de Sitter solutions, and also to singularities. The both first and second solutions were obtained choosing initial conditions near from respective exact vacuum solutions from Einstein theory, which are also exact solutions of the quadratic theory. Other Bianchi types are still under study. (author)

Matter Loops Corrected Modified Gravity in Palatini Formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng Xinhe; Wang Peng

2008-01-01

Recently, corrections to the standard Einstein-Hilbert action were proposed to explain the current cosmic acceleration in stead of introducing dark energy. In the Palatini formulation of those modified gravity models, there is an important observation due to Arkani-Hamed: matter loops will give rise to a correction to the modified gravity action proportional to the Ricci scalar of the metric. In the presence of such a term, we show that the current forms of modified gravity models in Palatini formulation, specifically, the 1/R gravity and ln R gravity, will have phantoms. Then we study the possible instabilities due to the presence of phantom fields. We show that the strong instability in the metric formulation of 1/R gravity indicated by Dolgov and Kawasaki will not appear and the decay timescales for the phantom fields may be long enough for the theories to make sense as effective field theory. On the other hand, if we change the sign of the modification terms to eliminate the phantoms, some other inconsistencies will arise for the various versions of the modified gravity models. Finally, we comment on the universal property of the Palatini formulation of the matter loops corrected modified gravity models and its implications

Observational tests of modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Bhuvnesh; Zhang Pengjie

2008-01-01

Modifications of general relativity provide an alternative explanation to dark energy for the observed acceleration of the Universe. Modified gravity theories have richer observational consequences for large-scale structures than conventional dark energy models, in that different observables are not described by a single growth factor even in the linear regime. We examine the relationships between perturbations in the metric potentials, density and velocity fields, and discuss strategies for measuring them using gravitational lensing, galaxy cluster abundances, galaxy clustering/dynamics, and the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect. We show how a broad class of gravity theories can be tested by combining these probes. A robust way to interpret observations is by constraining two key functions: the ratio of the two metric potentials, and the ratio of the gravitational 'constant' in the Poisson equation to Newton's constant. We also discuss quasilinear effects that carry signatures of gravity, such as through induced three-point correlations. Clustering of dark energy can mimic features of modified gravity theories and thus confuse the search for distinct signatures of such theories. It can produce pressure perturbations and anisotropic stresses, which break the equality between the two metric potentials even in general relativity. With these two extra degrees of freedom, can a clustered dark energy model mimic modified gravity models in all observational tests? We show with specific examples that observational constraints on both the metric potentials and density perturbations can in principle distinguish modifications of gravity from dark energy models. We compare our result with other recent studies that have slightly different assumptions (and apparently contradictory conclusions).

Cosmological perturbations in non-local higher-derivative gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craps, Ben; Jonckheere, Tim De; Koshelev, Alexey S.

2014-01-01

We study cosmological perturbations in a non-local higher-derivative model of gravity introduced by Biswas, Mazumdar and Siegel. We extend previous work, which had focused on classical scalar perturbations around a cosine hyperbolic bounce solution, in three ways. First, we point out the existence of a Starobinsky solution in this model, which is more attractive from a phenomenological point of view (even though it has no bounce). Second, we study classical vector and tensor pertuxsxrbations. Third, we show how to quantize scalar and tensor perturbations in a de Sitter phase (for choices of parameters such that the model is ghost-free). Our results show that the model is well-behaved at this level, and are very similar to corresponding results in local f(R) models. In particular, for the Starobinsky solution of non-local higher-derivative gravity, we find the same tensor-to-scalar ratio as for the conventional Starobinsky model

Constraints on modified gravity models from white dwarfs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, Srimanta; Singh, Tejinder P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, Maharashtra (India); Shankar, Swapnil, E-mail: srimanta.banerjee@tifr.res.in, E-mail: swapnil.shankar@cbs.ac.in, E-mail: tpsingh@tifr.res.in [Department of Physics, Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai 400098, Maharashtra (India)

2017-10-01

Modified gravity theories can introduce modifications to the Poisson equation in the Newtonian limit. As a result, we expect to see interesting features of these modifications inside stellar objects. White dwarf stars are one of the most well studied stars in stellar astrophysics. We explore the effect of modified gravity theories inside white dwarfs. We derive the modified stellar structure equations and solve them to study the mass-radius relationships for various modified gravity theories. We also constrain the parameter space of these theories from observations.

Gravity's rainbow: A bridge between LQC and DSR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorji, M.A., E-mail: m.gorji@stu.umz.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mazandaran, P.O. Box 47416-95447, Babolsar (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nozari, K., E-mail: knozari@umz.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mazandaran, P.O. Box 47416-95447, Babolsar (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Vakili, B., E-mail: b.vakili@iauctb.ac.ir [Department of Physics, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-02-10

The doubly special relativity (DSR) theories are constructed in order to take into account an observer-independent length scale in special relativity framework. Gravity's rainbow is a simple generalization of DSR theories to incorporate gravity. In this paper, we show that the effective Friedmann equations that are suggested by loop quantum cosmology (LQC) can be exactly reobtained in rainbow cosmology setup. The deformed geometry of LQC then fixes the modified dispersion relation and results in a unique DSR model. In comparison with standard LQC scenario where only the geometry is modified, both geometry and matter parts get modified in our setup. In this respect, we show that the total number of microstates for the universe is finite which suggests the statistical origin of the energy and entropy density bounds. These results explicitly show that the DSR theories are appropriate candidates for the flat limit of loop quantum gravity.

Noether symmetry approach in f(G,T) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamir, M.F.; Ahmad, Mushtaq [National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore Campus (Pakistan)

2017-01-15

We explore the recently introduced modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity (Sharif and Ikram in Eur Phys J C 76:640, 2016), f(G,T) pragmatic with G, the Gauss-Bonnet term, and T, the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. Noether symmetry approach has been used to develop some cosmologically viable f(G,T) gravity models. The Noether equations of modified gravity are reported for flat FRW universe. Two specific models have been studied to determine the conserved quantities and exact solutions. In particular, the well known deSitter solution is reconstructed for some specific choice of f(G,T) gravity model. (orig.)

THE SZ EFFECT IN THE PLANCK ERA: ASTROPHYSICAL AND COSMOLOGICAL IMPACT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Colafrancesco

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect (SZE is a relevant probe for cosmology and particle astrophysics. The Planck Era marks a definite step forward in the use of this probe for astrophysics and cosmology. Astrophysical applications to galaxy clusters, galaxies, radiogalaxies and large-scale structures are discussed. Cosmological relevance for the Dark Energy equation of state, modified Gravity scenarios, Dark Matter search, cosmic magnetism and other cosmological applications is also reviewed. Future directions for the study of the SZE and its polarization are finally outlined.

Emergence of a classical Universe from quantum gravity and cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Claus

2012-09-28

I describe how we can understand the classical appearance of our world from a universal quantum theory. The essential ingredient is the process of decoherence. I start with a general discussion in ordinary quantum theory and then turn to quantum gravity and quantum cosmology. There is a whole hierarchy of classicality from the global gravitational field to the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background, which serve as the seeds for the structure in the Universe.

Loop Quantum Cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojowald, Martin

2008-01-01

Quantum gravity is expected to be necessary in order to understand situations in which classical general relativity breaks down. In particular in cosmology one has to deal with initial singularities, i.e., the fact that the backward evolution of a classical spacetime inevitably comes to an end after a finite amount of proper time. This presents a breakdown of the classical picture and requires an extended theory for a meaningful description. Since small length scales and high curvatures are involved, quantum effects must play a role. Not only the singularity itself but also the surrounding spacetime is then modified. One particular theory is loop quantum cosmology, an application of loop quantum gravity to homogeneous systems, which removes classical singularities. Its implications can be studied at different levels. The main effects are introduced into effective classical equations, which allow one to avoid the interpretational problems of quantum theory. They give rise to new kinds of early-universe phenomenology with applications to inflation and cyclic models. To resolve classical singularities and to understand the structure of geometry around them, the quantum description is necessary. Classical evolution is then replaced by a difference equation for a wave function, which allows an extension of quantum spacetime beyond classical singularities. One main question is how these homogeneous scenarios are related to full loop quantum gravity, which can be dealt with at the level of distributional symmetric states. Finally, the new structure of spacetime arising in loop quantum gravity and its application to cosmology sheds light on more general issues, such as the nature of time. Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.12942/lrr-2008-4.

Relating loop quantum cosmology to loop quantum gravity: symmetric sectors and embeddings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engle, J

2007-01-01

In this paper we address the meaning of states in loop quantum cosmology (LQC), in the context of loop quantum gravity. First, we introduce a rigorous formulation of an embedding proposed by Bojowald and Kastrup, of LQC states into loop quantum gravity. Then, using certain holomorphic representations, a new class of embeddings, called b-embeddings, are constructed, following the ideas of Engle (2006 Quantum field theory and its symmetry reduction Class. Quantum Gravity 23 2861-94). We exhibit a class of operators preserving each of these embeddings, and show their consistency with the LQC quantization. In the b-embedding case, the classical analogues of these operators separate points in phase space. Embedding at the gauge and diffeomorphism invariant level is discussed briefly in the conclusions

Modified Baryonic Dynamics: two-component cosmological simulations with light sterile neutrinos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Angus, G.W.; Gentile, G. [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, 1050 Belgium (Belgium); Diaferio, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, Torino, I-10125 Italy (Italy); Famaey, B. [Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7550, Université de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l' Université, Strasbourg, F-67000 France (France); Heyden, K.J. van der, E-mail: garry.angus@vub.ac.be, E-mail: diaferio@ph.unito.it, E-mail: benoit.famaey@astro.unistra.fr, E-mail: gianfranco.gentile@ugent.be, E-mail: heyden@ast.uct.ac.za [Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, Dept. of Astronomy, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa (South Africa)

2014-10-01

In this article we continue to test cosmological models centred on Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) with light sterile neutrinos, which could in principle be a way to solve the fine-tuning problems of the standard model on galaxy scales while preserving successful predictions on larger scales. Due to previous failures of the simple MOND cosmological model, here we test a speculative model where the modified gravitational field is produced only by the baryons and the sterile neutrinos produce a purely Newtonian field (hence Modified Baryonic Dynamics). We use two-component cosmological simulations to separate the baryonic N-body particles from the sterile neutrino ones. The premise is to attenuate the over-production of massive galaxy cluster halos which were prevalent in the original MOND plus light sterile neutrinos scenario. Theoretical issues with such a formulation notwithstanding, the Modified Baryonic Dynamics model fails to produce the correct amplitude for the galaxy cluster mass function for any reasonable value of the primordial power spectrum normalisation.

Cosmology based on f(R) gravity admits 1 eV sterile neutrinos.

Science.gov (United States)

Motohashi, Hayato; Starobinsky, Alexei A; Yokoyama, Jun'ichi

2013-03-22

It is shown that the tension between recent neutrino oscillation experiments, favoring sterile neutrinos with masses of the order of 1 eV, and cosmological data which impose stringent constraints on neutrino masses from the free streaming suppression of density fluctuations, can be resolved in models of the present accelerated expansion of the Universe based on f(R) gravity.

Standard cosmological evolution in the f(R) model to Kaluza-Klein cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aghmohammadi, A; Abolhassani, M R; Saaidi, Kh; Vajdi, A

2009-01-01

In this paper, using f(R) theory of gravity we explicitly calculate cosmological evolution in the presence of a perfect fluid source in four- and five-dimensional space-time in which this cosmological evolution in self-creation is presented by Reddy et al (2009 Int. J. Theor. Phys. 48 10). An exact cosmological model is presented using a relation between Einstein's gravity field equation components due to a metric with the same component from f(R) theory of gravity. Some physics and kinematical properties of the model are also discussed.

BOOK REVIEW: Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Frolov, Valeri P.

2013-10-01

flatness of the Universe, the horizon problem and isotropy of cosmological microwave background. All this material is covered in chapter seven. Chapter eight contains brief discussion of several popular inflation models. Chapter nine is devoted to the problem of the large-scale structure formation from initial quantum vacuum fluctuation during the inflation and the spectrum of the density fluctuations. It also contains remarks on the baryonic asymmetry of the Universe, baryogenesis and primordial black holes. Part III covers the material on extra dimensions. It describes how Einstein gravity is modified in the presence of one or more additional spatial dimensions and how these extra dimensions are compactified in the Kaluza-Klein scheme. The authors also discuss how extra dimensions may affect low energy physics. They present examples of higher-dimensional generalizations of the gravity with higher-in-curvature corrections and discuss a possible mechanism of self-stabilization of an extra space. A considerable part of the chapter 10 is devoted to cosmological models with extra dimensions. In particular, the authors discuss how extra dimensions can modify 'standard' inflation models. At the end of this chapter they make several remarks on a possible relation of the value of fundamental constants in our universe with the existence of extra dimensions. Finally, in chapter 11 they demonstrate that several observable properties of the Universe are closely related with the special value of the fundamental physical constants and their fine tuning. They give interesting examples of such fine tuning and summarize many other cases. The book ends with discussion of a so-called 'cascade birth of universes in multidimensional spaces' model, proposed by one of the authors. As is evident from this brief summary of topics presented in the book, many interesting areas of modern gravity and cosmology are covered. However, since the subject is so wide, this inevitably implies that the

Simulating cosmologies beyond ΛCDM with PINOCCHIO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rizzo, Luca A. [Institut de Physique Theorique, Universite Paris-Saclay CEA, CNRS, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex (France); Villaescusa-Navarro, Francisco [Center for Computational Astrophysics, 160 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10010 (United States); Monaco, Pierluigi [Sezione di Astronomia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste, via G.B. Tiepolo 11, I-34143 Trieste (Italy); Munari, Emiliano [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Borgani, Stefano [INAF – Astronomical Observatory of Trieste, via G.B. Tiepolo 11, I-34143 Trieste (Italy); Castorina, Emanuele [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Sefusatti, Emiliano, E-mail: luca.rizzo@cea.fr, E-mail: fvillaescusa@simonsfoundation.org, E-mail: monaco@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: munari@dark-cosmology.dk, E-mail: borgani@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: ecastorina@berkeley.edu, E-mail: emiliano.sefusatti@brera.inaf.it [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Italy)

2017-01-01

We present a method that extends the capabilities of the PINpointing Orbit-Crossing Collapsed HIerarchical Objects (PINOCCHIO) code, allowing it to generate accurate dark matter halo mock catalogues in cosmological models where the linear growth factor and the growth rate depend on scale. Such cosmologies comprise, among others, models with massive neutrinos and some classes of modified gravity theories. We validate the code by comparing the halo properties from PINOCCHIO against N-body simulations, focusing on cosmologies with massive neutrinos: νΛCDM. We analyse the halo mass function, halo two-point correlation function and halo power spectrum, showing that PINOCCHIO reproduces the results from simulations with the same level of precision as the original code (∼ 5–10%). We demonstrate that the abundance of halos in cosmologies with massless and massive neutrinos from PINOCCHIO matches very well the outcome of simulations, and point out that PINOCCHIO can reproduce the Ω{sub ν}–σ{sub 8} degeneracy that affects the halo mass function. We finally show that the clustering properties of the halos from PINOCCHIO matches accurately those from simulations both in real and redshift-space, in the latter case up to k = 0.3 h Mpc{sup −1}. We emphasize that the computational time required by PINOCCHIO to generate mock halo catalogues is orders of magnitude lower than the one needed for N-body simulations. This makes this tool ideal for applications like covariance matrix studies within the standard ΛCDM model but also in cosmologies with massive neutrinos or some modified gravity theories.

Lorentz invariance violation in modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brax, Philippe

2012-01-01

We consider an environmentally dependent violation of Lorentz invariance in scalar-tensor models of modified gravity where General Relativity is retrieved locally thanks to a screening mechanism. We find that fermions have a modified dispersion relation and would go faster than light in an anisotropic and space-dependent way along the scalar field lines of force. Phenomenologically, these models are tightly restricted by the amount of Cerenkov radiation emitted by the superluminal particles, a constraint which is only satisfied by chameleons. Measuring the speed of neutrinos emitted radially from the surface of the earth and observed on the other side of the earth would probe the scalar field profile of modified gravity models in dense environments. We argue that the test of the equivalence principle provided by the Lunar ranging experiment implies that a deviation from the speed of light, for natural values of the coupling scale between the scalar field and fermions, would be below detectable levels, unless gravity is modified by camouflaged chameleons where the field normalisation is environmentally dependent.

Lorentz invariance violation in modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brax, Philippe, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr [Institut de Physique Theorique, CEA, IPhT, CNRS, URA 2306, F-91191Gif/Yvette Cedex (France)

2012-06-06

We consider an environmentally dependent violation of Lorentz invariance in scalar-tensor models of modified gravity where General Relativity is retrieved locally thanks to a screening mechanism. We find that fermions have a modified dispersion relation and would go faster than light in an anisotropic and space-dependent way along the scalar field lines of force. Phenomenologically, these models are tightly restricted by the amount of Cerenkov radiation emitted by the superluminal particles, a constraint which is only satisfied by chameleons. Measuring the speed of neutrinos emitted radially from the surface of the earth and observed on the other side of the earth would probe the scalar field profile of modified gravity models in dense environments. We argue that the test of the equivalence principle provided by the Lunar ranging experiment implies that a deviation from the speed of light, for natural values of the coupling scale between the scalar field and fermions, would be below detectable levels, unless gravity is modified by camouflaged chameleons where the field normalisation is environmentally dependent.

Cosmological histories in bimetric gravity: a graphical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mörtsell, E.

2017-01-01

The bimetric generalization of general relativity has been proven to be able to give an accelerated background expansion consistent with observations. Apart from the energy densities coupling to one or both of the metrics, the expansion will depend on the cosmological constant contribution to each of them, as well as the three parameters describing the interaction between the two metrics. Even for fixed values of these parameters can several possible solutions, so called branches, exist. Different branches can give similar background expansion histories for the observable metric, but may have different properties regarding, for example, the existence of ghosts and the rate of structure growth. In this paper, we outline a method to find viable solution branches for arbitrary parameter values. We show how possible expansion histories in bimetric gravity can be inferred qualitatively, by picturing the ratio of the scale factors of the two metrics as the spatial coordinate of a particle rolling along a frictionless track. A particularly interesting example discussed is a specific set of parameter values, where a cosmological dark matter background is mimicked without introducing ghost modes into the theory.

Unified cosmology with scalar-tensor theory of gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tajahmad, Behzad [Faculty of Physics, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sanyal, Abhik Kumar [Jangipur College, Department of Physics, Murshidabad (India)

2017-04-15

Unlike the Noether symmetry, a metric independent general conserved current exists for non-minimally coupled scalar-tensor theory of gravity if the trace of the energy-momentum tensor vanishes. Thus, in the context of cosmology, a symmetry exists both in the early vacuum and radiation dominated era. For slow roll, symmetry is sacrificed, but at the end of early inflation, such a symmetry leads to a Friedmann-like radiation era. Late-time cosmic acceleration in the matter dominated era is realized in the absence of symmetry, in view of the same decayed and redshifted scalar field. Thus, unification of early inflation with late-time cosmic acceleration with a single scalar field may be realized. (orig.)

Unified cosmology with scalar-tensor theory of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajahmad, Behzad; Sanyal, Abhik Kumar

2017-01-01

Unlike the Noether symmetry, a metric independent general conserved current exists for non-minimally coupled scalar-tensor theory of gravity if the trace of the energy-momentum tensor vanishes. Thus, in the context of cosmology, a symmetry exists both in the early vacuum and radiation dominated era. For slow roll, symmetry is sacrificed, but at the end of early inflation, such a symmetry leads to a Friedmann-like radiation era. Late-time cosmic acceleration in the matter dominated era is realized in the absence of symmetry, in view of the same decayed and redshifted scalar field. Thus, unification of early inflation with late-time cosmic acceleration with a single scalar field may be realized. (orig.)

Generalized Noether symmetry in f(T) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohseni Sadjadi, H.

2012-01-01

We consider modified teleparallel gravity (f(T) gravity), as a framework to explain the present accelerated expansion of the universe. The matter component is assumed to be cold dark matter. To find the explicit form of the function f, we utilize generalized Noether theorem and use generalized vector fields as variational symmetries of the corresponding Lagrangian. We study the cosmological consequences of the obtained results.

Thin accretion disk signatures in dynamical Chern-Simons-modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harko, Tiberiu; Kovacs, Zoltan; Lobo, Francisco S N

2010-01-01

A promising extension of general relativity is Chern-Simons (CS)-modified gravity, in which the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by adding a parity-violating CS term, which couples to gravity via a scalar field. In this work, we consider the interesting, yet relatively unexplored, dynamical formulation of CS-modified gravity, where the CS coupling field is treated as a dynamical field, endowed with its own stress-energy tensor and evolution equation. We consider the possibility of observationally testing dynamical CS-modified gravity by using the accretion disk properties around slowly rotating black holes. The energy flux, temperature distribution, the emission spectrum as well as the energy conversion efficiency are obtained, and compared to the standard general relativistic Kerr solution. It is shown that the Kerr black hole provides a more efficient engine for the transformation of the energy of the accreting mass into radiation than their slowly rotating counterparts in CS-modified gravity. Specific signatures appear in the electromagnetic spectrum, thus leading to the possibility of directly testing CS-modified gravity by using astrophysical observations of the emission spectra from accretion disks.

Self-accelerating universe in Galileon cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Fabio P.; Koyama, Kazuya

2009-01-01

We present a cosmological model with a solution that self-accelerates at late times without signs of ghost instabilities on small scales. The model is a natural extension of the Brans-Dicke (BD) theory including a nonlinear derivative interaction, which appears in a theory with the Galilean shift symmetry. The existence of the self-accelerating universe requires a negative BD parameter but, thanks to the nonlinear term, small fluctuations around the solution are stable on small scales. General relativity is recovered at early times and on small scales by this nonlinear interaction via the Vainshtein mechanism. At late time, gravity is strongly modified and the background cosmology shows a phantomlike behavior and the growth rate of structure formation is enhanced. Thus this model leaves distinct signatures in cosmological observations and it can be distinguished from standard LCDM cosmology.

Newtonian cosmology with a quantum bounce

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bargueno, P.; Bravo Medina, S.; Nowakowski, M. [Universidad de los Andes, Departamento de Fisica, Bogota (Colombia); Batic, D. [University of West Indies, Department of Mathematics, Kingston 6 (Jamaica)

2016-10-15

It has been known for some time that the cosmological Friedmann equation deduced from general relativity can also be obtained within the Newtonian framework under certain assumptions. We use this result together with quantum corrections to the Newtonian potentials to derive a set a of quantum corrected Friedmann equations. We examine the behavior of the solutions of these modified cosmological equations paying special attention to the sign of the quantum corrections. We find different quantum effects crucially depending on this sign. One such a solution displays a qualitative resemblance to other quantum models like Loop quantum gravity or non-commutative geometry. (orig.)

Brane cosmology with curvature corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kofinas, Georgios; Maartens, Roy; Papantonopoulos, Eleftherios

2003-01-01

We study the cosmology of the Randall-Sundrum brane-world where the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by curvature correction terms: a four-dimensional scalar curvature from induced gravity on the brane, and a five-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet curvature term. The combined effect of these curvature corrections to the action removes the infinite-density big bang singularity, although the curvature can still diverge for some parameter values. A radiation brane undergoes accelerated expansion near the minimal scale factor, for a range of parameters. This acceleration is driven by the geometric effects, without an inflation field or negative pressures. At late times, conventional cosmology is recovered. (author)

Teleparallel equivalent of Lovelock gravity

Science.gov (United States)

González, P. A.; Vásquez, Yerko

2015-12-01

There is a growing interest in modified gravity theories based on torsion, as these theories exhibit interesting cosmological implications. In this work inspired by the teleparallel formulation of general relativity, we present its extension to Lovelock gravity known as the most natural extension of general relativity in higher-dimensional space-times. First, we review the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity and Gauss-Bonnet gravity, and then we construct the teleparallel equivalent of Lovelock gravity. In order to achieve this goal, we use the vielbein and the connection without imposing the Weitzenböck connection. Then, we extract the teleparallel formulation of the theory by setting the curvature to null.

The Philosophy of Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Chamcham, Khalil; Silk, Joseph; Barrow, John D.; Saunders, Simon

2017-04-01

Part I. Issues in the Philosophy of Cosmology: 1. Cosmology, cosmologia and the testing of cosmological theories George F. R. Ellis; 2. Black holes, cosmology and the passage of time: three problems at the limits of science Bernard Carr; 3. Moving boundaries? - comments on the relationship between philosophy and cosmology Claus Beisbart; 4. On the question why there exists something rather than nothing Roderich Tumulka; Part II. Structures in the Universe and the Structure of Modern Cosmology: 5. Some generalities about generality John D. Barrow; 6. Emergent structures of effective field theories Jean-Philippe Uzan; 7. Cosmological structure formation Joel R. Primack; 8. Formation of galaxies Joseph Silk; Part III. Foundations of Cosmology: Gravity and the Quantum: 9. The observer strikes back James Hartle and Thomas Hertog; 10. Testing inflation Chris Smeenk; 11. Why Boltzmann brains do not fluctuate into existence from the de Sitter vacuum Kimberly K. Boddy, Sean M. Carroll and Jason Pollack; 12. Holographic inflation revised Tom Banks; 13. Progress and gravity: overcoming divisions between general relativity and particle physics and between physics and HPS J. Brian Pitts; Part IV. Quantum Foundations and Quantum Gravity: 14. Is time's arrow perspectival? Carlo Rovelli; 15. Relational quantum cosmology Francesca Vidotto; 16. Cosmological ontology and epistemology Don N. Page; 17. Quantum origin of cosmological structure and dynamical reduction theories Daniel Sudarsky; 18. Towards a novel approach to semi-classical gravity Ward Struyve; Part V. Methodological and Philosophical Issues: 19. Limits of time in cosmology Svend E. Rugh and Henrik Zinkernagel; 20. Self-locating priors and cosmological measures Cian Dorr and Frank Arntzenius; 21. On probability and cosmology: inference beyond data? Martin Sahlén; 22. Testing the multiverse: Bayes, fine-tuning and typicality Luke A. Barnes; 23. A new perspective on Einstein's philosophy of cosmology Cormac O

How to distinguish dark energy and modified gravity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Hao; Zhang Shuangnan

2008-01-01

The current accelerated expansion of our universe could be due to an unknown energy component (dark energy) or a modification of general relativity (modified gravity). In the literature it has been proposed that combining the probes of the cosmic expansion history and growth history can distinguish between dark energy and modified gravity. In this work, without invoking nontrivial dark energy clustering, we show that the possible interaction between dark energy and dark matter could make the interacting dark model and the modified gravity model indistinguishable. An explicit example is also given. Therefore, it is required to seek some complementary probes beyond the ones of cosmic expansion history and growth history.

Anisotropic deformations of spatially open cosmology in massive gravity theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazuet, Charles; Volkov, Mikhail S. [Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique CNRS-UMR 7350, Université de Tours, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours (France); Mukohyama, Shinji, E-mail: charles.mazuet@lmpt.univ-tours.fr, E-mail: shinji.mukohyama@yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: volkov@lmpt.univ-tours.fr [Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, 606-8502, Kyoto (Japan)

2017-04-01

We combine analytical and numerical methods to study anisotropic deformations of the spatially open homogeneous and isotropic cosmology in the ghost free massive gravity theory with flat reference metric. We find that if the initial perturbations are not too strong then the physical metric relaxes back to the isotropic de Sitter state. However, the dumping of the anisotropies is achieved at the expense of exciting the Stueckelberg fields in such a way that the reference metric changes and does not share anymore with the physical metric the same rotational and translational symmetries. As a result, the universe evolves towards a fixed point which does not coincide with the original solution, but for which the physical metric is still de Sitter. If the initial perturbation is strong, then its evolution generically leads to a singular anisotropic state or, for some parameter values, to a decay into flat spacetime. We also present an infinite dimensional family of new homogeneous and isotropic cosmologies in the theory.

Modified gravity in Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formalism

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Changjun

2010-02-01

Motivated by Hořava-Lifshitz gravity theory, we propose and investigate two kinds of modified gravity theories, the f(R) kind and the K-essence kind, in the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) formalism. The f(R) kind includes one ultraviolet (UV) term and one infrared (IR) term together with the Einstein-Hilbert action. We find that these two terms naturally present the ultraviolet and infrared modifications to the Friedmann equation. The UV and IR modifications can avoid the past Big-Bang singularity and the future Big-Rip singularity, respectively. Furthermore, the IR modification can naturally account for the current acceleration of the Universe. The Lagrangian of K-essence kind modified gravity is made up of the three-dimensional Ricci scalar and an arbitrary function of the extrinsic curvature term. We find the cosmic acceleration can also be naturally interpreted without invoking any kind of dark energy. The static, spherically symmetry and vacuum solutions of both theories are Schwarzschild or Schwarzschild-de Sitter solution. Thus these modified gravity theories are viable for solar system tests.

Modified gravity in Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formalism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Changjun

2010-01-01

Motivated by Horava-Lifshitz gravity theory, we propose and investigate two kinds of modified gravity theories, the f(R) kind and the K-essence kind, in the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) formalism. The f(R) kind includes one ultraviolet (UV) term and one infrared (IR) term together with the Einstein-Hilbert action. We find that these two terms naturally present the ultraviolet and infrared modifications to the Friedmann equation. The UV and IR modifications can avoid the past Big-Bang singularity and the future Big-Rip singularity, respectively. Furthermore, the IR modification can naturally account for the current acceleration of the Universe. The Lagrangian of K-essence kind modified gravity is made up of the three-dimensional Ricci scalar and an arbitrary function of the extrinsic curvature term. We find the cosmic acceleration can also be naturally interpreted without invoking any kind of dark energy. The static, spherically symmetry and vacuum solutions of both theories are Schwarzschild or Schwarzschild-de Sitter solution. Thus these modified gravity theories are viable for solar system tests.

Classical and quantum cosmology

CERN Document Server

Calcagni, Gianluca

2017-01-01

This comprehensive textbook is devoted to classical and quantum cosmology, with particular emphasis on modern approaches to quantum gravity and string theory and on their observational imprint. It covers major challenges in theoretical physics such as the big bang and the cosmological constant problem. An extensive review of standard cosmology, the cosmic microwave background, inflation and dark energy sets the scene for the phenomenological application of all the main quantum-gravity and string-theory models of cosmology. Born of the author's teaching experience and commitment to bridging the gap between cosmologists and theoreticians working beyond the established laws of particle physics and general relativity, this is a unique text where quantum-gravity approaches and string theory are treated on an equal footing. As well as introducing cosmology to undergraduate and graduate students with its pedagogical presentation and the help of 45 solved exercises, this book, which includes an ambitious bibliography...

Nonlocal teleparallel cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahamonde, Sebastian; Capozziello, Salvatore; Faizal, Mir; Nunes, Rafael C

2017-01-01

Even though it is not possible to differentiate general relativity from teleparallel gravity using classical experiments, it could be possible to discriminate between them by quantum gravitational effects. These effects have motivated the introduction of nonlocal deformations of general relativity, and similar effects are also expected to occur in teleparallel gravity. Here, we study nonlocal deformations of teleparallel gravity along with its cosmological solutions. We observe that nonlocal teleparallel gravity (like nonlocal general relativity) is consistent with the present cosmological data obtained by SNe Ia + BAO + CC + [Formula: see text] observations. Along this track, future experiments probing nonlocal effects could be used to test whether general relativity or teleparallel gravity gives the most consistent picture of gravitational interaction.

Nonlocal teleparallel cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahamonde, Sebastian [University College London, Department of Mathematics, London (United Kingdom); Capozziello, Salvatore [Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Dipartimento di Fisica ' ' E. Pancini' ' , Naples (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Naples (Italy); INFN, Napoli (Italy); Faizal, Mir [University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, Kelowna, BC (Canada); University of Lethbridge, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lethbridge, AB (Canada); Nunes, Rafael C. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Fisica, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil)

2017-09-15

Even though it is not possible to differentiate general relativity from teleparallel gravity using classical experiments, it could be possible to discriminate between them by quantum gravitational effects. These effects have motivated the introduction of nonlocal deformations of general relativity, and similar effects are also expected to occur in teleparallel gravity. Here, we study nonlocal deformations of teleparallel gravity along with its cosmological solutions. We observe that nonlocal teleparallel gravity (like nonlocal general relativity) is consistent with the present cosmological data obtained by SNe Ia + BAO + CC + H{sub 0} observations. Along this track, future experiments probing nonlocal effects could be used to test whether general relativity or teleparallel gravity gives the most consistent picture of gravitational interaction. (orig.)

Attractor cosmology from nonminimally coupled gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Odintsov, S. D.; Oikonomou, V. K.

2018-03-01

By using a bottom-up reconstruction technique for nonminimally coupled scalar-tensor theories, we realize the Einstein frame attractor cosmologies in the Ω (ϕ )-Jordan frame. For our approach, what is needed for the reconstruction method to work is the functional form of the nonminimal coupling Ω (ϕ ) and of the scalar-to-tensor ratio, and also the assumption of the slow-roll inflation in the Ω (ϕ )-Jordan frame. By appropriately choosing the scalar-to-tensor ratio, we demonstrate that the observational indices of the attractor cosmologies can be realized directly in the Ω (ϕ )-Jordan frame. We investigate the special conditions that are required to hold true in for this realization to occur, and we provide the analytic form of the potential in the Ω (ϕ )-Jordan frame. Also, by performing a conformal transformation, we find the corresponding Einstein frame canonical scalar-tensor theory, and we calculate in detail the corresponding observational indices. The result indicates that although the spectral index of the primordial curvature perturbations is the same in the Jordan and Einstein frames, at leading order in the e -foldings number, the scalar-to-tensor ratio differs. We discuss the possible reasons behind this discrepancy, and we argue that the difference is due to some approximation we performed to the functional form of the potential in the Einstein frame, in order to obtain analytical results, and also due to the difference in the definition of the e -foldings number in the two frames, which is also pointed out in the related literature. Finally, we find the F (R ) gravity corresponding to the Einstein frame canonical scalar-tensor theory.

Massive graviton and determination of cosmological constant from gauge theory of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitrut, Alexandru

2002-01-01

The universe contains a lot more than the eye meets . Sophisticated experiments search diligently for this invisible dark matter. Here we will describe some theoretical implications of the gravitational gauge theory recently proposed by Ning Wu (hep-th/0112062), namely the possibility of the existence of massive gravitons which fill the intergalactic space. Dark matter is an important problem in cosmology. In gravitational gauge field theory, the following effects should be taken into account to solve this problem: 1) The existence of massive graviton will have some contribution to the dark matter; 2) If the gravitational magnetic field is strong inside a celestial system, the gravitational Lorentz force will provide additional centripetal force for circular motion of a celestial object; 3) The existence of a factor which violate inverse square law of classical gravity. Combining general relativity and gravitational gauge theory the cosmological constant is determined theoretically. The cosmological constant is related to the average vacuum energy of the gravitational gauge field. Because the vacuum energy of the gravitational gauge field is negative, the cosmological constant is positive what generates repulsive force on stars to make the expansion rate of the Universe accelerated. A rough estimation of it gives out its magnitude order 10 -52 m -2 , which is well consistent with experimental results. (authors)

Massive gravity from bimetric gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baccetti, Valentina; Martín-Moruno, Prado; Visser, Matt

2013-01-01

We discuss the subtle relationship between massive gravity and bimetric gravity, focusing particularly on the manner in which massive gravity may be viewed as a suitable limit of bimetric gravity. The limiting procedure is more delicate than currently appreciated. Specifically, this limiting procedure should not unnecessarily constrain the background metric, which must be externally specified by the theory of massive gravity itself. The fact that in bimetric theories one always has two sets of metric equations of motion continues to have an effect even in the massive gravity limit, leading to additional constraints besides the one set of equations of motion naively expected. Thus, since solutions of bimetric gravity in the limit of vanishing kinetic term are also solutions of massive gravity, but the contrary statement is not necessarily true, there is no complete continuity in the parameter space of the theory. In particular, we study the massive cosmological solutions which are continuous in the parameter space, showing that many interesting cosmologies belong to this class. (paper)

Cosmological and black hole brane-world universes in higher derivative gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.; Ogushi, Sachiko

2002-01-01

A general model of multidimensional R 2 gravity including a Riemann tensor square term (nonzero c case) is considered. The number of brane-worlds in such a model is constructed (mainly in five dimensions) and their properties are discussed. The thermodynamics of a Schwarzschild-anti-deSitter (S-AdS) BH (with boundary) is presented when perturbation on c is used. The entropy, free energy, and energy are calculated. For a nonzero c the entropy (energy) is not proportional to the area (mass). The equation of motion of the brane in a BH background is presented as a FRW equation. Using a dual CFT description it is shown that the dual field theory is not a conformal one when c is not zero. In this case the holographic entropy does not coincide with the BH entropy (they coincide for Einstein gravity or c=0 HD gravity where the AdS/CFT description is well applied). An asymmetrically warped background (an analogue of a charged AdS BH) where Lorentz invariance violation occurs is found. The cosmological 4D dS brane connecting two dS bulk spaces is formulated in terms of the parameters of R 2 gravity. Within the proposed dS/CFT correspondence the holographic conformal anomaly from five-dimensional higher derivative gravity in a de Sitter background is evaluated

Quaternionic and Poisson-Lie structures in three-dimensional gravity: The cosmological constant as deformation parameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meusburger, C.; Schroers, B. J.

2008-01-01

Each of the local isometry groups arising in three-dimensional (3d) gravity can be viewed as a group of unit (split) quaternions over a ring which depends on the cosmological constant. In this paper we explain and prove this statement and use it as a unifying framework for studying Poisson structures associated with the local isometry groups. We show that, in all cases except for the case of Euclidean signature with positive cosmological constant, the local isometry groups are equipped with the Poisson-Lie structure of a classical double. We calculate the dressing action of the factor groups on each other and find, among others, a simple and unified description of the symplectic leaves of SU(2) and SL(2,R). We also compute the Poisson structure on the dual Poisson-Lie groups of the local isometry groups and on their Heisenberg doubles; together, they determine the Poisson structure of the phase space of 3d gravity in the so-called combinatorial description

Propagator with positive cosmological constant in the 3D Euclidean quantum gravity toy model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunting, William E; Rovelli, Carlo

2014-01-01

We study the propagator on a single tetrahedron in a three-dimensional toy model of quantum gravity with positive cosmological constant. The cosmological constant is included in the model via q-deformation of the spatial symmetry algebra, that is, we use the Turaev–Viro amplitude. The expected repulsive effect of dark energy is recovered in numerical and analytic calculations of the propagator at large scales comparable to the infrared cutoff. However, due to the simplicity of the model, we do not obtain the exact Newton limit of the propagator. This is a first step toward the similar calculation in the full 3+1 dimensional theory with larger numbers of simplicies. (paper)

Quantum symmetry, the cosmological constant and Planck-scale phenomenology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amelino-Camelia, Giovanni; Smolin, Lee; Starodubtsev, Artem

2004-01-01

We present a simple algebraic mechanism for the emergence of deformations of Poincare symmetries in the low-energy limit of quantum theories of gravity. The deformations, called κ-Poincare algebras, are parametrized by a dimensional parameter proportional to the Planck mass, and imply modified energy-momentum relations of a type that may be observable in near future experiments. Our analysis assumes that the low energy limit of a quantum theory of gravity must also involve a limit in which the cosmological constant is taken very small with respect to the Planck scale, and makes use of the fact that in some quantum theories of gravity the cosmological constant results in the (anti)de Sitter symmetry algebra being quantum deformed. We show that deformed Poincare symmetries inevitably emerge in the small-cosmological-constant limit of quantum gravity in 2 + 1 dimensions, where geometry does not have local degrees of freedom. In 3 + 1 dimensions we observe that, besides the quantum deformation of the (anti)de Sitter symmetry algebra, one must also take into account that there are local degrees of freedom leading to a renormalization of the generators for energy and momentum of the excitations. At the present level of development of quantum gravity in 3 + 1 dimensions, it is not yet possible to derive this renormalization from first principles, but we establish the conditions needed for the emergence of a deformed low energy limit symmetry algebra also in the case of 3 + 1 dimensions

Is exponential gravity a viable description for the whole cosmological history?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odintsov, Sergei D. [Institut de Ciencies de l' Espai, ICE/CSIC-IEEC, Barcelona (Spain); Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona (Spain); National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Tomsk State Pedagogical University, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Saez-Chillon Gomez, Diego [Institut de Ciencies de l' Espai, ICE/CSIC-IEEC, Barcelona (Spain); Sharov, German S. [Tver State University, Tver (Russian Federation)

2017-12-15

Here we analyse a particular type of F(R) gravity, the so-called exponential gravity which includes an exponential function of the Ricci scalar in the action. Such a term represents a correction to the usual Hilbert-Einstein action. By using Supernovae Ia, Barionic Acoustic Oscillations, Cosmic Microwave Background and H(z) data, the free parameters of the model are well constrained. The results show that such corrections to General Relativity become important at cosmological scales and at late times, providing an alternative to the dark energy problem. In addition, the fits do not determine any significant difference statistically with respect to the ΛCDM model. Finally, such model is extended to include the inflationary epoch in the same gravitational Lagrangian. As shown in the paper, the additional terms can reproduce the inflationary epoch and satisfy the constraints from Planck data. (orig.)

Highlights in gravitation and cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iyer, B.R.; Kembhavi, Ajit; Narlikar, J.V.; Vishveshwara, C.V.

1988-01-01

This book assesses research into gravitation and cosmology by examining the subject from various viewpoints: the classical and quantum pictures, along with the cosmological and astrophysical applications. There are 35 articles by experts of international standing. Each defines the state of the art and contains a concise summary of our present knowledge of a facet of gravitational physics. These edited papers are based on those first given at an international conference held in Goa, India at the end of 1987. The following broad areas are covered: classical relativity, quantum gravity, cosmology, black holes, compact objects, gravitational radiation and gravity experiments. In this volume there are also summaries of discussions on the following special topics: exact solutions of cosmological equations, mathematical aspects of general relativity, the early universe, and quantum gravity. For research workers in cosmology and gravitation this reference book provides a broad view of present achievements and current problems. (author)

Secular effects on inflation from one-loop quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabrer, J.A.; Espriu, D.

2008-01-01

In this Letter we revisit and extend a previous analysis where the possible relevance of quantum gravity effects in a cosmological setup was studied. The object of interest are non-local (logarithmic) terms generated in the effective action of gravity due to the exchange in loops of massless modes (such as photons or the gravitons themselves). We correct one mistake existing in the previous work and discuss the issue in a more general setting in different cosmological scenarios. We obtain the one-loop quantum-corrected evolution equations for the cosmological scale factor up to a given order in a derivative expansion in two particular cases: a matter dominated universe with vanishing cosmological constant, and in a de Sitter universe. We show that the quantum corrections, albeit tiny, may have a secular effect that eventually modifies the expansion rate. For a de Sitter universe they tend to slow down the rate of the expansion, while the effect may be the opposite in a matter dominated universe

A marked correlation function for constraining modified gravity models

Science.gov (United States)

White, Martin

2016-11-01

Future large scale structure surveys will provide increasingly tight constraints on our cosmological model. These surveys will report results on the distance scale and growth rate of perturbations through measurements of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and Redshift-Space Distortions. It is interesting to ask: what further analyses should become routine, so as to test as-yet-unknown models of cosmic acceleration? Models which aim to explain the accelerated expansion rate of the Universe by modifications to General Relativity often invoke screening mechanisms which can imprint a non-standard density dependence on their predictions. This suggests density-dependent clustering as a `generic' constraint. This paper argues that a density-marked correlation function provides a density-dependent statistic which is easy to compute and report and requires minimal additional infrastructure beyond what is routinely available to such survey analyses. We give one realization of this idea and study it using low order perturbation theory. We encourage groups developing modified gravity theories to see whether such statistics provide discriminatory power for their models.

A marked correlation function for constraining modified gravity models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, Martin, E-mail: mwhite@berkeley.edu [Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2016-11-01

Future large scale structure surveys will provide increasingly tight constraints on our cosmological model. These surveys will report results on the distance scale and growth rate of perturbations through measurements of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and Redshift-Space Distortions. It is interesting to ask: what further analyses should become routine, so as to test as-yet-unknown models of cosmic acceleration? Models which aim to explain the accelerated expansion rate of the Universe by modifications to General Relativity often invoke screening mechanisms which can imprint a non-standard density dependence on their predictions. This suggests density-dependent clustering as a 'generic' constraint. This paper argues that a density-marked correlation function provides a density-dependent statistic which is easy to compute and report and requires minimal additional infrastructure beyond what is routinely available to such survey analyses. We give one realization of this idea and study it using low order perturbation theory. We encourage groups developing modified gravity theories to see whether such statistics provide discriminatory power for their models.

Acceleration of the universe dark energy or modified

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardenas, Rolando; Leyva, Yoelsy

2007-01-01

We present a composite model of dark energy, motivated in string and quantum field theory considerations. Then we speak on gravity theories in which the gravity Lagrangian is modified, resulting in a modification of General Relativity. We outline a methodology allowing a mapping between these two theories, i. e., both dark energy models and modified gravity can give the same cosmological dynamics. We apply aforementioned methodology to obtain the mapping composite dark energy-modified gravity for a particular case. Cosmic expansion history takes into account very large scales, the homogeneous Universe, and can not discriminate between above two theories. However, cosmic growth history takes into consideration intermediate cluster and galactic scales, the inhomogeneous Universe, and there might be the clue to discriminate whether the current acceleration of the Universe is because it is filled with a new fluid having repulsive gravity (dark energy) or it is just that gravity gets weaker and long scales (modified gravity). (Author)

Bimetric gravity is cosmologically viable

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yashar Akrami

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Bimetric theory describes gravitational interactions in the presence of an extra spin-2 field. Previous work has suggested that its cosmological solutions are generically plagued by instabilities. We show that by taking the Planck mass for the second metric, Mf, to be small, these instabilities can be pushed back to unobservably early times. In this limit, the theory approaches general relativity with an effective cosmological constant which is, remarkably, determined by the spin-2 interaction scale. This provides a late-time expansion history which is extremely close to ΛCDM, but with a technically-natural value for the cosmological constant. We find Mf should be no larger than the electroweak scale in order for cosmological perturbations to be stable by big-bang nucleosynthesis. We further show that in this limit the helicity-0 mode is no longer strongly-coupled at low energy scales.

Zero cosmological constant from normalized general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, Aharon; Rubin, Shimon

2009-01-01

Normalizing the Einstein-Hilbert action by the volume functional makes the theory invariant under constant shifts in the Lagrangian. The associated field equations then resemble unimodular gravity whose otherwise arbitrary cosmological constant is now determined as a Machian universal average. We prove that an empty space-time is necessarily Ricci tensor flat, and demonstrate the vanishing of the cosmological constant within the scalar field paradigm. The cosmological analysis, carried out at the mini-superspace level, reveals a vanishing cosmological constant for a universe which cannot be closed as long as gravity is attractive. Finally, we give an example of a normalized theory of gravity which does give rise to a non-zero cosmological constant.

Poincare gauge theory of gravity: Friedman cosmology with even and odd parity modes: Analytic part

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baekler, Peter; Hehl, Friedrich W.; Nester, James M.

2011-01-01

We propose a cosmological model in the framework of the Poincare gauge theory of gravity (PG). The gravitational Lagrangian is quadratic in both curvature and torsion. In our specific model, the Lagrangian contains (i) the curvature scalar R and the curvature pseudoscalar X linearly and quadratically (including an RX term) and (ii) pieces quadratic in the torsion vector V and the torsion axial vector A (including a VA term). We show generally that in quadratic PG models we have nearly the same number of parity conserving terms ('world') and of parity violating terms ('shadow world'). This offers new perspectives in cosmology for the coupling of gravity to matter and antimatter. Our specific model generalizes the fairly realistic ''torsion cosmologies'' of Shie-Nester-Yo (2008) and Chen et al. (2009). With a Friedman type ansatz for an orthonormal coframe and a Lorentz connection, we derive the two field equations of PG in an explicit form and discuss their general structure in detail. In particular, the second field equation can be reduced to first order ordinary differential equations for the curvature pieces R(t) and X(t). Including these along with certain relations obtained from the first field equation and curvature definitions, we present a first order system of equations suitable for numerical evaluation. This is deferred to the second, numerical part of this paper.

Off-Diagonal Deformations of Kerr Black Holes in Einstein and Modified Massive Gravity and Higher Dimensions

CERN Document Server

Gheorghiu, Tamara; Vacaru, Sergiu I

2014-01-01

We find general parameterizations for generic off-diagonal spacetime metrics and matter sources in general relativity, GR, and modified gravity theories when the field equations decouple with respect to certain types of nonholonomic frames of reference. This allows us to construct various classes of exact solutions when the coefficients of fundamental geometric/ physical objects depend on all spacetime coordinates via corresponding classes of generating and integration functions and/or constants. Such (modified) spacetimes can be with Killing and non-Killing symmetries, describe nonlinear vacuum configurations and effective polarizations of cosmological and interaction constants. Our method can be extended to higher dimensions which simplifies some proofs for imbedded and nonholonomically constrained four dimensional configurations. We reproduce the Kerr solution and show how to deform it nonholonomically into new classes of generic off-diagonal solutions depending on 3-8 spacetime coordinates. There are anal...

Using Noether symmetries to specify f(R) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paliathanasis, Andronikos

2013-01-01

A detailed study of the modified gravity, f(R) models is performed, using the fact that the Noether point symmetries of these models are geometric symmetries of the mini su-perspace of the theory. It is shown that the requirement that the field equations admit Noether point symmetries selects definite models in a self-consistent way. As an application in Cosmology we consider the Friedman -Robertson-Walker spacetime and show that the only cosmological model which is integrable via Noether point symmetries is the (R b − 2Λ) c model, which generalizes the Lambda Cosmology. Furthermore using the corresponding Noether integrals we compute the analytic form of the main cosmological functions

New observational constraints on f ( R ) gravity from cosmic chronometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, Rafael C. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pan, Supriya [Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research—Kolkata, Mohanpur—741246, West Bengal (India); Saridakis, Emmanuel N. [Physics Division, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Athens (Greece); Abreu, Everton M.C., E-mail: rcnunes@fisica.ufjf.br, E-mail: span@iiserkol.ac.in, E-mail: Emmanuel_Saridakis@baylor.edu, E-mail: evertonabreu@ufrrj.br [Grupo de Física Teórica e Matemática Física, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, 23890-971, Seropédica, RJ (Brazil)

2017-01-01

We use the recently released cosmic chronometer data and the latest measured value of the local Hubble parameter, combined with the latest joint light curves of Supernovae Type Ia, and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation distance measurements, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used f ( R ) gravity models. We consider four f ( R ) models, namely the Hu-Sawicki, the Starobinsky, the Tsujikawa, and the exponential one, and we parametrize them introducing a distortion parameter b that quantifies the deviation from ΛCDM cosmology. Our analysis reveals that a small but non-zero deviation from ΛCDM cosmology is slightly favored, with the corresponding fittings exhibiting very efficient AIC and BIC Information Criteria values. Clearly, f ( R ) gravity is consistent with observations, and it can serve as a candidate for modified gravity.

New observational constraints on f ( T ) gravity from cosmic chronometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, Rafael C. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pan, Supriya [Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research—Kolkata, Mohanpur—741246, West Bengal (India); Saridakis, Emmanuel N., E-mail: nunes@ecm.ub.edu, E-mail: span@iiserkol.ac.in, E-mail: Emmanuel_Saridakis@baylor.edu [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad de Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4950, Valparaíso (Chile)

2016-08-01

We use the local value of the Hubble constant recently measured with 2.4% precision, as well as the latest compilation of cosmic chronometers data, together with standard probes such as Supernovae Type Ia and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation distance measurements, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used f ( T ) gravity models, where T is the torsion scalar in teleparallel gravity. In particular, we consider three f ( T ) models with two parameters, out of which one is independent, and we quantify their deviation from ΛCDM cosmology through a sole parameter. Our analysis reveals that for one of the models a small but non-zero deviation from ΛCDM cosmology is slightly favored, while for the other models the best fit is very close to ΛCDM scenario. Clearly, f ( T ) gravity is consistent with observations, and it can serve as a candidate for modified gravity.

Introduction to cosmology

CERN Document Server

Roos, Matts

2015-01-01

The Fourth Edition of Introduction to Cosmology provides a concise, authoritative study of cosmology at an introductory level. Starting from elementary principles and the early history of cosmology, the text carefully guides the student on to curved spacetimes, special and general relativity, gravitational lensing, the thermal history of the Universe, and cosmological models, including extended gravity models, black holes and Hawking's recent conjectures on the not-so-black holes.

Astrophysical Tests of Kinematical Conformal Cosmology in Fourth-Order Conformal Weyl Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriele U. Varieschi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this work we analyze kinematical conformal cosmology (KCC, an alternative cosmological model based on conformal Weyl gravity (CG, and test it against current type Ia supernova (SNIa luminosity data and other astrophysical observations. Expanding upon previous work on the subject, we revise the analysis of SNIa data, confirming that KCC can explain the evidence for an accelerating expansion of the Universe without using dark energy or other exotic components. We obtain an independent evaluation of the Hubble constant, H0 = 67:53 kms-1 Mpc-1, very close to the current best estimates. The main KCC and CG parameters are re-evaluated and their revised values are found to be close to previous estimates. We also show that available data for the Hubble parameter as a function of redshift can be fitted using KCC and that this model does not suffer from any apparent age problem. Overall,

Introduction to gravity and cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jauneau, L.

1988-09-01

Relativity principles, equivalence principles, and the general covariance principle are introduced. Curved space analysis via tensor calculus and absolute differential calculus is outlined. Einstein's equations are presented. The Schwarzschild solution; tests of general relativity; and black holes are discussed. Application of general relativity to cosmology is considered. The Standard Model of cosmology and its extensions are reviewed

Energy conditions in f(G,T) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharif, M.; Ikram, Ayesha [University of the Punjab, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan)

2016-11-15

The aim of this paper is to introduce a new modified gravity theory named f(G,T) gravity (G and T are the Gauss-Bonnet invariant and trace of the energy-momentum tensor, respectively) and investigate energy conditions for two reconstructed models in the context of FRW universe. We formulate general field equations, divergence of energy-momentum tensor, equation of motion for test particles as well as corresponding energy conditions. The massive test particles follow non-geodesic lines of geometry due to the presence of an extra force. We express the energy conditions in terms of cosmological parameters like the deceleration, jerk, and snap parameters. The reconstruction technique is applied to this theory using de Sitter and power-law cosmological solutions. We analyze the energy bounds and obtain feasible constraints on the free parameters. (orig.)

Linearized modified gravity theories with a cosmological term: advance of perihelion and deflection of light

Science.gov (United States)

Özer, Hatice; Delice, Özgür

2018-03-01

Two different ways of generalizing Einstein’s general theory of relativity with a cosmological constant to Brans–Dicke type scalar–tensor theories are investigated in the linearized field approximation. In the first case a cosmological constant term is coupled to a scalar field linearly whereas in the second case an arbitrary potential plays the role of a variable cosmological term. We see that the former configuration leads to a massless scalar field whereas the latter leads to a massive scalar field. General solutions of these linearized field equations for both cases are obtained corresponding to a static point mass. Geodesics of these solutions are also presented and solar system effects such as the advance of the perihelion, deflection of light rays and gravitational redshift were discussed. In general relativity a cosmological constant has no role in these phenomena. We see that for the Brans–Dicke theory, the cosmological constant also has no effect on these phenomena. This is because solar system observations require very large values of the Brans–Dicke parameter and the correction terms to these phenomena becomes identical to GR for these large values of this parameter. This result is also observed for the theory with arbitrary potential if the mass of the scalar field is very light. For a very heavy scalar field, however, there is no such limit on the value of this parameter and there are ranges of this parameter where these contributions may become relevant in these scales. Galactic and intergalactic dynamics is also discussed for these theories at the latter part of the paper with similar conclusions.

Strings, Cosmology and Gravity Student Conference 2010 - SCGSC10. Booklet of abstracts and slides of the presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goi, E.; Orsi, F.; Kiefer, F.; Noller, F.; Pugh, T.

2011-01-01

This conference is designed to bring together young Ph.D. scholars and postdoctoral scientists working in theoretical high energy physics, especially in the areas of string theory, cosmology and gravity. This document is composed of a booklet of abstracts and the slides of the presentations

Nonlinear evolution of the matter power spectrum in modified theories of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, Kazuya; Taruya, Atsushi; Hiramatsu, Takashi

2009-01-01

We present a formalism to calculate the nonlinear matter power spectrum in modified gravity models that explain the late-time acceleration of the Universe without dark energy. Any successful modified gravity models should contain a mechanism to recover general relativity (GR) on small scales in order to avoid the stringent constrains on deviations from GR at solar system scales. Based on our formalism, the quasi-nonlinear power spectrum in the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porratti braneworld models and f(R) gravity models are derived by taking into account the mechanism to recover GR properly. We also extrapolate our predictions to fully nonlinear scales using the parametrized post-Friedmann framework. In the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porratti and f(R) gravity models, the predicted nonlinear power spectrum is shown to reproduce N-body results. We find that the mechanism to recover GR suppresses the difference between the modified gravity models and dark energy models with the same expansion history, but the difference remains large at the weakly nonlinear regime in these models. Our formalism is applicable to a wide variety of modified gravity models and it is ready to use once consistent models for modified gravity are developed.

Quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markov, M.A.; West, P.C.

1984-01-01

This book discusses the state of the art of quantum gravity, quantum effects in cosmology, quantum black-hole physics, recent developments in supergravity, and quantum gauge theories. Topics considered include the problems of general relativity, pregeometry, complete cosmological theories, quantum fluctuations in cosmology and galaxy formation, a new inflationary universe scenario, grand unified phase transitions and the early Universe, the generalized second law of thermodynamics, vacuum polarization near black holes, the relativity of vacuum, black hole evaporations and their cosmological consequences, currents in supersymmetric theories, the Kaluza-Klein theories, gauge algebra and quantization, and twistor theory. This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Second Seminar on Quantum Gravity held in Moscow in 1981

Conformal symmetry and holographic cosmology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bzowski, A.W.

2013-01-01

This thesis presents a novel approach to cosmology using gauge/gravity duality. Analysis of the implications of conformal invariance in field theories leads to quantitative cosmological predictions which are in agreement with current data. Furthermore, holographic cosmology extends the theory of

Kaluza-Klein cosmological model in f(R, T) gravity with Λ(T)

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, P. K.; Mishra, B.; Tripathy, S. K.

2016-04-01

A class of Kaluza-Klein cosmological models in $f(R,T)$ theory of gravity have been investigated. In the work, we have considered the functional $f(R,T)$ to be in the form $f(R,T)=f(R)+f(T)$ with $f(R)=\\lambda R$ and $f(T)=\\lambda T$. Such a choice of the functional $f(R,T)$ leads to an evolving effective cosmological constant $\\Lambda$ which depends on the stress energy tensor. The source of the matter field is taken to be a perfect cosmic fluid. The exact solutions of the field equations are obtained by considering a constant deceleration parameter which leads two different aspects of the volumetric expansion namely a power law and an exponential volumetric expansion. Keeping an eye on the accelerating nature of the universe in the present epoch, the dynamics and physical behaviour of the models have been discussed. From statefinder diagnostic pair we found that the model with exponential volumetric expansion behaves more like a $\\Lambda$CDM model.

Stability of the Einstein static universe in modified theories of gravity

OpenAIRE

Boehmer, Christian G.; Hollenstein, Lukas; Lobo, Francisco S. N.; Seahra, Sanjeev S.

2010-01-01

We present a brief overview of the stability analysis of the Einstein static universe in various modified theories of gravity, like f(R) gravity, Gauss-Bonnet or f(G) gravity, and Horava-Lifshitz gravity.

Stepping out of homogeneity in loop quantum cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovelli, Carlo; Vidotto, Francesca

2008-01-01

We explore the extension of quantum cosmology outside the homogeneous approximation using the formalism of loop quantum gravity. We introduce a model where some of the inhomogeneous degrees of freedom are present, providing a tool for describing general fluctuations of quantum geometry near the initial singularity. We show that the dynamical structure of the model reduces to that of loop quantum cosmology in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. This result corroborates the assumptions that ground loop cosmology sheds some light on the physical and mathematical relation between loop cosmology and full loop quantum gravity, and on the nature of the cosmological approximation. Finally, we show that the non-graph-changing Hamiltonian constraint considered in the context of algebraic quantum gravity provides a viable effective dynamics within this approximation

Origin of inflation in CFT driven cosmology. R2-gravity and non-minimally coupled inflaton models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barvinsky, A.O.; Kamenshchik, A.Yu.; Nesterov, D.V.

2015-01-01

We present a detailed derivation of the recently suggested new type of hill-top inflation [arXiv:1509.07270] originating from the microcanonical density matrix initial conditions in cosmology driven by conformal field theory (CFT). The cosmological instantons of topology S 1 x S 3 , which set up these initial conditions, have the shape of a garland with multiple periodic oscillations of the scale factor of the spatial S 3 -section. They describe underbarrier oscillations of the inflaton and scale factor in the vicinity of the inflaton potential maximum, which gives a sufficient amount of inflation required by the known CMB data. We build the approximation of two coupled harmonic oscillators for these garland instantons and show that they can generate inflation consistent with the parameters of the CMB primordial power spectrum in the non-minimal Higgs inflation model and in R 2 gravity. In particular, the instanton solutions provide smallness of inflationary slow-roll parameters ε and η < 0 and their relation ε ∝ η 2 characteristic of these two models. We present the mechanism of formation of hill-like inflaton potentials, which is based on logarithmic loop corrections to the asymptotically shift-invariant tree-level potentials of these models in the Einstein frame. We also discuss the role of R 2 -gravity as an indispensable finite renormalization tool in the CFT driven cosmology, which guarantees the nondynamical (ghost free) nature of its scale factor and special properties of its cosmological garland-type instantons. Finally, as a solution to the problem of hierarchy between the Planckian scale and the inflation scale we discuss the concept of a hidden sector of conformal higher spin fields. (orig.)

f (T) Non-linear Massive Gravity and the Cosmic Acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu You; Chen Zu-Cheng; Wei Hao; Wang Jia-Xin

2015-01-01

Inspired by the f (R) non-linear massive gravity, we propose a new kind of modified gravity model, namely f (T) non-linear massive gravity, by adding the dRGT mass term reformulated in the vierbein formalism, to the f (T) theory. We then investigate the cosmological evolution of f (T) massive gravity, and constrain it by using the latest observational data. We find that it slightly favors a crossing of the phantom divide line from the quintessence-like phase (w_d_e > −1) to the phantom-like one (w_d_e < −1) as redshift decreases. (paper)

Extrasolar planets as a probe of modified gravity

OpenAIRE

Vargas dos Santos, Marcelo; Mota, David F.

2017-01-01

We propose a new method to test modified gravity theories, taking advantage of the available data on extrasolar planets. We computed the deviations from the Kepler third law and use that to constrain gravity theories beyond General Relativity. We investigate gravity models which incorporate three screening mechanisms: the Chameleon, the Symmetron and the Vainshtein. We find that data from exoplanets orbits are very sensitive to the screening mechanisms putting strong constraints in the parame...

Cosmological simulations using a static scalar-tensor theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

RodrIguez-Meza, M A [Depto. de Fisica, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Col. Escandon, Apdo. Postal 18-1027, 11801 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Gonzalez-Morales, A X [Departamento Ingenierias, Universidad Iberoamericana, Prol. Paseo de la Reforma 880 Lomas de Santa Fe, Mexico D.F. Mexico (Mexico); Gabbasov, R F [Depto. de Fisica, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Col. Escandon, Apdo. Postal 18-1027, 11801 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Cervantes-Cota, Jorge L [Depto. de Fisica, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Col. Escandon, Apdo. Postal 18-1027, 11801 Mexico D.F (Mexico)

2007-11-15

We present {lambda}CDM N-body cosmological simulations in the framework of of a static general scalar-tensor theory of gravity. Due to the influence of the non-minimally coupled scalar field, the gravitational potential is modified by a Yukawa type term, yielding a new structure formation dynamics. We present some preliminary results and, in particular, we compute the density and velocity profiles of the most massive group.

Quantum cosmology on the worldsheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, A.R.; Susskind, L.; Thorlacius, L.

1991-08-01

Two-dimensional quantum gravity coupled to conformally invariant matter central c > 25 provides a toy model for quantum gravity in four dimensions. Two-dimensional quantum cosmology can thus be studied in terms of string theory in background fields. The large scale cosmological constant depends on non-linear dynamics in the string theory target space and does not appear to be suppressed by wormhole effects. 13 refs

Probability of primordial black hole pair creation in a modified gravitational theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, B. C.; Paul, Dilip

2006-01-01

We compute the probability for quantum creation of an inflationary universe with and without a pair of black holes in a modified gravity. The action of the modified theory of gravity contains αR 2 and δR -1 terms in addition to a cosmological constant (Λ) in the Einstein-Hilbert action. The probabilities for the creation of universe with a pair of black holes have been evaluated considering two different kinds of spatial sections, one which accommodates a pair of black holes and the other without black hole. We adopt a technique prescribed by Bousso and Hawking to calculate the above creation probability in a semiclassical approximation using the Hartle-Hawking boundary condition. We note a class of new and physically interesting instanton solutions characterized by the parameters in the action. These instantons may play an important role in the creation of the early universe. We also note that the probability of creation of a universe with a pair of black holes is strongly suppressed with a positive cosmological constant when δ=(4Λ 2 /3) for α>0 but it is more probable for α<-(1/6Λ). In the modified gravity considered here instanton solutions are permitted even without a cosmological constant when one begins with a negative δ

Hořava–Lifshitz gravity inspired Bianchi-II cosmology and the mixmaster universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giani, Leonardo; Kamenshchik, Alexander Y

2017-01-01

We study different aspects of the Hořava-Lifshitz inspired Bianchi-II cosmology and its relations with the mixmaster universe model. First, we present exact solutions for a toy model, where only the cubic in spatial curvature terms are present in the action; then we briefly discuss some exotic singularities, which can appear in this toy model. We study also the toy model where only the quadratic in spatial curvature terms are present in the action. We establish relations between our results and those obtained by using the Hamiltonian formalism. Finally, we apply the results obtained by studying Bianchi-II cosmology to describe the evolution of the mixmaster universe in terms of the Belinsky–Khalatnikov–Lifshitz formalism. Generally, our analysis gives some arguments in favour of the existence of the oscillatory approach to the singularity in a universe governed by the Hořava–Lifshitz type gravity. (paper)

Homogeneous anisotropic solutions of topologically massive gravity with a cosmological constant and their homogeneous deformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moutsopoulos, George

2013-01-01

We solve the equations of topologically massive gravity (TMG) with a potentially non-vanishing cosmological constant for homogeneous metrics without isotropy. We only reproduce known solutions. We also discuss their homogeneous deformations, possibly with isotropy. We show that de Sitter space and hyperbolic space cannot be infinitesimally homogeneously deformed in TMG. We clarify some of their Segre–Petrov types and discuss the warped de Sitter spacetime. (paper)

Homogeneous anisotropic solutions of topologically massive gravity with a cosmological constant and their homogeneous deformations

Science.gov (United States)

Moutsopoulos, George

2013-06-01

We solve the equations of topologically massive gravity (TMG) with a potentially non-vanishing cosmological constant for homogeneous metrics without isotropy. We only reproduce known solutions. We also discuss their homogeneous deformations, possibly with isotropy. We show that de Sitter space and hyperbolic space cannot be infinitesimally homogeneously deformed in TMG. We clarify some of their Segre-Petrov types and discuss the warped de Sitter spacetime.

Lower dimensional gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.D.

1988-01-01

This book addresses the subject of gravity theories in two and three spacetime dimensions. The prevailing philosophy is that lower dimensional models of gravity provide a useful arena for developing new ideas and insights, which are applicable to four dimensional gravity. The first chapter consists of a comprehensive introduction to both two and three dimensional gravity, including a discussion of their basic structures. In the second chapter, the asymptotic structure of three dimensional Einstein gravity with a negative cosmological constant is analyzed. The third chapter contains a treatment of the effects of matter sources in classical two dimensional gravity. The fourth chapter gives a complete analysis of particle pair creation by electric and gravitational fields in two dimensions, and the resulting effect on the cosmological constant

Wave packets in quantum cosmology and the cosmological constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiefer, C.

1990-01-01

Wave packets are constructed explicitly in minisuperspace of quantum gravity corresponding to a Friedmann universe containing a conformally coupled scalar field with and without a cosmological constant. The construction is performed in close analogy to the case of constructing coherent states in quantum mechanics. Various examples are also depicted numerically. The corresponding lorentzian path integrals are evaluated for some cases. It is emphasized that the new concept of time in quantum gravity demands the imposition of a kind of boundary conditions not encountered in quantum gravity demands the imposition of a kind of boundary conditions not encountered in quantum mechanics. Connection is also made to recent investigations predicting a vanishing cosmological constant. It is shown that the fact of whether this result is generic or not depends on where the boundary conditions are imposed in the configuration space. (orig.)

Newtonian cosmology Newton would understand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemons, D.S.

1988-01-01

Isaac Newton envisioned a static, infinite, and initially uniform, zero field universe that was gravitationally unstable to local condensations of matter. By postulating the existence of such a universe and using it as a boundary condition on Newtonian gravity, a new field equation for gravity is derived, which differs from the classical one by a time-dependent cosmological term proportional to the average mass density of the universe. The new field equation not only makes Jeans' analysis of the gravitational instability of a Newtonian universe consistent, but also gives rise to a family of Newtonian evolutionary cosmologies parametrized by a time-invariant expansion velocity. This Newtonian cosmology contrasts with both 19th-century ones and with post general relativity Newtonian cosmology

f (T ) gravity after GW170817 and GRB170817A

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yi-Fu; Li, Chunlong; Saridakis, Emmanuel N.; Xue, Ling-Qin

2018-05-01

The combined observation of GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart GRB170817A reveals that gravitational waves propagate at the speed of light in high precision. We apply the standard analysis of cosmological perturbations, as well as the effective field theory approach, to investigate the experimental consequences for the theory of f (T ) gravity. Our analysis verifies for the first time that the speed of gravitational waves within f (T ) gravity is equal to the light speed, and hence, the constraints from GW170817 and GRB170817A are trivially satisfied. Nevertheless, by examining the dispersion relation and the frequency of cosmological gravitational waves, we observe a deviation from the results of general relativity, quantified by a new parameter. Although its value is relatively small in viable f (T ) models, its possible future measurement in advancing gravitational-wave astronomy would be the smoking gun of testing this type of modified gravity.

Observational constraints on f(T) gravity from varying fundamental constants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, Rafael C.; Bonilla, Alexander [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Fisica, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pan, Supriya [Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Department of Physical Sciences, Mohanpur, West Bengal (India); Saridakis, Emmanuel N. [Pontificia Universidad de Catolica de Valparaiso, Instituto de Fisica, Valparaiso (Chile); National Technical University of Athens, Physics Division, Athens (Greece); Baylor University, CASPER, Physics Department, Waco, TX (United States)

2017-04-15

We use observations related to the variation of fundamental constants, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used f(T) gravity models. In particular, for the fine-structure constant we use direct measurements obtained by different spectrographic methods, while for the effective Newton constant we use a model-dependent reconstruction, using direct observational Hubble parameter data, in order to investigate its temporal evolution. We consider two f(T) models and we quantify their deviation from Λ CDM cosmology through a sole parameter. Our analysis reveals that this parameter can be slightly different from its Λ CDM value, however, the best-fit value is very close to the Λ CDM one. Hence, f(T) gravity is consistent with observations, nevertheless, as every modified gravity, it may exhibit only small deviations from Λ CDM cosmology, a feature that must be taken into account in any f(T) model-building. (orig.)

The cosmological constant filter without big bang singularity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, Florian

2011-01-01

In the recently proposed cosmological constant (CC) filter mechanism based on modified gravity in the Palatini formalism, gravity in the radiation, matter and late-time de Sitter eras is insensitive to energy sources with the equation of state -1. This implies that finite vacuum energy shifts from phase transitions are filtered out too. In this work, we investigate the CC filter model at very early times. We find that the initial big bang singularity is replaced by a cosmic bounce, where the matter energy density and the curvature are finite. In a certain case, this finiteness can be already observed on the algebraic level. (paper)

A class of minimally modified gravity theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Chunshan; Mukohyama, Shinji, E-mail: chunshan.lin@yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: shinji.mukohyama@yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

2017-10-01

We investigate the Hamiltonian structure of a class of gravitational theories whose actions are linear in the lapse function. We derive the necessary and sufficient condition for a theory in this class to have two or less local physical degrees of freedom. As an application we then find several concrete examples of modified gravity theories in which the total number of local physical degrees of freedom in the gravity sector is two.

Einstein-Cartan Gravity with Torsion Field Serving as an Origin for the Cosmological Constant or Dark Energy Density

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, A. N.; Wellenzohn, M.

2016-09-01

We analyse the Einstein-Cartan gravity in its standard form { R }=R+{{ K }}2, where { R } {and} R are the Ricci scalar curvatures in the Einstein-Cartan and Einstein gravity, respectively, and {{ K }}2 is the quadratic contribution of torsion in terms of the contorsion tensor { K }. We treat torsion as an external (or background) field and show that its contribution to the Einstein equations can be interpreted in terms of the torsion energy-momentum tensor, local conservation of which in a curved spacetime with an arbitrary metric or an arbitrary gravitational field demands a proportionality of the torsion energy-momentum tensor to a metric tensor, a covariant derivative of which vanishes owing to the metricity condition. This allows us to claim that torsion can serve as an origin for the vacuum energy density, given by the cosmological constant or dark energy density in the universe. This is a model-independent result that may explain the small value of the cosmological constant, which is a long-standing problem in cosmology. We show that the obtained result is valid also in the Poincaré gauge gravitational theory of Kibble, where the Einstein-Hilbert action can be represented in the same form: { R }=R+{{ K }}2.

Systematic simulations of modified gravity: symmetron and dilaton models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brax, Philippe; Davis, Anne-Christine; Li, Baojiu; Winther, Hans A.; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2012-01-01

We study the linear and nonlinear structure formation in the dilaton and symmetron models of modified gravity using a generic parameterisation which describes a large class of scenarios using only a few parameters, such as the coupling between the scalar field and the matter, and the range of the scalar force on very large scales. For this we have modified the N-body simulation code ECOSMOG, which is a variant of RAMSES working in modified gravity scenarios, to perform a set of 110 simulations for different models and parameter values, including the default ΛCDM. These simulations enable us to explore a large portion of the parameter space. We have studied the effects of modified gravity on the matter power spectrum and mass function, and found a rich and interesting phenomenology where the difference with the ΛCDM template cannot be reproduced by a linear analysis even on scales as large as k ∼ 0.05 hMpc −1 . Our results show the full effect of screening on nonlinear structure formation and the associated deviation from ΛCDM. We also investigate how differences in the force mediated by the scalar field in modified gravity models lead to qualitatively different features for the nonlinear power spectrum and the halo mass function, and how varying the individual model parameters changes these observables. The differences are particularly large in the nonlinear power spectra whose shapes for f(R), dilaton and symmetron models vary greatly, and where the characteristic bump around 1 hMpc −1 of f(R) models is preserved for symmetrons, whereas an increase on much smaller scales is particular to symmetrons. No bump is present for dilatons where a flattening of the power spectrum takes place on small scales. These deviations from ΛCDM and the differences between modified gravity models, such as dilatons and symmetrons, could be tested with future surveys

Graviton fluctuations erase the cosmological constant

Science.gov (United States)

Wetterich, C.

2017-10-01

Graviton fluctuations induce strong non-perturbative infrared renormalization effects for the cosmological constant. The functional renormalization flow drives a positive cosmological constant towards zero, solving the cosmological constant problem without the need to tune parameters. We propose a simple computation of the graviton contribution to the flow of the effective potential for scalar fields. Within variable gravity, with effective Planck mass proportional to the scalar field, we find that the potential increases asymptotically at most quadratically with the scalar field. The solutions of the derived cosmological equations lead to an asymptotically vanishing cosmological "constant" in the infinite future, providing for dynamical dark energy in the present cosmological epoch. Beyond a solution of the cosmological constant problem, our simplified computation also entails a sizeable positive graviton-induced anomalous dimension for the quartic Higgs coupling in the ultraviolet regime, substantiating the successful prediction of the Higgs boson mass within the asymptotic safety scenario for quantum gravity.

On the covariant formalism of the effective field theory of gravity and its cosmological implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Codello, Alessandro; Jain, Rajeev Kumar

2017-01-01

Following our previous work wherein the leading order effective action was computed in the covariant effective field theory of gravity, here we specialize the effective action to the FRW spacetime and obtain the effective Friedmann equations. In particular, we focus our attention on studying...... expansion of the universe at the present epoch even in the absence of a cosmological constant. We briefly discuss some phenomenological consequences of our results....

Modified teleparallel gravity: Inflation without an inflaton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferraro, Rafael; Fiorini, Franco

2007-01-01

The Born-Infeld strategy to smooth theories having divergent solutions is applied to the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. Differing from other theories of modified gravity, modified teleparallelism leads to second order equations, since the teleparallel Lagrangian only contains first derivatives of the vierbein. We show that the Born-Infeld-modified teleparallelism solves the particle horizon problem in a spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe by providing an initial exponential expansion without resorting to an inflaton field

A modified Ozer-Taha type cosmological model

Science.gov (United States)

John, Moncy V.; Joseph, K. Babu

1996-02-01

A modified version of the Ozer and Taha nonsingular cosmological model is presented on the assumption that the universe's radius is complex if it is regarded as empty, but it contains matter when the radius is real. It also predicts the values: ΩM --- ρM/(ρC) ≈ 4/(3), ΩV --- ρV/(ρC) ≈ 2/(3) and Ω- --- ρ-/(ρC) ≪ 1 in the present nonrelativistic era, where ρM = matter density, ρV = vacuum energy density, ρ- = negative energy density and ρC = critical density.

Origin of inflation in CFT driven cosmology: R{sup 2}-gravity and non-minimally coupled inflaton models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barvinsky, A. O., E-mail: barvin@td.lpi.ru [Theory Department, Lebedev Physics Institute, Leninsky Prospect 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Department of Physics, Tomsk State University, Lenin Ave. 36, 634050, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Pacific Institute for Theoretical Physics, UBC, 6224 Agricultural Road, V6T1Z1, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Kamenshchik, A. Yu., E-mail: kamenshchik@bo.infn.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna and INFN, Via Irnerio 46, 40126, Bologna (Italy); L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, 119334, Moscow (Russian Federation); Nesterov, D. V., E-mail: nesterov@td.lpi.it [Theory Department, Lebedev Physics Institute, Leninsky Prospect 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-12-11

We present a detailed derivation of the recently suggested new type of hill-top inflation originating from the microcanonical density matrix initial conditions in cosmology driven by conformal field theory (CFT). The cosmological instantons of topology S{sup 1}×S{sup 3}, which set up these initial conditions, have the shape of a garland with multiple periodic oscillations of the scale factor of the spatial S{sup 3}-section. They describe underbarrier oscillations of the inflaton and scale factor in the vicinity of the inflaton potential maximum, which gives a sufficient amount of inflation required by the known CMB data. We build the approximation of two coupled harmonic oscillators for these garland instantons and show that they can generate inflation consistent with the parameters of the CMB primordial power spectrum in the non-minimal Higgs inflation model and in R{sup 2} gravity. In particular, the instanton solutions provide smallness of inflationary slow-roll parameters ϵ and η<0 and their relation ϵ∼η{sup 2} characteristic of these two models. We present the mechanism of formation of hill-like inflaton potentials, which is based on logarithmic loop corrections to the asymptotically shift-invariant tree-level potentials of these models in the Einstein frame. We also discuss the role of R{sup 2}-gravity as an indispensable finite renormalization tool in the CFT driven cosmology, which guarantees the non-dynamical (ghost free) nature of its scale factor and special properties of its cosmological garland-type instantons. Finally, as a solution to the problem of hierarchy between the Planckian scale and the inflation scale we discuss the concept of a hidden sector of conformal higher spin fields.

Observational constraints on cosmological future singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltran Jimenez, Jose; Lazkoz, Ruth; Saez-Gomez, Diego; Salzano, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

In this work we consider a family of cosmological models featuring future singularities. This type of cosmological evolution is typical of dark energy models with an equation of state violating some of the standard energy conditions (e.g. the null energy condition). Such a kind of behavior, widely studied in the literature, may arise in cosmologies with phantom fields, theories of modified gravity or models with interacting dark matter/dark energy. We briefly review the physical consequences of these cosmological evolution regarding geodesic completeness and the divergence of tidal forces in order to emphasize under which circumstances the singularities in some cosmological quantities correspond to actual singular spacetimes. We then introduce several phenomenological parameterizations of the Hubble expansion rate to model different singularities existing in the literature and use SN Ia, BAO and H(z) data to constrain how far in the future the singularity needs to be (under some reasonable assumptions on the behavior of the Hubble factor). We show that, for our family of parameterizations, the lower bound for the singularity time cannot be smaller than about 1.2 times the age of the universe, what roughly speaking means ∝2.8 Gyrs from the present time. (orig.)

Observational constraints on cosmological future singularities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beltran Jimenez, Jose [Aix Marseille Univ, Universite de Toulon CNRS, CPT, Marseille (France); Lazkoz, Ruth [Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Fisika Teorikoaren eta Zientziaren Historia Saila, Zientzia eta Teknologia Fakultatea, Bilbao (Spain); Saez-Gomez, Diego [Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Departamento de Fisica, Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Lisbon (Portugal); Salzano, Vincenzo [University of Szczecin, Institute of Physics, Szczecin (Poland)

2016-11-15

In this work we consider a family of cosmological models featuring future singularities. This type of cosmological evolution is typical of dark energy models with an equation of state violating some of the standard energy conditions (e.g. the null energy condition). Such a kind of behavior, widely studied in the literature, may arise in cosmologies with phantom fields, theories of modified gravity or models with interacting dark matter/dark energy. We briefly review the physical consequences of these cosmological evolution regarding geodesic completeness and the divergence of tidal forces in order to emphasize under which circumstances the singularities in some cosmological quantities correspond to actual singular spacetimes. We then introduce several phenomenological parameterizations of the Hubble expansion rate to model different singularities existing in the literature and use SN Ia, BAO and H(z) data to constrain how far in the future the singularity needs to be (under some reasonable assumptions on the behavior of the Hubble factor). We show that, for our family of parameterizations, the lower bound for the singularity time cannot be smaller than about 1.2 times the age of the universe, what roughly speaking means ∝2.8 Gyrs from the present time. (orig.)

New classes of modified teleparallel gravity models

Science.gov (United States)

Bahamonde, Sebastian; Böhmer, Christian G.; Krššák, Martin

2017-12-01

New classes of modified teleparallel theories of gravity are introduced. The action of this theory is constructed to be a function of the irreducible parts of torsion f (Tax ,Tten ,Tvec), where Tax ,Tten and Tvec are squares of the axial, tensor and vector components of torsion, respectively. This is the most general (well-motivated) second order teleparallel theory of gravity that can be constructed from the torsion tensor. Different particular second order theories can be recovered from this theory such as new general relativity, conformal teleparallel gravity or f (T) gravity. Additionally, the boundary term B which connects the Ricci scalar with the torsion scalar via R = - T + B can also be incorporated into the action. By performing a conformal transformation, it is shown that the two unique theories which have an Einstein frame are either the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity or f (- T + B) = f (R) gravity, as expected.

Nonlinear evolution of f(R) cosmologies. II. Power spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyaizu, Hiroaki; Hu, Wayne; Lima, Marcos

2008-01-01

We carry out a suite of cosmological simulations of modified action f(R) models where cosmic acceleration arises from an alteration of gravity instead of dark energy. These models introduce an extra scalar degree of freedom which enhances the force of gravity below the inverse mass or Compton scale of the scalar. The simulations exhibit the so-called chameleon mechanism, necessary for satisfying local constraints on gravity, where this scale depends on environment, in particular, the depth of the local gravitational potential. We find that the chameleon mechanism can substantially suppress the enhancement of power spectrum in the nonlinear regime if the background field value is comparable to or smaller than the depth of the gravitational potentials of typical structures. Nonetheless power spectrum enhancements at intermediate scales remain at a measurable level for models even when the expansion history is indistinguishable from a cosmological constant, cold dark matter model. Simple scaling relations that take the linear power spectrum into a nonlinear spectrum fail to capture the modifications of f(R) due to the change in collapsed structures, the chameleon mechanism, and the time evolution of the modifications.

Modified Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld Gravity with a Trace Term

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Che-Yu [National Taiwan University, Department of Physics, Taipei (China); LeCosPA, National Taiwan University, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University, Graduate Institute of Astrophysics, Taipei (China); Bouhmadi-Lopez, Mariam [Universidade da Beira Interior, Departamento de Fisica, Covilha (Portugal); Centro de Matematica e Aplicacoes da Universidade da Beira Interior (CMA-UBI), Covilha (Portugal); University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Department of Theoretical Physics, P.O. Box 644, Bilbao (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao (Spain); Chen, Pisin [National Taiwan University, Department of Physics, Taipei (China); LeCosPA, National Taiwan University, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University, Graduate Institute of Astrophysics, Taipei (China); Stanford University, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford, CA (United States)

2016-01-15

In this paper, a modified Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld (EiBI) theory with a pure trace term g{sub μν}R being added to the determinantal action is analysed from a cosmological point of view. It corresponds to the most general action constructed from a rank two tensor that contains up to first order terms in curvature. This term can equally be seen as a conformal factor multiplying the metric g{sub μν}. This very interesting type of amendment has not been considered within the Palatini formalism despite the large amount of works on the Born-Infeld-inspired theory of gravity. This model can provide smooth bouncing solutions which were not allowed in the EiBI model for the same EiBI coupling. Most interestingly, for a radiation filled universe there are some regions of the parameter space that can naturally lead to a de Sitter inflationary stage without the need of any exotic matter field. Finally, in this model we discover a new type of cosmic ''quasi-sudden'' singularity, where the cosmic time derivative of the Hubble rate becomes very large but finite at a finite cosmic time. (orig.)

Bouncing cosmological solutions from f(R,T) gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Shabani, Hamid; Ziaie, Amir Hadi

2018-05-01

In this work we study classical bouncing solutions in the context of f(R,T)=R+h(T) gravity in a flat FLRW background using a perfect fluid as the only matter content. Our investigation is based on introducing an effective fluid through defining effective energy density and pressure; we call this reformulation as the " effective picture". These definitions have been already introduced to study the energy conditions in f(R,T) gravity. We examine various models to which different effective equations of state, corresponding to different h(T) functions, can be attributed. It is also discussed that one can link between an assumed f(R,T) model in the effective picture and the theories with generalized equation of state ( EoS). We obtain cosmological scenarios exhibiting a nonsingular bounce before and after which the Universe lives within a de-Sitter phase. We then proceed to find general solutions for matter bounce and investigate their properties. We show that the properties of bouncing solution in the effective picture of f(R,T) gravity are as follows: for a specific form of the f(R,T) function, these solutions are without any future singularities. Moreover, stability analysis of the nonsingular solutions through matter density perturbations revealed that except two of the models, the parameters of scalar-type perturbations for the other ones have a slight transient fluctuation around the bounce point and damp to zero or a finite value at late times. Hence these bouncing solutions are stable against scalar-type perturbations. It is possible that all energy conditions be respected by the real perfect fluid, however, the null and the strong energy conditions can be violated by the effective fluid near the bounce event. These solutions always correspond to a maximum in the real matter energy density and a vanishing minimum in the effective density. The effective pressure varies between negative values and may show either a minimum or a maximum.

New observational constraints on f(T) cosmology from radio quasars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Jing-Zhao; Cao, Shuo; Zhu, Zong-Hong [Beijing Normal University, Department of Astronomy, Beijing (China); Biesiada, Marek; Zheng, Xiaogang [Beijing Normal University, Department of Astronomy, Beijing (China); University of Silesia, Department of Astrophysics and Cosmology, Institute of Physics, Katowice (Poland)

2017-08-15

Using a new recently compiled milliarcsecond compact radio data set of 120 intermediate-luminosity quasars in the redshift range 0.46 < z < 2.76, whose statistical linear sizes show negligible dependence on redshifts and intrinsic luminosity and thus represent standard rulers in cosmology, we constrain three viable and most popular f(T) gravity models, where T is the torsion scalar in teleparallel gravity. Our analysis reveals that constraining power of the quasars data (N = 120) is comparable to the Union2.1 SN Ia data (N = 580) for all three f(T) models. Together with other standard ruler probes such as cosmic microwave background and baryon acoustic oscillation distance measurements, the present value of the matter density parameter Ω{sub m} obtained by quasars is much larger than that derived from other observations. For one of the models considered (f{sub 1}CDM) a small but noticeable deviation from ΛCDM cosmology is present, while in the framework of f{sub 3}CDM the effective equation of state may cross the phantom divide line at lower redshifts. These results indicate that intermediate-luminosity quasars could provide an effective observational probe comparable to SN Ia at much higher redshifts, and f(T) gravity is a reasonable candidate for the modified gravity theory. (orig.)

Neutron stars in screened modified gravity: Chameleon versus dilaton

Science.gov (United States)

Brax, Philippe; Davis, Anne-Christine; Jha, Rahul

2017-04-01

We consider the scalar field profile around relativistic compact objects such as neutron stars for a range of modified gravity models with screening mechanisms of the chameleon and Damour-Polyakov types. We focus primarily on inverse power law chameleons and the environmentally dependent dilaton as examples of both mechanisms. We discuss the modified Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation and then implement a relaxation algorithm to solve for the scalar profiles numerically. We find that chameleons and dilatons behave in a similar manner and that there is a large degeneracy between the modified gravity parameters and the neutron star equation of state. This is exemplified by the modifications to the mass-radius relationship for a variety of model parameters.

Renormalization group scale-setting from the action—a road to modified gravity theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domazet, Silvije; Štefančić, Hrvoje

2012-01-01

The renormalization group (RG) corrected gravitational action in Einstein–Hilbert and other truncations is considered. The running scale of the RG is treated as a scalar field at the level of the action and determined in a scale-setting procedure recently introduced by Koch and Ramirez for the Einstein–Hilbert truncation. The scale-setting procedure is elaborated for other truncations of the gravitational action and applied to several phenomenologically interesting cases. It is shown how the logarithmic dependence of the Newton's coupling on the RG scale leads to exponentially suppressed effective cosmological constant and how the scale-setting in particular RG-corrected gravitational theories yields the effective f(R) modified gravity theories with negative powers of the Ricci scalar R. The scale-setting at the level of the action at the non-Gaussian fixed point in Einstein–Hilbert and more general truncations is shown to lead to universal effective action quadratic in the Ricci tensor. (paper)

Renormalization group scale-setting from the action—a road to modified gravity theories

Science.gov (United States)

Domazet, Silvije; Štefančić, Hrvoje

2012-12-01

The renormalization group (RG) corrected gravitational action in Einstein-Hilbert and other truncations is considered. The running scale of the RG is treated as a scalar field at the level of the action and determined in a scale-setting procedure recently introduced by Koch and Ramirez for the Einstein-Hilbert truncation. The scale-setting procedure is elaborated for other truncations of the gravitational action and applied to several phenomenologically interesting cases. It is shown how the logarithmic dependence of the Newton's coupling on the RG scale leads to exponentially suppressed effective cosmological constant and how the scale-setting in particular RG-corrected gravitational theories yields the effective f(R) modified gravity theories with negative powers of the Ricci scalar R. The scale-setting at the level of the action at the non-Gaussian fixed point in Einstein-Hilbert and more general truncations is shown to lead to universal effective action quadratic in the Ricci tensor.

How fabulous is Fab 5 cosmology?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linder, Eric V.

2013-01-01

Extended gravity origins for cosmic acceleration can solve some fine tuning issues and have useful characteristics, but generally have little to say regarding the cosmological constant problem. Fab 5 gravity can be ghost free and stable, have attractor solutions in the past and future, and possess self tuning that solves the original cosmological constant problem. Here we show however it does not possess all these qualities at the same time. We also demonstrate that the self tuning is so powerful that it not only cancels the cosmological constant but also all other energy density, and we derive the scalings of its approach to a renormalized de Sitter cosmology. While this strong cancellation is bad for the late universe, it greatly eases early universe inflation

How fabulous is Fab 5 cosmology?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linder, Eric V., E-mail: evlinder@lbl.gov [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics and Berkeley Lab, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720 (United States)

2013-12-01

Extended gravity origins for cosmic acceleration can solve some fine tuning issues and have useful characteristics, but generally have little to say regarding the cosmological constant problem. Fab 5 gravity can be ghost free and stable, have attractor solutions in the past and future, and possess self tuning that solves the original cosmological constant problem. Here we show however it does not possess all these qualities at the same time. We also demonstrate that the self tuning is so powerful that it not only cancels the cosmological constant but also all other energy density, and we derive the scalings of its approach to a renormalized de Sitter cosmology. While this strong cancellation is bad for the late universe, it greatly eases early universe inflation.

Viscosity in Modified Gravity 

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iver Brevik

2012-11-01

Full Text Available A bulk viscosity is introduced in the formalism of modified gravity. It is shownthat, based on a natural scaling law for the viscosity, a simple solution can be found forquantities such as the Hubble parameter and the energy density. These solutions mayincorporate a viscosity-induced Big Rip singularity. By introducing a phase transition inthe cosmic fluid, the future singularity can nevertheless in principle be avoided. 

Disformal transformation of cosmological perturbations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masato Minamitsuji

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We investigate the gauge-invariant cosmological perturbations in the gravity and matter frames in the general scalar–tensor theory where two frames are related by the disformal transformation. The gravity and matter frames are the extensions of the Einstein and Jordan frames in the scalar–tensor theory where two frames are related by the conformal transformation, respectively. First, it is shown that the curvature perturbation in the comoving gauge to the scalar field is disformally invariant as well as conformally invariant, which gives the predictions from the cosmological model where the scalar field is responsible both for inflation and cosmological perturbations. Second, in case that the disformally coupled matter sector also contributes to curvature perturbations, we derive the evolution equations of the curvature perturbation in the uniform matter energy density gauge from the energy (nonconservation in the matter sector, which are independent of the choice of the gravity sector. While in the matter frame the curvature perturbation in the uniform matter energy density gauge is conserved on superhorizon scales for the vanishing nonadiabatic pressure, in the gravity frame it is not conserved even if the nonadiabatic pressure vanishes. The formula relating two frames gives the amplitude of the curvature perturbation in the matter frame, once it is evaluated in the gravity frame.

Disformal transformation of cosmological perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minamitsuji, Masato

2014-01-01

We investigate the gauge-invariant cosmological perturbations in the gravity and matter frames in the general scalar–tensor theory where two frames are related by the disformal transformation. The gravity and matter frames are the extensions of the Einstein and Jordan frames in the scalar–tensor theory where two frames are related by the conformal transformation, respectively. First, it is shown that the curvature perturbation in the comoving gauge to the scalar field is disformally invariant as well as conformally invariant, which gives the predictions from the cosmological model where the scalar field is responsible both for inflation and cosmological perturbations. Second, in case that the disformally coupled matter sector also contributes to curvature perturbations, we derive the evolution equations of the curvature perturbation in the uniform matter energy density gauge from the energy (non)conservation in the matter sector, which are independent of the choice of the gravity sector. While in the matter frame the curvature perturbation in the uniform matter energy density gauge is conserved on superhorizon scales for the vanishing nonadiabatic pressure, in the gravity frame it is not conserved even if the nonadiabatic pressure vanishes. The formula relating two frames gives the amplitude of the curvature perturbation in the matter frame, once it is evaluated in the gravity frame

Cosmological perturbations in antigravity

Science.gov (United States)

Oltean, Marius; Brandenberger, Robert

2014-10-01

We compute the evolution of cosmological perturbations in a recently proposed Weyl-symmetric theory of two scalar fields with oppositely signed conformal couplings to Einstein gravity. It is motivated from the minimal conformal extension of the standard model, such that one of these scalar fields is the Higgs while the other is a new particle, the dilaton, introduced to make the Higgs mass conformally symmetric. At the background level, the theory admits novel geodesically complete cyclic cosmological solutions characterized by a brief period of repulsive gravity, or "antigravity," during each successive transition from a big crunch to a big bang. For simplicity, we consider scalar perturbations in the absence of anisotropies, with potential set to zero and without any radiation. We show that despite the necessarily wrong-signed kinetic term of the dilaton in the full action, these perturbations are neither ghostlike nor tachyonic in the limit of strongly repulsive gravity. On this basis, we argue—pending a future analysis of vector and tensor perturbations—that, with respect to perturbative stability, the cosmological solutions of this theory are viable.

Cosmological model from the holographic equipartition law with a modified Renyi entropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komatsu, Nobuyoshi [Kanazawa University, Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Kanazawa, Ishikawa (Japan)

2017-04-15

Cosmological equations were recently derived by Padmanabhan from the expansion of cosmic space due to the difference between the degrees of freedom on the surface and in the bulk in a region of space. In this study, a modified Renyi entropy is applied to Padmanabhan's 'holographic equipartition law', by regarding the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy as a nonextensive Tsallis entropy and using a logarithmic formula of the original Renyi entropy. Consequently, the acceleration equation including an extra driving term (such as a time-varying cosmological term) can be derived in a homogeneous, isotropic, and spatially flat universe. When a specific condition is mathematically satisfied, the extra driving term is found to be constant-like as if it is a cosmological constant. Interestingly, the order of the constant-like term is naturally consistent with the order of the cosmological constant measured by observations, because the specific condition constrains the value of the constant-like term. (orig.)

Bianchi Type I Cosmological Models in Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiberiu Harko

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We consider the dynamics of a barotropic cosmological fluid in an anisotropic, Bianchi type I space-time in Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld (EiBI gravity. By assuming isotropic pressure distribution, we obtain the general solution of the field equations in an exact parametric form. The behavior of the geometric and thermodynamic parameters of the Bianchi type I Universe is studied, by using both analytical and numerical methods, for some classes of high density matter, described by the stiff causal, radiation, and pressureless fluid equations of state. In all cases the study of the models with different equations of state can be reduced to the integration of a highly nonlinear second order ordinary differential equation for the energy density. The time evolution of the anisotropic Bianchi type I Universe strongly depends on the initial values of the energy density and of the Hubble function. An important observational parameter, the mean anisotropy parameter, is also studied in detail, and we show that for the dust filled Universe the cosmological evolution always ends into isotropic phase, while for high density matter filled universes the isotropization of Bianchi type I universes is essentially determined by the initial conditions of the energy density.

Averaging problem in general relativity, macroscopic gravity and using Einstein's equations in cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zalaletdinov, R. M.

1998-04-01

The averaging problem in general relativity is briefly discussed. A new setting of the problem as that of macroscopic description of gravitation is proposed. A covariant space-time averaging procedure is described. The structure of the geometry of macroscopic space-time, which follows from averaging Cartan's structure equations, is described and the correlation tensors present in the theory are discussed. The macroscopic field equations (averaged Einstein's equations) derived in the framework of the approach are presented and their structure is analysed. The correspondence principle for macroscopic gravity is formulated and a definition of the stress-energy tensor for the macroscopic gravitational field is proposed. It is shown that the physical meaning of using Einstein's equations with a hydrodynamic stress-energy tensor in looking for cosmological models means neglecting all gravitational field correlations. The system of macroscopic gravity equations to be solved when the correlations are taken into consideration is given and described.

Generalized Galileons: instabilities of bouncing and Genesis cosmologies and modified Genesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Libanov, M. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences,60th October Anniversary Prospect 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology,Institutskii per. 9, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Mironov, S. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences,60th October Anniversary Prospect 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Rubakov, V. [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences,60th October Anniversary Prospect 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Department of Particle Physics and Cosmology, Physics Faculty,M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,Vorobjevy Gory, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2016-08-18

We study spatially flat bouncing cosmologies and models with the early-time Genesis epoch in a popular class of generalized Galileon theories. We ask whether there exist solutions of these types which are free of gradient and ghost instabilities. We find that irrespectively of the forms of the Lagrangian functions, the bouncing models either are plagued with these instabilities or have singularities. The same result holds for the original Genesis model and its variants in which the scale factor tends to a constant as t→−∞. The result remains valid in theories with additional matter that obeys the Null Energy Condition and interacts with the Galileon only gravitationally. We propose a modified Genesis model which evades our no-go argument and give an explicit example of healthy cosmology that connects the modified Genesis epoch with kination (the epoch still driven by the Galileon field, which is a conventional massless scalar field at that stage).

Cosmology in time asymmetric extensions of general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leon, Genly; Saridakis, Emmanuel N.

2015-01-01

We investigate the cosmological behavior in a universe governed by time asymmetric extensions of general relativity, which is a novel modified gravity based on the addition of new, time-asymmetric, terms on the Hamiltonian framework, in a way that the algebra of constraints and local physics remain unchanged. Nevertheless, at cosmological scales these new terms can have significant effects that can alter the universe evolution, both at early and late times, and the freedom in the choice of the involved modification function makes the scenario able to produce a huge class of cosmological behaviors. For basic ansatzes of modification, we perform a detailed dynamical analysis, extracting the stable late-time solutions. Amongst others, we find that the universe can result in dark-energy dominated, accelerating solutions, even in the absence of an explicit cosmological constant, in which the dark energy can be quintessence-like, phantom-like, or behave as an effective cosmological constant. Moreover, it can result to matter-domination, or to a Big Rip, or experience the sequence from matter to dark energy domination. Additionally, in the case of closed curvature, the universe may experience a cosmological bounce or turnaround, or even cyclic behavior. Finally, these scenarios can easily satisfy the observational and phenomenological requirements. Hence, time asymmetric cosmology can be a good candidate for the description of the universe

A new vacuum for loop quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dittrich, Bianca; Geiller, Marc

2015-01-01

We construct a new vacuum and representation for loop quantum gravity. Because the new vacuum is based on BF theory, it is physical for (2+1)-dimensional gravity, and much closer to the spirit of spin foam quantization in general. To construct this new vacuum and the associated representation of quantum observables, we introduce a modified holonomy–flux algebra that is cylindrically consistent with respect to the notion of refinement by time evolution suggested in Dittrich and Steinhaus (2013 arXiv:1311.7565). This supports the proposal for a construction of the physical vacuum made in Dittrich and Steinhaus (2013 arXiv:1311.7565) and Dittrich (2012 New J. Phys. 14 123004), and for (3+1)-dimensional gravity. We expect that the vacuum introduced here will facilitate the extraction of large scale physics and cosmological predictions from loop quantum gravity. (fast track communication)

The cosmological term and a modified Brans-Dicke cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, M.; Fukui, T.

1977-01-01

Adding the cosmological term Λ, which is assumed to be variable in this paper, to the Brans-Dicke Lagrangian, an attempt is made to understand the meaning of the term and to relate it to the mass of the universe. The Dirac large-number hypothesis is considered, applying the results obtained from the application of the present theory to a uniform cosmological model. (author)

Gravity with free initial conditions: A solution to the cosmological constant problem testable by CMB B -mode polarization

Science.gov (United States)

Totani, Tomonori

2017-10-01

In standard general relativity the universe cannot be started with arbitrary initial conditions, because four of the ten components of the Einstein's field equations (EFE) are constraints on initial conditions. In the previous work it was proposed to extend the gravity theory to allow free initial conditions, with a motivation to solve the cosmological constant problem. This was done by setting four constraints on metric variations in the action principle, which is reasonable because the gravity's physical degrees of freedom are at most six. However, there are two problems about this theory; the three constraints in addition to the unimodular condition were introduced without clear physical meanings, and the flat Minkowski spacetime is unstable against perturbations. Here a new set of gravitational field equations is derived by replacing the three constraints with new ones requiring that geodesic paths remain geodesic against metric variations. The instability problem is then naturally solved. Implications for the cosmological constant Λ are unchanged; the theory converges into EFE with nonzero Λ by inflation, but Λ varies on scales much larger than the present Hubble horizon. Then galaxies are formed only in small Λ regions, and the cosmological constant problem is solved by the anthropic argument. Because of the increased degrees of freedom in metric dynamics, the theory predicts new non-oscillatory modes of metric anisotropy generated by quantum fluctuation during inflation, and CMB B -mode polarization would be observed differently from the standard predictions by general relativity.

Eddington's theory of gravity and its progeny.

Science.gov (United States)

Bañados, Máximo; Ferreira, Pedro G

2010-07-02

We resurrect Eddington's proposal for the gravitational action in the presence of a cosmological constant and extend it to include matter fields. We show that the Newton-Poisson equation is modified in the presence of sources and that charged black holes show great similarities with those arising in Born-Infeld electrodynamics coupled to gravity. When we consider homogeneous and isotropic space-times, we find that there is a minimum length (and maximum density) at early times, clearly pointing to an alternative theory of the big bang. We thus argue that the modern formulation of Eddington's theory, Born-Infeld gravity, presents us with a novel, nonsingular description of the Universe.

Noether symmetry approach in f(T, B) teleparallel cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahamonde, Sebastian [University College London, Department of Mathematics, London (United Kingdom); Capozziello, Salvatore [Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Dipartimento di Fisica, Naples (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Naples (Italy); INFN, Napoli (Italy)

2017-02-15

We consider the cosmology derived from f(T, B) gravity where T is the torsion scalar and B = (2)/(e)∂{sub μ}(eT{sup μ}) a boundary term. In particular we discuss how it is possible to recover, under the same standard, the teleparallel f(T) gravity, the curvature f(R) gravity, and the teleparallel-curvature f(R, T) gravity, which are particular cases of f(T, B). We adopt the Noether Symmetry Approach to study the related dynamical systems and to find cosmological solutions. (orig.)

Scale of gravity and the cosmological constant within a landscape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graesser, Michael L.; Salem, Michael P.

2007-01-01

It is possible that the scale of gravity, parametrized by the apparent Planck mass, may obtain different values within different universes in an encompassing multiverse. We investigate the range over which the Planck mass may scan while still satisfying anthropic constraints. The window for anthropically allowed values of the Planck mass may have important consequences for landscape predictions. For example, if the likelihood to observe some value of the Planck mass is weighted by the inflationary expansion factors of the universes that contain that value, then it appears extremely unlikely to observe the value of the Planck mass that is measured within our universe. This is another example of the runaway inflation problem discussed in recent literature. We also show that the window for the Planck mass significantly weakens the anthropic constraint on the cosmological constant when both are allowed to vary over a landscape

Loop quantum cosmology and singularities.

Science.gov (United States)

Struyve, Ward

2017-08-15

Loop quantum gravity is believed to eliminate singularities such as the big bang and big crunch singularity. This belief is based on studies of so-called loop quantum cosmology which concerns symmetry-reduced models of quantum gravity. In this paper, the problem of singularities is analysed in the context of the Bohmian formulation of loop quantum cosmology. In this formulation there is an actual metric in addition to the wave function, which evolves stochastically (rather than deterministically as the case of the particle evolution in non-relativistic Bohmian mechanics). Thus a singularity occurs whenever this actual metric is singular. It is shown that in the loop quantum cosmology for a homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker space-time with arbitrary constant spatial curvature and cosmological constant, coupled to a massless homogeneous scalar field, a big bang or big crunch singularity is never obtained. This should be contrasted with the fact that in the Bohmian formulation of the Wheeler-DeWitt theory singularities may exist.

The Future of Theoretical Physics and Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, G. W.; Shellard, E. P. S.; Rankin, S. J.

2009-08-01

Preface; List of contributors; 1. Introduction; Part I. Popular Symposium: 2. Our complex cosmos and its future Martin J. Rees; 3. Theories of everything and Hawking's wave function of the Universe James B. Hartle; 4. The problem of space-time singularities: implications for quantum gravity? Roger Penrose; 5. Warping spacetime Kip Thorne; 6. 60 years in a nutshell Stephen W. Hawking; Part II. Spacetime Singularities: 7. Cosmological perturbations and singularities George F. R. Ellis; 8. The quantum physics of chronology protection Matt Visser; 9. Energy dominance and the Hawking-Ellis vacuum conservation theorem Brandon Carter; 10. On the instability of extra space dimensions Roger Penrose; Part III. Black Holes: 11. Black hole uniqueness and the inner horizon stability problem Werner Israel; 12. Black holes in the real universe and their prospects as probes of relativistic gravity Martin J. Rees; 13. Primordial black holes Bernard Carr; 14. Black hole pair creation Simon F. Ross; 15. Black holes as accelerators Steven Giddings; Part IV. Hawking Radiation: 16. Black holes and string theory Malcolm Perry; 17. M theory and black hole quantum mechanics Joe Polchinski; 18. Playing with black strings Gary Horowitz; 19. Twenty years of debate with Stephen Leonard Susskind; Part V. Quantum Gravity: 20. Euclidean quantum gravity: the view from 2002 Gary Gibbons; 21. Zeta functions, anomalies and stable branes Ian Moss; 22. Some reflections on the status of conventional quantum theory when applied to quantum gravity Chris Isham; 23. Quantum geometry and its ramifications Abhay Ashtekar; 24. Topology change in quantum gravity Fay Dowker; Part VI. M Theory and Beyond: 25. The past and future of string theory Edward Witten; 26. String theory David Gross; 27. A brief description of string theory Michael Green; 28. The story of M Paul Townsend; 29. Gauged supergravity and holographic field theory Nick Warner; 30. 57 varieties in a NUTshell Chris Pope; Part VII. de Sitter Space

Noether symmetry approach in f(T, B) teleparallel cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahamonde, Sebastian; Capozziello, Salvatore

2017-01-01

We consider the cosmology derived from f ( T ,  B ) gravity where T is the torsion scalar and [Formula: see text] a boundary term. In particular we discuss how it is possible to recover, under the same standard, the teleparallel f ( T ) gravity, the curvature f ( R ) gravity, and the teleparallel-curvature f ( R ,  T ) gravity, which are particular cases of f ( T ,  B ). We adopt the Noether Symmetry Approach to study the related dynamical systems and to find cosmological solutions.

Friedmann model with viscous cosmology in modified f(R,T) gravity theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, C.P.; Kumar, Pankaj [Delhi Technological University, Department of Applied Mathematics, Delhi (India)

2014-10-15

In this paper, we introduce the bulk viscosity in the formalism of modified gravity theory in which the gravitational action contains a general function f(R,T), where R and T denote the curvature scalar and the trace of the energy.momentum tensor, respectively, within the framework of a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model. As an equation of state for a prefect fluid, we take p = (γ - 1)ρ, where 0 ≤ γ ≤ 2 and a viscous term as a bulk viscosity due to the isotropic model, of the form ξ = ξ{sub 0} + ξ{sub 1}H, where ξ{sub 0} and ξ{sub 1} are constants, and H is the Hubble parameter. The exact non-singular solutions to the corresponding field equations are obtained with non-viscous and viscous fluids, respectively, by assuming a simplest particular model of the form of f(R,T) = R + 2f(T), where f(T) = αT (α is a constant). A big-rip singularity is also observed for γ < 0 at a finite value of cosmic time under certain constraints. We study all possible scenarios with the possible positive and negative ranges of α to analyze the expansion history of the universe. It is observed that the universe accelerates or exhibits a transition from a decelerated phase to an accelerated phase under certain constraints of ξ{sub 0} and ξ{sub 1}. We compare the viscous models with the non-viscous one through the graph plotted between the scale factor and cosmic time and find that the bulk viscosity plays a major role in the expansion of the universe. A similar graph is plotted for the deceleration parameter with non-viscous and viscous fluids and we find a transition from decelerated to accelerated phase with some form of bulk viscosity. (orig.)

Action growth for black holes in modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastiani, Lorenzo; Vanzo, Luciano; Zerbini, Sergio

2018-02-01

The general form of the action growth for a large class of static black hole solutions in modified gravity which includes F (R ) -gravity models is computed. The cases of black hole solutions with nonconstant Ricci scalar are also considered, generalizing the results previously found and valid only for black holes with constant Ricci scalar. An argument is put forward to provide a physical interpretation of the results, which seem tightly connected with the generalized second law of black hole thermodynamics.

Massive Gravity

OpenAIRE

de Rham, Claudia

2014-01-01

We review recent progress in massive gravity. We start by showing how different theories of massive gravity emerge from a higher-dimensional theory of general relativity, leading to the Dvali–Gabadadze–Porrati model (DGP), cascading gravity, and ghost-free massive gravity. We then explore their theoretical and phenomenological consistency, proving the absence of Boulware–Deser ghosts and reviewing the Vainshtein mechanism and the cosmological solutions in these models. Finally, we present alt...

Averaging in spherically symmetric cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coley, A. A.; Pelavas, N.

2007-01-01

The averaging problem in cosmology is of fundamental importance. When applied to study cosmological evolution, the theory of macroscopic gravity (MG) can be regarded as a long-distance modification of general relativity. In the MG approach to the averaging problem in cosmology, the Einstein field equations on cosmological scales are modified by appropriate gravitational correlation terms. We study the averaging problem within the class of spherically symmetric cosmological models. That is, we shall take the microscopic equations and effect the averaging procedure to determine the precise form of the correlation tensor in this case. In particular, by working in volume-preserving coordinates, we calculate the form of the correlation tensor under some reasonable assumptions on the form for the inhomogeneous gravitational field and matter distribution. We find that the correlation tensor in a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) background must be of the form of a spatial curvature. Inhomogeneities and spatial averaging, through this spatial curvature correction term, can have a very significant dynamical effect on the dynamics of the Universe and cosmological observations; in particular, we discuss whether spatial averaging might lead to a more conservative explanation of the observed acceleration of the Universe (without the introduction of exotic dark matter fields). We also find that the correlation tensor for a non-FLRW background can be interpreted as the sum of a spatial curvature and an anisotropic fluid. This may lead to interesting effects of averaging on astrophysical scales. We also discuss the results of averaging an inhomogeneous Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi solution as well as calculations of linear perturbations (that is, the backreaction) in an FLRW background, which support the main conclusions of the analysis

Cosmological principle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wesson, P.S.

1979-01-01

The Cosmological Principle states: the universe looks the same to all observers regardless of where they are located. To most astronomers today the Cosmological Principle means the universe looks the same to all observers because density of the galaxies is the same in all places. A new Cosmological Principle is proposed. It is called the Dimensional Cosmological Principle. It uses the properties of matter in the universe: density (rho), pressure (p), and mass (m) within some region of space of length (l). The laws of physics require incorporation of constants for gravity (G) and the speed of light (C). After combining the six parameters into dimensionless numbers, the best choices are: 8πGl 2 rho/c 2 , 8πGl 2 rho/c 4 , and 2 Gm/c 2 l (the Schwarzchild factor). The Dimensional Cosmological Principal came about because old ideas conflicted with the rapidly-growing body of observational evidence indicating that galaxies in the universe have a clumpy rather than uniform distribution

Cosmological time in (2+1)-gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedetti, Riccardo; Guadagnini, Enore

2001-01-01

We consider maximal globally hyperbolic flat (2+1)-spacetimes with compact space S of genus g>1. For any spacetime M of this type, the length of time that the events have been in existence is M defines a global time, called the cosmological time CT of M, which reveals deep intrinsic properties of spacetime. In particular, the past/future asymptotic states of the cosmological time recover and decouple the linear and the translational parts of the ISO(2,1)-valued holonomy of the flat spacetime. The initial singularity can be interpreted as an isometric action of the fundamental group of S on a suitable real tree. The initial singularity faithfully manifests itself as a lack of smoothness of the embedding of the CT level surfaces into the spacetime M. The cosmological time determines a real analytic curve in the Teichmueller space of Riemann surfaces of genus g, which connects an interior point (associated to the linear part of the holonomy) with a point on Thurston's natural boundary (associated to the initial singularity)

Cosmological time in /(2+1)-gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, Riccardo; Guadagnini, Enore

2001-10-01

We consider maximal globally hyperbolic flat (2+1)-spacetimes with compact space S of genus g>1. For any spacetime M of this type, the length of time that the events have been in existence is M defines a global time, called the cosmological time CT of M, which reveals deep intrinsic properties of spacetime. In particular, the past/future asymptotic states of the cosmological time recover and decouple the linear and the translational parts of the ISO(2,1)-valued holonomy of the flat spacetime. The initial singularity can be interpreted as an isometric action of the fundamental group of S on a suitable real tree. The initial singularity faithfully manifests itself as a lack of smoothness of the embedding of the CT level surfaces into the spacetime M. The cosmological time determines a real analytic curve in the Teichmüller space of Riemann surfaces of genus g, which connects an interior point (associated to the linear part of the holonomy) with a point on Thurston's natural boundary (associated to the initial singularity).

Perturbations in loop quantum cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W; Agullo, I; Ashtekar, A

2014-01-01

The era of precision cosmology has allowed us to accurately determine many important cosmological parameters, in particular via the CMB. Confronting Loop Quantum Cosmology with these observations provides us with a powerful test of the theory. For this to be possible, we need a detailed understanding of the generation and evolution of inhomogeneous perturbations during the early, quantum gravity phase of the universe. Here, we have described how Loop Quantum Cosmology provides a completion of the inflationary paradigm, that is consistent with the observed power spectra of the CMB

Cosmological horizons, quintessence and string theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaloper, Nemanja

2003-01-01

String theory is presently the best candidate for a quantum theory of gravity unified with other forces. It is natural to hope that applications of string theory to cosmology may shed new light on the cosmological conundra, such as singularities, initial conditions, cosmological constant problem and the origin of inflation. Before we can apply string theory to cosmology, there are important conceptual and practical problems which must be addressed. We have reviewed here some of these problems, related to how one defines string theory in a cosmological setting. (author)

Testing modified gravity with globular clusters: the case of NGC 2419

Science.gov (United States)

Llinares, Claudio

2018-05-01

The dynamics of globular clusters has been studied in great detail in the context of general relativity as well as with modifications of gravity that strongly depart from the standard paradigm such as Modified Newtonian Dynamics. However, at present there are no studies that aim to test the impact that less extreme modifications of gravity (e.g. models constructed as alternatives to dark energy) have on the behaviour of globular clusters. This Letter presents fits to the velocity dispersion profile of the cluster NGC 2419 under the symmetron-modified gravity model. The data show an increase in the velocity dispersion towards the centre of the cluster which could be difficult to explain within general relativity. By finding the best-fitting solution associated with the symmetron model, we show that this tension does not exist in modified gravity. However, the best-fitting parameters give a model that is inconsistent with the dynamics of the Solar system. Exploration of different screening mechanisms should give us the chance to understand if it is possible to maintain the appealing properties of the symmetron model when it comes to globular clusters and at the same time recover the Solar system dynamics properly.

Wormholes and the cosmological constant problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Klebanov, I.

The author reviews the cosmological constant problem and the recently proposed wormhole mechanism for its solution. Summation over wormholes in the Euclidean path integral for gravity turns all the coupling parameters into dynamical variables, sampled from a probability distribution. A formal saddle point analysis results in a distribution with a sharp peak at the cosmological constant equal to zero, which appears to solve the cosmological constant problem. He discusses the instabilities of the gravitational Euclidean path integral and the difficulties with its interpretation. He presents an alternate formalism for baby universes, based on the "third quantization" of the Wheeler-De Witt equation. This approach is analyzed in a minisuperspace model for quantum gravity, where it reduces to simple quantum mechanics. Once again, the coupling parameters become dynamical. Unfortunately, the a priori probability distribution for the cosmological constant and other parameters is typically a smooth function, with no sharp peaks.

Thermodynamics of quasi-topological cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehghani, M.H.; Sheykhi, A.; Dehghani, R.

2013-01-01

In this Letter, we study thermodynamical properties of the apparent horizon in a universe governed by quasi-topological gravity. Our aim is twofold. First, by using the variational method we derive the general form of Friedmann equation in quasi-topological gravity. Then, by applying the first law of thermodynamics on the apparent horizon, after using the entropy expression associated with the black hole horizon in quasi-topological gravity, and replacing the horizon radius, r + , with the apparent horizon radius, r -tilde A , we derive the corresponding Friedmann equation in quasi-topological gravity. We find that these two different approaches yield the same result which shows the profound connection between the first law of thermodynamics and the gravitational field equations of quasi-topological gravity. We also study the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics in quasi-topological cosmology. We find that, with the assumption of the local equilibrium hypothesis, the generalized second law of thermodynamics is fulfilled for the universe enveloped by the apparent horizon for the late time cosmology

Cosmological string solutions by dimensional reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behrndt, K.; Foerste, S.

1993-12-01

We obtain cosmological four dimensional solutions of the low energy effective string theory by reducing a five dimensional black hole, and black hole-de Sitter solution of the Einstein gravity down to four dimensions. The appearance of a cosmological constant in the five dimensional Einstein-Hilbert produces a special dilaton potential in the four dimensional effective string action. Cosmological scenarios implement by our solutions are discussed

Cosmological D-instantons and cyclic universes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergshoeff, EA; Collinucci, A; Roest, D; Russo, JG; Townsend, PK

2005-01-01

For models of gravity coupled to hyperbolic sigma models, such as the metric-scalar sector of IIB supergravity, we show how smooth trajectories in the 'augmented target space' connect FLRW cosmologies to non-extremal D-instantons through a cosmological singularity. In particular, we find closed

Non-trivial frames for f(T) theories of gravity and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferraro, Rafael; Fiorini, Franco

2011-01-01

Some conceptual issues concerning f(T) theories - a family of modified gravity theories based on absolute parallelism - are analyzed. Due to the lack of local Lorentz invariance, the autoparallel frames satisfying the field equations are evasive to an a priori physical understanding. We exemplify this point by working out the vierbein (tetrad) fields for closed and open Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmologies.

Non-trivial frames for f(T) theories of gravity and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferraro, Rafael, E-mail: ferraro@iafe.uba.ar [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, Casilla de Correo 67, Sucursal 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon I, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Fiorini, Franco, E-mail: franco@iafe.uba.ar [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, Casilla de Correo 67, Sucursal 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2011-08-03

Some conceptual issues concerning f(T) theories - a family of modified gravity theories based on absolute parallelism - are analyzed. Due to the lack of local Lorentz invariance, the autoparallel frames satisfying the field equations are evasive to an a priori physical understanding. We exemplify this point by working out the vierbein (tetrad) fields for closed and open Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmologies.

Dark matter and dark energy a challenge for modern cosmology

CERN Document Server

Gorini, Vittorio; Moschella, Ugo; Matarrese, Sabino

2011-01-01

This book brings together reviews from leading international authorities on the developments in the study of dark matter and dark energy, as seen from both their cosmological and particle physics side. Studying the physical and astrophysical properties of the dark components of our Universe is a crucial step towards the ultimate goal of unveiling their nature. The work developed from a doctoral school sponsored by the Italian Society of General Relativity and Gravitation. The book starts with a concise introduction to the standard cosmological model, as well as with a presentation of the theory of linear perturbations around a homogeneous and isotropic background. It covers the particle physics and cosmological aspects of dark matter and (dynamical) dark energy, including a discussion of how modified theories of gravity could provide a possible candidate for dark energy. A detailed presentation is also given of the possible ways of testing the theory in terms of cosmic microwave background, galaxy redshift su...

Cosmology in Poincaré gauge gravity with a pseudoscalar torsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Jianbo; Chee, Guoying [Department of Physics, Liaoning Normal University,Dalian 116029 (China)

2016-05-04

A cosmology of Poincare{sup ´} gauge theory is developed, where several properties of universe corresponding to the cosmological equations with the pseudoscalar torsion function are investigated. The cosmological constant is found to be the intrinsic torsion and curvature of the vacuum universe and is derived from the theory naturally rather than added artificially, i.e. the dark energy originates from geometry and includes the cosmological constant but differs from it. The cosmological constant puzzle, the coincidence and fine tuning problem are relieved naturally at the same time. By solving the cosmological equations, the analytic cosmological solution is obtained and can be compared with the ΛCDM model. In addition, the expressions of density parameters of the matter and the geometric dark energy are derived, and it is shown that the evolution of state equations for the geometric dark energy agrees with the current observational data. At last, the full equations of linear cosmological perturbations and the solutions are obtained.

Smoothing expansion rate data to reconstruct cosmological matter perturbations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez, J.E.; Alcaniz, J.S.; Carvalho, J.C., E-mail: javierernesto@on.br, E-mail: alcaniz@on.br, E-mail: jcarvalho@on.br [Departamento de Astronomia, Observatório Nacional, Rua Gal. José Cristino, 77, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20921-400 (Brazil)

2017-08-01

The existing degeneracy between different dark energy and modified gravity cosmologies at the background level may be broken by analyzing quantities at the perturbative level. In this work, we apply a non-parametric smoothing (NPS) method to reconstruct the expansion history of the Universe ( H ( z )) from model-independent cosmic chronometers and high- z quasar data. Assuming a homogeneous and isotropic flat universe and general relativity (GR) as the gravity theory, we calculate the non-relativistic matter perturbations in the linear regime using the H ( z ) reconstruction and realistic values of Ω {sub m} {sub 0} and σ{sub 8} from Planck and WMAP-9 collaborations. We find a good agreement between the measurements of the growth rate and f σ{sub 8}( z ) from current large-scale structure observations and the estimates obtained from the reconstruction of the cosmic expansion history. Considering a recently proposed null test for GR using matter perturbations, we also apply the NPS method to reconstruct f σ{sub 8}( z ). For this case, we find a ∼ 3σ tension (good agreement) with the standard relativistic cosmology when the Planck (WMAP-9) priors are used.

Smoothing expansion rate data to reconstruct cosmological matter perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, J.E.; Alcaniz, J.S.; Carvalho, J.C.

2017-01-01

The existing degeneracy between different dark energy and modified gravity cosmologies at the background level may be broken by analyzing quantities at the perturbative level. In this work, we apply a non-parametric smoothing (NPS) method to reconstruct the expansion history of the Universe ( H ( z )) from model-independent cosmic chronometers and high- z quasar data. Assuming a homogeneous and isotropic flat universe and general relativity (GR) as the gravity theory, we calculate the non-relativistic matter perturbations in the linear regime using the H ( z ) reconstruction and realistic values of Ω m 0 and σ 8 from Planck and WMAP-9 collaborations. We find a good agreement between the measurements of the growth rate and f σ 8 ( z ) from current large-scale structure observations and the estimates obtained from the reconstruction of the cosmic expansion history. Considering a recently proposed null test for GR using matter perturbations, we also apply the NPS method to reconstruct f σ 8 ( z ). For this case, we find a ∼ 3σ tension (good agreement) with the standard relativistic cosmology when the Planck (WMAP-9) priors are used.

Constraining dark energy and modified gravity with galaxy clusters, Oskar Klein Center for Cosmoparticle Physics, Stockholm, Sweden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rapetti Serra, David Angelo

2011-01-01

Using measurements of the abundance of galaxy clusters we obtain constraints on dark energy and gravity at cosmological scales. Our data set consists of 238 cluster detections drawn from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey and X-ray follow-up observations of 94 of those clusters. Using a new statistical...... framework we self-consistently and simultaneously constrain cosmology and observable-mass scaling relations accounting for survey biases, parameter covariances and systematic uncertainties. Allowing the linear growth index and the dark energy equation of state to take any constant values, we find...

Time evolution in quantum cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrie, Ian D.

2011-01-01

A commonly adopted relational account of time evolution in generally covariant systems, and more specifically in quantum cosmology, is argued to be unsatisfactory, insofar as it describes evolution relative to observed readings of a clock that does not exist as a bona fide observable object. A modified strategy is proposed, in which evolution relative to the proper time that elapses along the worldline of a specific observer can be described through the introduction of a ''test clock,'' regarded as internal to, and hence unobservable by, that observer. This strategy is worked out in detail in the case of a homogeneous cosmology, in the context of both a conventional Schroedinger quantization scheme, and a 'polymer' quantization scheme of the kind inspired by loop quantum gravity. Particular attention is given to limitations placed on the observability of time evolution by the requirement that a test clock should contribute only a negligible energy to the Hamiltonian constraint. It is found that suitable compromises are available, in which the clock energy is reasonably small, while Dirac observables are reasonably sharply defined.

Exact Solutions in Three-Dimensional Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

García-Díaz, Alberto A.

2017-09-01

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Point particles; 3. Dust solutions; 4. AdS cyclic symmetric stationary solutions; 5. Perfect fluid static stars; 6. Static perfect fluid stars with Λ; 7. Hydrodynamic equilibrium; 8. Stationary perfect fluid with Λ; 9. Friedmann–Robertson–Walker cosmologies; 10. Dilaton-inflaton FRW cosmologies; 11. Einstein–Maxwell solutions; 12. Nonlinear electrodynamics black hole; 13. Dilaton minimally coupled to gravity; 14. Dilaton non-minimally coupled to gravity; 15. Low energy 2+1 string gravity; 16. Topologically massive gravity; 17. Bianchi type spacetimes in TMG; 18. Petrov type N wave metrics; 19. Kundt spacetimes in TMG; 20. Cotton tensor in Riemannian spacetimes; References; Index.

Higgs cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Rajantie, Arttu

2018-01-01

The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 and other results from the Large Hadron Collider have confirmed the standard model of particle physics as the correct theory of elementary particles and their interactions up to energies of several TeV. Remarkably, the theory may even remain valid all the way to the Planck scale of quantum gravity, and therefore it provides a solid theoretical basis for describing the early Universe. Furthermore, the Higgs field itself has unique properties that may have allowed it to play a central role in the evolution of the Universe, from inflation to cosmological phase transitions and the origin of both baryonic and dark matter, and possibly to determine its ultimate fate through the electroweak vacuum instability. These connections between particle physics and cosmology have given rise to a new and growing field of Higgs cosmology, which promises to shed new light on some of the most puzzling questions about the Universe as new data from particle physics experiments and cosmological observations become available. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue `Higgs cosmology'.

Beyond the Standard Model of Cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, John; Nanopoulos, D. V.

2004-01-01

Recent cosmological observations of unprecented accuracy, by WMAP in particular, have established a 'Standard Model' of cosmology, just as LEP established the Standard Model of particle physics. Both Standard Models raise open questions whose answers are likely to be linked. The most fundamental problems in both particle physics and cosmology will be resolved only within a framework for Quantum Gravity, for which the only game in town is string theory. We discuss novel ways to model cosmological inflation and late acceleration in a non-critical string approach, and discuss possible astrophysical tests

Classical resolution of singularities in dilaton cosmologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergshoeff, EA; Collinucci, A; Roest, D; Russo, JG; Townsend, PK

2005-01-01

For models of dilaton gravity with a possible exponential potential, such as the tensor-scalar sector of ITA supergravity, we show how cosmological solutions correspond to trajectories in a 2D Milne space (parametrized by the dilaton and the scale factor). Cosmological singularities correspond to

Cosmological viability conditions for f(T) dark energy models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Setare, M.R.; Mohammadipour, N., E-mail: rezakord@ipm.ir, E-mail: N.Mohammadipour@uok.ac.ir [Department of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-11-01

Recently f(T) modified teleparallel gravity where T is the torsion scalar has been proposed as the natural gravitational alternative for dark energy. We perform a detailed dynamical analysis of these models and find conditions for the cosmological viability of f(T) dark energy models as geometrical constraints on the derivatives of these models. We show that in the phase space exists two cosmologically viable trajectory which (i) The universe would start from an unstable radiation point, then pass a saddle standard matter point which is followed by accelerated expansion de sitter point. (ii) The universe starts from a saddle radiation epoch, then falls onto the stable matter era and the system can not evolve to the dark energy dominated epoch. Finally, for a number of f(T) dark energy models were proposed in the more literature, the viability conditions are investigated.

Bianchi type-I universe in f(R, T) modified gravity with quark matter and Λ

Science.gov (United States)

Ćaǧlar, Halife; Aygün, Sezgin

2017-02-01

In this study, we investigate homogeneous and anisotropic Bianchi type I universe in the presence of quark matter source in f(R, T) gravity (Harko et al. in Phys. Rev. D 84:024020, 2011) with cosmological constant Λ (where R is the Ricci scalar and T is the trace of the energy momentum tensor). For this aim we have used the anisotropy feature of Bianchi type I universe and equation of states (EoS) of quark matter. We explore the exact solution f(R,T)=R+2f(T) model for Bianchi type I universe model. When t→∞, we get very small cosmological constant value, this result agrees with recent observations.

A new golden age: testing general relativity with cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Rachel; Ferreira, Pedro G; Taylor, Andy

2011-12-28

Gravity drives the evolution of the Universe and is at the heart of its complexity. Einstein's field equations can be used to work out the detailed dynamics of space and time and to calculate the emergence of large-scale structure in the distribution of galaxies and radiation. Over the past few years, it has become clear that cosmological observations can be used not only to constrain different world models within the context of Einstein gravity but also to constrain the theory of gravity itself. In this article, we look at different aspects of this new field in which cosmology is used to test theories of gravity with a wide range of observations.

Dilaton cosmology and the modified uncertainty principle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumder, Barun

2011-01-01

Very recently Ali et al. (2009) proposed a new generalized uncertainty principle (with a linear term in Plank length which is consistent with doubly special relativity and string theory. The classical and quantum effects of this generalized uncertainty principle (termed as modified uncertainty principle or MUP) are investigated on the phase space of a dilatonic cosmological model with an exponential dilaton potential in a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker background. Interestingly, as a consequence of MUP, we found that it is possible to get a late time acceleration for this model. For the quantum mechanical description in both commutative and MUP framework, we found the analytical solutions of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the early universe and compare our results. We have used an approximation method in the case of MUP.

Singularity resolution in quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Husain, Viqar; Winkler, Oliver

2004-01-01

We examine the singularity resolution issue in quantum gravity by studying a new quantization of standard Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometrodynamics. The quantization procedure is inspired by the loop quantum gravity program, and is based on an alternative to the Schroedinger representation normally used in metric variable quantum cosmology. We show that in this representation for quantum geometrodynamics there exists a densely defined inverse scale factor operator, and that the Hamiltonian constraint acts as a difference operator on the basis states. We find that the cosmological singularity is avoided in the quantum dynamics. We discuss these results with a view to identifying the criteria that constitute 'singularity resolution' in quantum gravity

Beyond δ : Tailoring marked statistics to reveal modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Valogiannis, Georgios; Bean, Rachel

2018-01-01

Models that seek to explain cosmic acceleration through modifications to general relativity (GR) evade stringent Solar System constraints through a restoring, screening mechanism. Down-weighting the high-density, screened regions in favor of the low density, unscreened ones offers the potential to enhance the amount of information carried in such modified gravity models. In this work, we assess the performance of a new "marked" transformation and perform a systematic comparison with the clipping and logarithmic transformations, in the context of Λ CDM and the symmetron and f (R ) modified gravity models. Performance is measured in terms of the fractional boost in the Fisher information and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for these models relative to the statistics derived from the standard density distribution. We find that all three statistics provide improved Fisher boosts over the basic density statistics. The model parameters for the marked and clipped transformation that best enhance signals and the Fisher boosts are determined. We also show that the mark is useful both as a Fourier and real-space transformation; a marked correlation function also enhances the SNR relative to the standard correlation function, and can on mildly nonlinear scales show a significant difference between the Λ CDM and the modified gravity models. Our results demonstrate how a series of simple analytical transformations could dramatically increase the predicted information extracted on deviations from GR, from large-scale surveys, and give the prospect for a much more feasible potential detection.

Stellar pulsations in beyond Horndeski gravity theories

Science.gov (United States)

Sakstein, Jeremy; Kenna-Allison, Michael; Koyama, Kazuya

2017-03-01

Theories of gravity in the beyond Horndeski class recover the predictions of general relativity in the solar system whilst admitting novel cosmologies, including late-time de Sitter solutions in the absence of a cosmological constant. Deviations from Newton's law are predicted inside astrophysical bodies, which allow for falsifiable, smoking-gun tests of the theory. In this work we study the pulsations of stars by deriving and solving the wave equation governing linear adiabatic oscillations to find the modified period of pulsation. Using both semi-analytic and numerical models, we perform a preliminary survey of the stellar zoo in an attempt to identify the best candidate objects for testing the theory. Brown dwarfs and Cepheid stars are found to be particularly sensitive objects and we discuss the possibility of using both to test the theory.

Cosmological evolution as squeezing: a toy model for group field cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Adjei, Eugene; Gielen, Steffen; Wieland, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

We present a simple model of quantum cosmology based on the group field theory (GFT) approach to quantum gravity. The model is formulated on a subspace of the GFT Fock space for the quanta of geometry, with a fixed volume per quantum. In this Hilbert space, cosmological expansion corresponds to the generation of new quanta. Our main insight is that the evolution of a flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker universe with a massless scalar field can be described on this Hilbert space as squeezing, familiar from quantum optics. As in GFT cosmology, we find that the three-volume satisfies an effective Friedmann equation similar to the one of loop quantum cosmology, connecting the classical contracting and expanding solutions by a quantum bounce. The only free parameter in the model is identified with Newton’s constant. We also comment on the possible topological interpretation of our squeezed states. This paper can serve as an introduction into the main ideas of GFT cosmology without requiring the full GFT formalism; our results can also motivate new developments in GFT and its cosmological application.

Quantum cosmological models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coule, D H

2005-01-01

We contrast the initial condition requirements of various contemporary cosmological models including inflationary and bouncing cosmologies. Canonical quantization of general relativity is used, as a first approximation to full quantum gravity, to determine whether suitable initial conditions are present. Various proposals such as Hartle-Hawking's 'no boundary' or tunnelling boundary conditions are assessed on grounds of naturalness and fine tuning. Alternatively, a quiescent initial state or an initial closed timelike curve 'time machine' is considered. Possible extensions to brane models are also addressed. Further ideas about universe creation from a meta-universe are outlined. Semiclassical and time asymmetry requirements of cosmology are briefly discussed and contrasted with the black-hole final-state proposal. We compare the recent loop quantum cosmology of Bojowald and co-workers with these earlier schemes. A number of possible difficulties and limitations are outlined. (topical review)

Papapetrou energy-momentum tensor for Chern-Simons modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guarrera, David; Hariton, A. J.

2007-01-01

We construct a conserved, symmetric energy-momentum (pseudo-)tensor for Chern-Simons modified gravity, thus demonstrating that the theory is Lorentz invariant. The tensor is discussed in relation to other gravitational energy-momentum tensors and analyzed for the Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordstrom, and Friedmann-Robertson-Walker solutions. To our knowledge this is the first confirmation that the Reissner-Nordstrom and Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metrics are solutions of the modified theory

Model-independent cosmological constraints from growth and expansion

Science.gov (United States)

L'Huillier, Benjamin; Shafieloo, Arman; Kim, Hyungjin

2018-05-01

Reconstructing the expansion history of the Universe from Type Ia supernovae data, we fit the growth rate measurements and put model-independent constraints on some key cosmological parameters, namely, Ωm, γ, and σ8. The constraints are consistent with those from the concordance model within the framework of general relativity, but the current quality of the data is not sufficient to rule out modified gravity models. Adding the condition that dark energy density should be positive at all redshifts, independently of its equation of state, further constrains the parameters and interestingly supports the concordance model.

Off-shell dark matter: A cosmological relic of quantum gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Saravani, Mehdi; Afshordi, Niayesh

2017-02-01

We study a novel proposal for the origin of cosmological cold dark matter (CDM) which is rooted in the quantum nature of spacetime. In this model, off-shell modes of quantum fields can exist in asymptotic states as a result of spacetime nonlocality (expected in generic theories of quantum gravity) and play the role of CDM, which we dub off-shell dark matter (O f DM ). However, their rate of production is suppressed by the scale of nonlocality (e.g. Planck length). As a result, we show that O f DM is only produced in the first moments of big bang, and then effectively decouples (except through its gravitational interactions). We examine the observational predictions of this model: In the context of cosmic inflation, we show that this proposal relates the reheating temperature to the inflaton mass, which narrows down the uncertainty in the number of e -foldings of specific inflationary scenarios. We also demonstrate that O f DM is indeed cold, and discuss potentially observable signatures on small scale matter power spectrum.

Halo scale predictions of symmetron modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clampitt, Joseph; Jain, Bhuvnesh; Khoury, Justin, E-mail: clampitt@sas.upenn.edu, E-mail: bjain@physics.upenn.edu, E-mail: jkhoury@sas.upenn.edu [Center for Particle Cosmology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 209 South 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

2012-01-01

We offer predictions of symmetron modified gravity in the neighborhood of realistic dark matter halos. The predictions for the fifth force are obtained by solving the nonlinear symmetron equation of motion in the spherical NFW approximation. In addition, we compare the three major known screening mechanisms: Vainshtein, Chameleon, and Symmetron around such dark matter halos, emphasizing the significant differences between them and highlighting observational tests which exploit these differences. Finally, we demonstrate the host halo environmental screening effect (''blanket screening'') on smaller satellite halos by solving for the modified forces around a density profile which is the sum of satellite and approximate host components.

Extrasolar planets as a probe of modified gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Vargas dos Santos

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We propose a new method to test modified gravity theories, taking advantage of the available data on extrasolar planets. We computed the deviations from the Kepler third law and use that to constrain gravity theories beyond General Relativity. We investigate gravity models which incorporate three screening mechanisms: the Chameleon, the Symmetron and the Vainshtein. We find that data from exoplanets orbits are very sensitive to the screening mechanisms putting strong constraints in the parameter space for the Chameleon models and the Symmetron, complementary and competitive to other methods, like interferometers and solar system. With the constraints on Vainshtein we are able to work beyond the hypothesis that the crossover scale is of the same order of magnitude than the Hubble radius rc∼H0−1, which makes the screening work automatically, testing how strong this hypothesis is and the viability of other scales.

Extrasolar planets as a probe of modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas dos Santos, Marcelo; Mota, David F.

2017-06-01

We propose a new method to test modified gravity theories, taking advantage of the available data on extrasolar planets. We computed the deviations from the Kepler third law and use that to constrain gravity theories beyond General Relativity. We investigate gravity models which incorporate three screening mechanisms: the Chameleon, the Symmetron and the Vainshtein. We find that data from exoplanets orbits are very sensitive to the screening mechanisms putting strong constraints in the parameter space for the Chameleon models and the Symmetron, complementary and competitive to other methods, like interferometers and solar system. With the constraints on Vainshtein we are able to work beyond the hypothesis that the crossover scale is of the same order of magnitude than the Hubble radius rc ∼ H0-1, which makes the screening work automatically, testing how strong this hypothesis is and the viability of other scales.

Constraining f(T) teleparallel gravity by big bang nucleosynthesis. f(T) cosmology and BBN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capozziello, S. [Universita di Napoli ' ' Federico II' ' , Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant' Angelo, Dipartimento di Fisica ' ' E. Pancini' ' , Napoli (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Napoli (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Lambiase, G. [University of Salerno, Dipartimento di Fisica E.R. Cainaiello, Fisciano (Italy); INFN, Gruppo Collegato di Salerno, Sezione di Napoli, Fisciano (Italy); Saridakis, E.N. [National Technical University of Athens, Department of Physics, Athens (Greece); Baylor University, CASPER, Physics Department, Waco, TX (United States)

2017-09-15

We use Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) observational data on the primordial abundance of light elements to constrain f(T) gravity. The three most studied viable f(T) models, namely the power law, the exponential and the square-root exponential are considered, and the BBN bounds are adopted in order to extract constraints on their free parameters. For the power-law model, we find that the constraints are in agreement with those obtained using late-time cosmological data. For the exponential and the square-root exponential models, we show that for reliable regions of parameters space they always satisfy the BBN bounds. We conclude that viable f(T) models can successfully satisfy the BBN constraints. (orig.)

Constraining f(T) teleparallel gravity by big bang nucleosynthesis: f(T) cosmology and BBN.

Science.gov (United States)

Capozziello, S; Lambiase, G; Saridakis, E N

2017-01-01

We use Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) observational data on the primordial abundance of light elements to constrain f ( T ) gravity. The three most studied viable f ( T ) models, namely the power law, the exponential and the square-root exponential are considered, and the BBN bounds are adopted in order to extract constraints on their free parameters. For the power-law model, we find that the constraints are in agreement with those obtained using late-time cosmological data. For the exponential and the square-root exponential models, we show that for reliable regions of parameters space they always satisfy the BBN bounds. We conclude that viable f ( T ) models can successfully satisfy the BBN constraints.

Constraining f( T) teleparallel gravity by big bang nucleosynthesis. f(T) cosmology and BBN

Science.gov (United States)

Capozziello, S.; Lambiase, G.; Saridakis, E. N.

2017-09-01

We use Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) observational data on the primordial abundance of light elements to constrain f( T) gravity. The three most studied viable f( T) models, namely the power law, the exponential and the square-root exponential are considered, and the BBN bounds are adopted in order to extract constraints on their free parameters. For the power-law model, we find that the constraints are in agreement with those obtained using late-time cosmological data. For the exponential and the square-root exponential models, we show that for reliable regions of parameters space they always satisfy the BBN bounds. We conclude that viable f( T) models can successfully satisfy the BBN constraints.

Constraining f(T) teleparallel gravity by big bang nucleosynthesis. f(T) cosmology and BBN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capozziello, S.; Lambiase, G.; Saridakis, E.N.

2017-01-01

We use Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) observational data on the primordial abundance of light elements to constrain f(T) gravity. The three most studied viable f(T) models, namely the power law, the exponential and the square-root exponential are considered, and the BBN bounds are adopted in order to extract constraints on their free parameters. For the power-law model, we find that the constraints are in agreement with those obtained using late-time cosmological data. For the exponential and the square-root exponential models, we show that for reliable regions of parameters space they always satisfy the BBN bounds. We conclude that viable f(T) models can successfully satisfy the BBN constraints. (orig.)

Dimensional cosmological principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, L.K.

1985-01-01

The dimensional cosmological principles proposed by Wesson require that the density, pressure, and mass of cosmological models be functions of the dimensionless variables which are themselves combinations of the gravitational constant, the speed of light, and the spacetime coordinates. The space coordinate is not the comoving coordinate. In this paper, the dimensional cosmological principle and the dimensional perfect cosmological principle are reformulated by using the comoving coordinate. The dimensional perfect cosmological principle is further modified to allow the possibility that mass creation may occur. Self-similar spacetimes are found to be models obeying the new dimensional cosmological principle

Higgs cosmology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajantie, Arttu

2018-03-06

The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 and other results from the Large Hadron Collider have confirmed the standard model of particle physics as the correct theory of elementary particles and their interactions up to energies of several TeV. Remarkably, the theory may even remain valid all the way to the Planck scale of quantum gravity, and therefore it provides a solid theoretical basis for describing the early Universe. Furthermore, the Higgs field itself has unique properties that may have allowed it to play a central role in the evolution of the Universe, from inflation to cosmological phase transitions and the origin of both baryonic and dark matter, and possibly to determine its ultimate fate through the electroweak vacuum instability. These connections between particle physics and cosmology have given rise to a new and growing field of Higgs cosmology, which promises to shed new light on some of the most puzzling questions about the Universe as new data from particle physics experiments and cosmological observations become available.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Higgs cosmology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Signatures of modified gravity on the 21 cm power spectrum at reionisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brax, Philippe [Institut de Physique Théorique, CEA, IPhT, CNRS, URA 2306, F-91191 Gif/Yvette Cedex (France); Clesse, Sébastien; Davis, Anne-Christine, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr, E-mail: s.clesse@damtp.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: a.c.davis@damtp.cam.ac.uk [DAMTP, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

2013-01-01

Scalar modifications of gravity have an impact on the growth of structure. Baryon and Cold Dark Matter (CDM) perturbations grow anomalously for scales within the Compton wavelength of the scalar field. In the late time Universe when reionisation occurs, the spectrum of the 21 cm brightness temperature is thus affected. We study this effect for chameleon-f(R) models, dilatons and symmetrons. Although the f(R) models are more tightly constrained by solar system bounds, and effects on dilaton models are negligible, we find that symmetrons where the phase transition occurs before z{sub *} ∼ 12 could be detectable for a scalar field range as low as 5kpc. For all these models, the detection prospects of modified gravity effects are higher when considering modes parallel to the line of sight where very small scales can be probed. The study of the 21 cm spectrum thus offers a complementary approach to testing modified gravity with large scale structure surveys. Short scales, which would be highly non-linear in the very late time Universe when structure forms and where modified gravity effects are screened, appear in the linear spectrum of 21 cm physics, hence deviating from General Relativity in a maximal way.

Beyond concordance cosmology with magnification of gravitational-wave standard sirens.

Science.gov (United States)

Camera, Stefano; Nishizawa, Atsushi

2013-04-12

We show how future gravitational-wave detectors would be able to discriminate between the concordance Λ cold dark matter cosmological model and up-to-date competing alternatives, e.g., dynamical dark energy (DE) models or modified gravity (MG) theories. Our method consists of using the weak-lensing magnification effect that affects a standard-siren signal because of its traveling through the Universe's large scale structure. As a demonstration, we present constraints on DE and MG from proposed gravitational-wave detectors, namely Einstein Telescope and DECI-Hertz Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and Big-Bang Observer.

Dynamics of the conformal factor in 4D gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoniadis, I.

1993-01-01

We argue that 4D gravity is drastically modified at distances larger than the horizon scale, due to the large infrared quantum fluctuations of the conformal part of the metric. The infrared dynamics of the conformal factor is generated by an effective action, induced by the trace anomaly of matter in curved space, analogous to the Polyakov action in two dimensions. The resulting effective scalar theory is renormalizable, and possesses a non-trivial, infrared stable fixed point, characterized by an anomalous scaling dimension of the conformal factor. We argue that this theory describes a large distance scale invariant phase of 4D gravity and provides a framework for a dynamical solution of the cosmological constant problem (author). 12 refs

New effective coupled F((4)R, φ) modified gravity from f((5)R) gravity in five dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madriz Aguilar, Jose Edgar

2015-01-01

Using some ideas of the Wesson induced matter theory, we obtain a new kind of F( (4) R, φ) modified gravity theory as an effective four-dimensional (4D) theory derived from f( (5) R) gravity in five dimensions (5D). This new theory exhibits a different matter coupling than the one in BBHL theory. We show that the field equations of the Wesson induced matter theory and of some brane-world scenarios can be obtained as maximally symmetric solutions of the same f( (5) R) theory. We found criteria for the Dolgov-Kawasaki instabilities for both the f( (5) R) and the F( (4) R, φ) theories. We demonstrate that under certain conditions imposed on the 5D geometry it is possible to interpret the F( (4) R, φ) theory as a modified gravity theory with dynamical coefficients, making this new theory a viable candidate to address the present accelerating cosmic expansion issue. Matter sources in the F( (4) R, φ) case appear induced by the 5D geometry without the necessity of the introduction of matter sources in 5D. (orig.)

Goldstone's theorem and Hamiltonian of multi-Galileon modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Shuangyong

2011-01-01

The Galileon model was recently proposed to locally describe a class of modified gravity theories, including the braneworld Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model. We discuss spontaneous symmetry breaking of the self-accelerating branch in a multi-Galileon theory with internal global symmetries. We show that a modified version of Goldstone's theorem is applicable to the symmetry breaking pattern and discuss its implications. We also derive the Hamiltonian of a general multi-Galileon theory and discuss its implications.

The dynamics of the Local Group as a probe of dark energy and modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Carlesi, Edoardo; Mota, David F.; Winther, Hans A.

2017-04-01

In this work, we study the dynamics of the Local Group (LG) within the context of cosmological models beyond General Relativity (GR). Using observable kinematic quantities to identify candidate pairs, we build up samples of simulated LG-like objects drawing from f(R), symmetron, Dvali, Gabadadze & Porrati and quintessence N-body simulations together with their Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) counterparts featuring the same initial random phase realizations. The variables and intervals used to define LG-like objects are referred to as LG model; different models are used throughout this work and adapted to study their dynamical and kinematic properties. The aim is to determine how well the observed LG dynamics can be reproduced within cosmological theories beyond GR, We compute kinematic properties of samples drawn from alternative theories and ΛCDM and compare them to actual observations of the LG mass, velocity and position. As a consequence of the additional pull, pairwise tangential and radial velocities are enhanced in modified gravity and coupled dark energy with respect to ΛCDM inducing significant changes to the total angular momentum and energy of the LG. For example, in models such as f(R) and the symmetron this increase can be as large as 60 per cent, peaking well outside of the 95 per cent confidence region allowed by the data. This shows how simple considerations about the LG dynamics can lead to clear small-scale observational signatures for alternative scenarios, without the need of expensive high-resolution simulations.

Classical Weyl transverse gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oda, Ichiro [University of the Ryukyus, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Nishihara, Okinawa (Japan)

2017-05-15

We study various classical aspects of the Weyl transverse (WTDiff) gravity in a general space-time dimension. First of all, we clarify a classical equivalence among three kinds of gravitational theories, those are, the conformally invariant scalar tensor gravity, Einstein's general relativity and the WTDiff gravity via the gauge-fixing procedure. Secondly, we show that in the WTDiff gravity the cosmological constant is a mere integration constant as in unimodular gravity, but it does not receive any radiative corrections unlike the unimodular gravity. A key point in this proof is to construct a covariantly conserved energy-momentum tensor, which is achieved on the basis of this equivalence relation. Thirdly, we demonstrate that the Noether current for the Weyl transformation is identically vanishing, thereby implying that the Weyl symmetry existing in both the conformally invariant scalar tensor gravity and the WTDiff gravity is a ''fake'' symmetry. We find it possible to extend this proof to all matter fields, i.e. the Weyl-invariant scalar, vector and spinor fields. Fourthly, it is explicitly shown that in the WTDiff gravity the Schwarzschild black hole metric and a charged black hole one are classical solutions to the equations of motion only when they are expressed in the Cartesian coordinate system. Finally, we consider the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology and provide some exact solutions. (orig.)

Fourth International Meeting on Gravitation and Cosmology

CERN Document Server

Aguilar, José; Barrera, Luz; Accelerated Cosmic Expansion

2014-01-01

This volume provides both an update and a review of the state of alternative theories of gravity, in connection with the issue of the accelerated expansion of the universe. Different theoretical proposals explain the acceleration in cosmic expansion, generating the dark energy issue and opening the possibilities of alternative theories of gravity (besides general relativity). Related issues, such as the problem of dark matter, are also surveyed in order to give the readers profound insight on the subject from different points of view. Comprised of short talks and plenary lectures given by leading experts in the field, some of them with brilliant and historic contributions, this book allows the reader to find referenced surveys in topics like f(R) theories, the dark matter and dark energy issues, Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) scenarios, f(T) theories, scalar-tensor theories derived from non-Riemannian geometries, emergent universes, the cosmological constant and other topics of current interest for physic...

Gravity, black holes and the very early Universe an introduction to general relativity and cosmology

CERN Document Server

Chow, Tai L

2008-01-01

In the early 1900s, Albert Einstein formulated two theories that would forever change the landscape of physics: the Special Theory of Relativity and the General Theory of Relativity. By 1925, quantum mechanics had been born out of the dissection of these two theories, and shortly after that, relativistic quantum field theory. We now had in place some important ties between the laws of physics and the types of particle interactions the new physics was uncovering. Gravity is one of the four types of forces that are found throughout the universe. In fact, although it is a relatively weak force, it operates at huge distances, and so must be accounted for in any cosmological system. Unfortunately, gravity continues to defy our neat categorization of how all the forces in nature work together. Professor Tai Chow, from the California State University at Stanislaus in Turlock, lays out for us the basic ideas of Einstein, including his law of gravitation, explains the physics behind black holes, and weaves into this a...

Time delays across saddles as a test of modified gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magueijo, João; Mozaffari, Ali

2013-01-01

Modified gravity theories can produce strong signals in the vicinity of the saddles of the total gravitational potential. In a sub-class of these models, this translates into diverging time delays for echoes crossing the saddles. Such models arise from the possibility that gravity might be infrared divergent or confined, and if suitably designed they are very difficult to rule out. We show that Lunar Laser Ranging during an eclipse could probe the time-delay effect within metres of the saddle, thereby proving or excluding these models. Very Large Baseline Interferometry, instead, could target delays across the Jupiter–Sun saddle. Such experiments would shed light on the infrared behaviour of gravity and examine the puzzling possibility that there might be well-hidden regions of strong gravity and even singularities inside the solar system. (fast track communication)

Cosmological D-instantons and cyclic universes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergshoeff, E A; Collinucci, A; Roest, D; Russo, J G; Townsend, P K

2005-01-01

For models of gravity coupled to hyperbolic sigma models, such as the metric-scalar sector of IIB supergravity, we show how smooth trajectories in the 'augmented target space' connect FLRW cosmologies to non-extremal D-instantons through a cosmological singularity. In particular, we find closed cyclic universes that undergo an endless sequence of big-bang to big-crunch cycles separated by instanton 'phases'. We also find 'big-bounce' universes in which a collapsing closed universe bounces off its cosmological singularity to become an open expanding universe

Stellar pulsations in beyond Horndeski gravity theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakstein, Jeremy [Center for Particle Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 209 S. 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Kenna-Allison, Michael; Koyama, Kazuya, E-mail: sakstein@physics.upenn.edu, E-mail: mka1g13@soton.ac.uk, E-mail: kazuya.koyama@port.ac.uk [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom)

2017-03-01

Theories of gravity in the beyond Horndeski class recover the predictions of general relativity in the solar system whilst admitting novel cosmologies, including late-time de Sitter solutions in the absence of a cosmological constant. Deviations from Newton's law are predicted inside astrophysical bodies, which allow for falsifiable, smoking-gun tests of the theory. In this work we study the pulsations of stars by deriving and solving the wave equation governing linear adiabatic oscillations to find the modified period of pulsation. Using both semi-analytic and numerical models, we perform a preliminary survey of the stellar zoo in an attempt to identify the best candidate objects for testing the theory. Brown dwarfs and Cepheid stars are found to be particularly sensitive objects and we discuss the possibility of using both to test the theory.

Chameleon halo modeling in f(R) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yin; Hu, Wayne

2011-01-01

We model the chameleon effect on cosmological statistics for the modified gravity f(R) model of cosmic acceleration. The chameleon effect, required to make the model compatible with local tests of gravity, reduces force enhancement as a function of the depth of the gravitational potential wells of collapsed structure and so is readily incorporated into a halo model by including parameters for the chameleon mass threshold and rapidity of transition. We show that the abundance of halos around the chameleon mass threshold is enhanced by both the merging from below and the lack of merging to larger masses. This property also controls the power spectrum in the nonlinear regime and we provide a description of the transition to the linear regime that is valid for a wide range of f(R) models.

Quantum cosmology. 18

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padmanabhan, T.

1989-01-01

Quantum cosmology is to quantum gravity what the Bohr model is to the full quantum mechanical description of the hydrogen atom. In quantum cosmology one attempts to give a quantum-mechanical meaning to classical solutions of general relativity. This is discussed in this chapter. The approach is illustrated by quantizing only the conformal degree of freedom of the gravitational field, in particular the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models. And, as in the hydrogen atom, the classical singularity of general relativity is avoided and one has analogous stationary states in the quantum Universe. The chapter ends with a model of the fundamental role that the Planck length may play as the universal cutoff in all field theories, thus ridding the theory of ultra-violet divergences. Two appendices introduce field theory in the Schroedinger representation and the Schroedinger equation for quantum gravity, namely the Wheeler-De Wit equation. (author). 38 refs.; 2 figs.; 1 tab

More on Weinberg's no-go theorem in quantum gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Nagahama, Munehiro; Oda, Ichiro

2018-05-01

We complement Weinberg's no-go theorem on the cosmological constant problem in quantum gravity by generalizing it to the case of a scale-invariant theory. Our analysis makes use of the effective action and the BRST symmetry in a manifestly covariant quantum gravity instead of the classical Lagrangian density and the G L (4 ) symmetry in classical gravity. In this sense, our proof is very general since it does not depend on details of quantum gravity and holds true for general gravitational theories which are invariant under diffeomorphisms. As an application of our theorem, we comment on an idea that in the asymptotic safety scenario the functional renormalization flow drives a cosmological constant to zero, solving the cosmological constant problem without reference to fine tuning of parameters. Finally, we also comment on the possibility of extending the Weinberg theorem in quantum gravity to the case where the translational invariance is spontaneously broken.

Fourth-rank gravity and cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrakchi, A.L.; Tapia, V.

1992-07-01

We consider the consequences of describing the metric properties of space-time through a quartic line element. The associated ''metric'' is a fourth-rank tensor G μυλπ . In order to recover a Riemannian behaviour of the geometry it is necessary to have G μυλπ = g (μυ g λπ) . We construct a theory for the gravitational field based on the fourth-rank metric G μυλπ . In the absence of matter the fourth-rank metric becomes separable and the theory coincides with General Relativity. In the presence of matter we can maintain Riemmanianicity, but now gravitation couples, as compared to General Relativity, in a different way to matter. We develop a simple cosmological model based on a FRW metric with matter described by a perfect fluid. For the present time the field equations are compatible with k OBS = O and Ω OBS t CLAS approx. 10 20 t PLANCK approx. 10 -23 s. Our final and most important result is the fact that the entropy is an increasing function of time. When interpreted at the light of General Relativity the treatment is shown to be almost equivalent to that of the standard model of cosmology combined with the inflationary scenario. (author). 16 refs, 1 fig

The Maxwell-Chern-Simons gravity, and its cosmological implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haghani, Zahra; Shahidi, Shahab [Damghan University, School of Physics, Damghan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Harko, Tiberiu [Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Physics, Cluj-Napoca (Romania); University College London, Department of Mathematics, London (United Kingdom)

2017-08-15

We consider the cosmological implications of a gravitational theory containing two vector fields coupled via a generalized Chern-Simons term. One of the vector fields is the usual Maxwell field, while the other is a constrained vector field with constant norm included in the action via a Lagrange multiplier. The theory admits a de Sitter type solution, with healthy cosmological perturbations. We also show that there are seven degrees of freedom that propagate on top of de Sitter space-time, consisting of two tensor polarizations, four degrees of freedom related to the two vector fields, and a scalar degree of freedom that makes one of the vector fields massive. We investigate the cosmological evolution of Bianchi type I space-time, by assuming that the matter content of the Universe can be described by the stiff and dust. The cosmological evolution of the Bianchi type I Universe strongly depends on the initial conditions of the physical quantities, as well as on the model parameters. The mean anisotropy parameter, and the deceleration parameter, are also studied, and we show that independently of the matter equation of state the cosmological evolution of the Bianchi type I Universe always ends in an isotropic de Sitter type phase. (orig.)

Can dark energy be a bonus in Horava gravity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Mu-In

2010-01-01

Recently, Horava proposed a renormalizable gravity theory with higher spatial derivatives in four dimensions which reduces to Einstein gravity with a non-vanishing cosmological constant in IR but with improved UV behaviors. Here, I consider a non-trivial test of the new gravity theory in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe by considering an IR modification which breaks 'softly' the detailed balance condition in the original Horava model. I separate the dark energy parts from the usual Einstein gravity parts in the Friedman equations and obtain the formula of the equations of the state parameters. The IR-modified Horava gravity seems to be consistent with the current observational data, but we need some more refined data sets to see whether the theory is really consistent with our universe. From the consistency of our theory, I obtain some constraints on the allowed values of w 0 and w a in Chevallier, Polarski, and Linder's parametrization, and this may be tested in the near future, by sharpening the data sets.

Stability of the Einstein static universe in open cosmological models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canonico, Rosangela; Parisi, Luca

2010-01-01

The stability properties of the Einstein static solution of general relativity are altered when corrective terms arising from modification of the underlying gravitational theory appear in the cosmological equations. In this paper the existence and stability of static solutions are considered in the framework of two recently proposed quantum gravity models. The previously known analysis of the Einstein static solutions in the semiclassical regime of loop quantum cosmology with modifications to the gravitational sector is extended to open cosmological models where a static neutrally stable solution is found. A similar analysis is also performed in the framework of Horava-Lifshitz gravity under detailed balance and projectability conditions. In the case of open cosmological models the two solutions found can be either unstable or neutrally stable according to the admitted values of the parameters.

TOPOLOGY OF A LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE AS A TEST OF MODIFIED GRAVITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xin; Chen Xuelei; Park, Changbom

2012-01-01

The genus of the isodensity contours is a robust measure of the topology of a large-scale structure, and it is relatively insensitive to nonlinear gravitational evolution, galaxy bias, and redshift-space distortion. We show that the growth of density fluctuations is scale dependent even in the linear regime in some modified gravity theories, which opens a new possibility of testing the theories observationally. We propose to use the genus of the isodensity contours, an intrinsic measure of the topology of the large-scale structure, as a statistic to be used in such tests. In Einstein's general theory of relativity, density fluctuations grow at the same rate on all scales in the linear regime, and the genus per comoving volume is almost conserved as structures grow homologously, so we expect that the genus-smoothing-scale relation is basically time independent. However, in some modified gravity models where structures grow with different rates on different scales, the genus-smoothing-scale relation should change over time. This can be used to test the gravity models with large-scale structure observations. We study the cases of the f(R) theory, DGP braneworld theory as well as the parameterized post-Friedmann models. We also forecast how the modified gravity models can be constrained with optical/IR or redshifted 21 cm radio surveys in the near future.

Solar system constraints on disformal gravity theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ip, Hiu Yan; Schmidt, Fabian; Sakstein, Jeremy

2015-01-01

Disformal theories of gravity are scalar-tensor theories where the scalar couples derivatively to matter via the Jordan frame metric. These models have recently attracted interest in the cosmological context since they admit accelerating solutions. We derive the solution for a static isolated mass in generic disformal gravity theories and transform it into the parameterised post-Newtonian form. This allows us to investigate constraints placed on such theories by local tests of gravity. The tightest constraints come from preferred-frame effects due to the motion of the Solar System with respect to the evolving cosmological background field. The constraints we obtain improve upon the previous solar system constraints by two orders of magnitude, and constrain the scale of the disformal coupling for generic models to ℳ ∼> 100 eV. These constraints render all disformal effects irrelevant for cosmology

Causal properties of nonlinear gravitational waves in modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Suvorov, Arthur George; Melatos, Andrew

2017-09-01

Some exact, nonlinear, vacuum gravitational wave solutions are derived for certain polynomial f (R ) gravities. We show that the boundaries of the gravitational domain of dependence, associated with events in polynomial f (R ) gravity, are not null as they are in general relativity. The implication is that electromagnetic and gravitational causality separate into distinct notions in modified gravity, which may have observable astrophysical consequences. The linear theory predicts that tachyonic instabilities occur, when the quadratic coefficient a2 of the Taylor expansion of f (R ) is negative, while the exact, nonlinear, cylindrical wave solutions presented here can be superluminal for all values of a2. Anisotropic solutions are found, whose wave fronts trace out time- or spacelike hypersurfaces with complicated geometric properties. We show that the solutions exist in f (R ) theories that are consistent with Solar System and pulsar timing experiments.

Equilibrium thermodynamics in modified gravitational theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bamba, Kazuharu; Geng, C.-Q.; Tsujikawa, Shinji

2010-01-01

We show that it is possible to obtain a picture of equilibrium thermodynamics on the apparent horizon in the expanding cosmological background for a wide class of modified gravity theories with the Lagrangian density f(R,φ,X), where R is the Ricci scalar and X is the kinetic energy of a scalar field φ. This comes from a suitable definition of an energy-momentum tensor of the 'dark' component that respects to a local energy conservation in the Jordan frame. In this framework the horizon entropy S corresponding to equilibrium thermodynamics is equal to a quarter of the horizon area A in units of gravitational constant G, as in Einstein gravity. For a flat cosmological background with a decreasing Hubble parameter, S globally increases with time, as it happens for viable f(R) inflation and dark energy models. We also show that the equilibrium description in terms of the horizon entropy S is convenient because it takes into account the contribution of both the horizon entropy S in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and an entropy production term.

Unimodular f(G) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Houndjo, M.J.S. [Faculte des Sciences et Techniques de Natitingou, Natitingou (Benin); Institut de Mathematiques et de Sciences Physiques, Porto-Novo (Benin)

2017-09-15

In this paper we study a modified version of unimodular general relativity in the context of f(G), G denoting the Gauss-Bonnet invariant. We focus on Bianchi-type I and Friendmann-Robertson-Walker universes and search for unimodular f(G) models according to the de Sitter and power-law solutions. Assuming unimodular f(G) gravity as a perfect fluid and making use of the slow-roll parameters, the inflationary model has been reconstructed in concordance with the Planck observational data. Moreover, we investigate the realization of the bounce and loop quantum cosmological ekpyrotic paradigms. Assuming suitable and appropriate scale factors, unimodular f(G) models able to reproduce superbounce and ekpyrotic scenarios have been reconstructed. (orig.)

Adiabaticity and gravity theory independent conservation laws for cosmological perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Antonio Enea; Mooij, Sander; Sasaki, Misao

2016-04-01

We carefully study the implications of adiabaticity for the behavior of cosmological perturbations. There are essentially three similar but different definitions of non-adiabaticity: one is appropriate for a thermodynamic fluid δPnad, another is for a general matter field δPc,nad, and the last one is valid only on superhorizon scales. The first two definitions coincide if cs2 = cw2 where cs is the propagation speed of the perturbation, while cw2 = P ˙ / ρ ˙ . Assuming the adiabaticity in the general sense, δPc,nad = 0, we derive a relation between the lapse function in the comoving slicing Ac and δPnad valid for arbitrary matter field in any theory of gravity, by using only momentum conservation. The relation implies that as long as cs ≠cw, the uniform density, comoving and the proper-time slicings coincide approximately for any gravity theory and for any matter field if δPnad = 0 approximately. In the case of general relativity this gives the equivalence between the comoving curvature perturbation Rc and the uniform density curvature perturbation ζ on superhorizon scales, and their conservation. This is realized on superhorizon scales in standard slow-roll inflation. We then consider an example in which cw =cs, where δPnad = δPc,nad = 0 exactly, but the equivalence between Rc and ζ no longer holds. Namely we consider the so-called ultra slow-roll inflation. In this case both Rc and ζ are not conserved. In particular, as for ζ, we find that it is crucial to take into account the next-to-leading order term in ζ's spatial gradient expansion to show its non-conservation, even on superhorizon scales. This is an example of the fact that adiabaticity (in the thermodynamic sense) is not always enough to ensure the conservation of Rc or ζ.

Cosmic Tsunamis in Modified Gravity: Disruption of Screening Mechanisms from Scalar Waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagala, R; Llinares, C; Mota, D F

2017-03-10

Extending general relativity by adding extra degrees of freedom is a popular approach for explaining the accelerated expansion of the Universe and to build high energy completions of the theory of gravity. The presence of such new degrees of freedom is, however, tightly constrained from several observations and experiments that aim to test general relativity in a wide range of scales. The viability of a given modified theory of gravity, therefore, strongly depends on the existence of a screening mechanism that suppresses the extra degrees of freedom. We perform simulations, and find that waves propagating in the new degrees of freedom can significantly impact the efficiency of some screening mechanisms, thereby threatening the viability of these modified gravity theories. Specifically, we show that the waves produced in the symmetron model can increase the amplitude of the fifth force and the parametrized post Newtonian parameters by several orders of magnitude.

Black-hole horizons in modified spacetime structures arising from canonical quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bojowald, Martin; Paily, George M; Reyes, Juan D; Tibrewala, Rakesh

2011-01-01

Several properties of canonical quantum gravity modify spacetime structures, sometimes to the degree that no effective line elements exist to describe the geometry. An analysis of solutions, for instance in the context of black holes, then requires new insights. In this paper, standard definitions of horizons in spherical symmetry are first reformulated canonically, and then evaluated for solutions of equations and constraints modified by inverse-triad corrections of loop quantum gravity. When possible, a spacetime analysis is performed which reveals a mass threshold for black holes and small changes to Hawking radiation. For more general conclusions, canonical perturbation theory is developed to second order to include back-reaction from matter. The results shed light on the questions of whether renormalization of Newton's constant or other modifications of horizon conditions should be taken into account in computations of black-hole entropy in loop quantum gravity.

Thermodynamics in modified Brans-Dicke gravity with entropy corrections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rani, Shamaila; Jawad, Abdul; Nawaz, Tanzeela [COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan); Manzoor, Rubab [University of Management and Technology, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan)

2018-01-15

In this paper, we investigate the thermodynamics in the frame-work of recently proposed theory called modified Brans-Dicke gravity (Kofinas et al. in Class Quantum Gravity 33:15, 2016). For this purpose, we develop the generalized second law of thermodynamics by assuming usual entropy as well as its corrected forms (logarithmic and power law corrected) on the apparent and event horizons. In order to analyzed the clear view of thermodynamic law, the power law forms of scalar field and scale factor is being assumed. We evaluate the results graphically and found that generalized second law of thermodynamics holds in most of the cases. (orig.)

Thermodynamics in modified Brans-Dicke gravity with entropy corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rani, Shamaila; Jawad, Abdul; Nawaz, Tanzeela; Manzoor, Rubab

2018-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the thermodynamics in the frame-work of recently proposed theory called modified Brans-Dicke gravity (Kofinas et al. in Class Quantum Gravity 33:15, 2016). For this purpose, we develop the generalized second law of thermodynamics by assuming usual entropy as well as its corrected forms (logarithmic and power law corrected) on the apparent and event horizons. In order to analyzed the clear view of thermodynamic law, the power law forms of scalar field and scale factor is being assumed. We evaluate the results graphically and found that generalized second law of thermodynamics holds in most of the cases. (orig.)

On Semi-classical Degravitation and the Cosmological Constant Problems

CERN Document Server

Patil, Subodh P

2010-01-01

In this report, we discuss a candidate mechanism through which one might address the various cosmological constant problems. We first observe that the renormalization of gravitational couplings (induced by integrating out various matter fields) manifests non-local modifications to Einstein's equations as quantum corrected equations of motion. That is, at the loop level, matter sources curvature through a gravitational coupling that is a non-local function of the covariant d'Alembertian. If the functional form of the resulting Newton's `constant' is such that it annihilates very long wavelength sources, but reduces to $1/M^2_{pl}$ ($M_{pl}$ being the 4d Planck mass) for all sources with cosmologically observable wavelengths, we would have a complimentary realization of the degravitation paradigm-- a realization through which its non-linear completion and the corresponding modified Bianchi identities are readily understood. We proceed to consider various theories whose coupling to gravity may a priori induce no...

Weak lensing cosmology beyond ΛCDM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Sudeep; Linder, Eric V.; Nakajima, Reiko; Putter, Roland de

2012-01-01

Weak gravitational lensing is one of the key probes of the cosmological model, dark energy, and dark matter, providing insight into both the cosmic expansion history and large scale structure growth history. Taking into account a broad spectrum of physics affecting growth — dynamical dark energy, extended gravity, neutrino masses, and spatial curvature — we analyze the cosmological constraints. Similarly we consider the effects of a range of systematic uncertainties, in shear measurement, photometric redshifts, intrinsic alignments, and the nonlinear power spectrum, on cosmological parameter extraction. We also investigate, and provide fitting formulas for, the influence of survey parameters such as redshift depth, galaxy number densities, and sky area on the cosmological constraints in the beyond-ΛCDM parameter space. Finally, we examine the robustness of results for different fiducial cosmologies

Palatini approach to bouncing cosmologies and DSR-like effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olmo, Gonzalo J

2012-01-01

It is shown that a quadratic gravitational Lagrangian in the Palatini formulation is able to capture different aspects of quantum gravity phenomenology in a single framework. In particular, in this theory field excitations propagating with different energy-densities perceive different background metrics, a fundamental characteristic of the DSR and Rainbow Gravity approaches. This theory, however, avoids the so-called soccer ball problem. Also, the resulting isotropic and anisotropic cosmologies are free from the big bang singularity. This singularity avoidance occurs non-perturbatively and shares some similitudes with the effective dynamics of loop quantum cosmology.

Weak lensing in generalized gravity theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acquaviva, Viviana; Baccigalupi, Carlo; Perrotta, Francesca

2004-01-01

We extend the theory of weak gravitational lensing to cosmologies with generalized gravity, described in the Lagrangian by a generic function depending on the Ricci scalar and a nonminimal coupled scalar field. We work out the generalized Poisson equations relating the dynamics of the fluctuating components to the two gauge-invariant scalar gravitational potentials, fixing the contributions from the modified background expansion and fluctuations. We show how the lensing equation gets modified by the cosmic expansion as well as by the presence of anisotropic stress, which is non-null at the linear level both in scalar-tensor gravity and in theories where the gravitational Lagrangian term features a nonminimal dependence on the Ricci scalar. Starting from the geodesic deviation, we derive the generalized expressions for the shear tensor and projected lensing potential, encoding the spacetime variation of the effective gravitational constant and isolating the contribution of the anisotropic stress, which introduces a correction due to the spatial correlation between the gravitational potentials. Finally, we work out the expressions of the lensing convergence power spectrum as well as the correlation between the lensing potential and the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect affecting cosmic microwave background total intensity and polarization anisotropies. To illustrate phenomenologically the effects, we work out approximate expressions for the quantities above in extended quintessence scenarios where the scalar field coupled to gravity plays the role of the dark energy

Generalized pure Lovelock gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Concha, Patrick; Rodríguez, Evelyn

2017-11-01

We present a generalization of the n-dimensional (pure) Lovelock Gravity theory based on an enlarged Lorentz symmetry. In particular, we propose an alternative way to introduce a cosmological term. Interestingly, we show that the usual pure Lovelock gravity is recovered in a matter-free configuration. The five and six-dimensional cases are explicitly studied.

Conformal Gravity: Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert K. Nesbet

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This short review examines recent progress in understanding dark matter, dark energy, and galactic halos using theory that departs minimally from standard particle physics and cosmology. Strict conformal symmetry (local Weyl scaling covariance, postulated for all elementary massless fields, retains standard fermion and gauge boson theory but modifies Einstein–Hilbert general relativity and the Higgs scalar field model, with no new physical fields. Subgalactic phenomenology is retained. Without invoking dark matter, conformal gravity and a conformal Higgs model fit empirical data on galactic rotational velocities, galactic halos, and Hubble expansion including dark energy.

Linear and non-linear Modified Gravity forecasts with future surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Casas, Santiago; Kunz, Martin; Martinelli, Matteo; Pettorino, Valeria

2017-12-01

Modified Gravity theories generally affect the Poisson equation and the gravitational slip in an observable way, that can be parameterized by two generic functions (η and μ) of time and space. We bin their time dependence in redshift and present forecasts on each bin for future surveys like Euclid. We consider both Galaxy Clustering and Weak Lensing surveys, showing the impact of the non-linear regime, with two different semi-analytical approximations. In addition to these future observables, we use a prior covariance matrix derived from the Planck observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background. In this work we neglect the information from the cross correlation of these observables, and treat them as independent. Our results show that η and μ in different redshift bins are significantly correlated, but including non-linear scales reduces or even eliminates the correlation, breaking the degeneracy between Modified Gravity parameters and the overall amplitude of the matter power spectrum. We further apply a Zero-phase Component Analysis and identify which combinations of the Modified Gravity parameter amplitudes, in different redshift bins, are best constrained by future surveys. We extend the analysis to two particular parameterizations of μ and η and consider, in addition to Euclid, also SKA1, SKA2, DESI: we find in this case that future surveys will be able to constrain the current values of η and μ at the 2-5% level when using only linear scales (wavevector k < 0 . 15 h/Mpc), depending on the specific time parameterization; sensitivity improves to about 1% when non-linearities are included.

Minimal theory of massive gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Felice, Antonio; Mukohyama, Shinji

2016-01-01

We propose a new theory of massive gravity with only two propagating degrees of freedom. While the homogeneous and isotropic background cosmology and the tensor linear perturbations around it are described by exactly the same equations as those in the de Rham–Gabadadze–Tolley (dRGT) massive gravity, the scalar and vector gravitational degrees of freedom are absent in the new theory at the fully nonlinear level. Hence the new theory provides a stable nonlinear completion of the self-accelerating cosmological solution that was originally found in the dRGT theory. The cosmological solution in the other branch, often called the normal branch, is also rendered stable in the new theory and, for the first time, makes it possible to realize an effective equation-of-state parameter different from (either larger or smaller than) −1 without introducing any extra degrees of freedom.

Generalized pure Lovelock gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Concha

2017-11-01

Full Text Available We present a generalization of the n-dimensional (pure Lovelock Gravity theory based on an enlarged Lorentz symmetry. In particular, we propose an alternative way to introduce a cosmological term. Interestingly, we show that the usual pure Lovelock gravity is recovered in a matter-free configuration. The five and six-dimensional cases are explicitly studied.

PeV IceCube signals and Dark Matter relic abundance in modified cosmologies

Science.gov (United States)

Lambiase, G.; Mohanty, S.; Stabile, An.

2018-04-01

The discovery by the IceCube experiment of a high-energy astrophysical neutrino flux with energies of the order of PeV, has opened new scenarios in astroparticles physics. A possibility to explain this phenomenon is to consider the minimal models of Dark Matter (DM) decay, the 4-dimensional operator ˜ y_{α χ }\\overline{{L_{L_{α }}}} H χ , which is also able to generate the correct abundance of DM in the Universe. Assuming that the cosmological background evolves according to the standard cosmological model, it follows that the rate of DM decay Γ _χ ˜ |y_{α χ }|^2 needed to get the correct DM relic abundance (Γ _χ ˜ 10^{-58}) differs by many orders of magnitude with respect that one needed to explain the IceCube data (Γ _χ ˜ 10^{-25}), making the four-dimensional operator unsuitable. In this paper we show that assuming that the early Universe evolution is governed by a modified cosmology, the discrepancy between the two the DM decay rates can be reconciled, and both the IceCube neutrino rate and relic density can be explained in a minimal model.

Cosmology understanding the evolution of the universe

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Bridging astronomy and physics, cosmology seeks to examine the nature of the universe as a whole. Scientific investigation of cosmology began in ancient times and progressed rapidly after the Scientific Revolution, which produced the discovery of gravity and the heliocentric model of Copernicus. This volume examines the historical developments in the field of cosmology, the evidence supporting the Big Bang theory, and the future implications of dark matter and an expanding universe. Readers will also be introduced to the various thinkers who helped advance study of this endlessly fascinating f

Covariant effective action for loop quantum cosmology from order reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotiriou, Thomas P.

2009-01-01

Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) seems to be predicting modified effective Friedmann equations without extra degrees of freedom. A puzzle arises if one decides to seek for a covariant effective action which would lead to the given Friedmann equation: The Einstein-Hilbert action is the only action that leads to second order field equations and, hence, there exists no covariant action which, under metric variation, leads to a modified Friedmann equation without extra degrees of freedom. It is shown that, at least for isotropic models in LQC, this issue is naturally resolved and a covariant effective action can be found if one considers higher order theories of gravity but faithfully follows effective field theory techniques. However, our analysis also raises doubts on whether a covariant description without background structures can be found for anisotropic models.

Time machines and traversable wormholes in modified theories of gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lobo Francisco S.N.

2013-09-01

Full Text Available We review recent work on wormhole geometries in the context of modified theories of gravity, in particular, in f(R gravity and with a nonminimal curvature-matter coupling, and in the recently proposed hybrid metric-Palatini theory. In principle, the normal matter threading the throat can be shown to satisfy the energy conditions and it is the higher order curvatures terms that sustain these wormhole geometries. We also briefly review the conversion of wormholes into time-machines, explore several of the time travel paradoxes and possible remedies to these intriguing side-effects in wormhole physics.

How does pressure gravitate? Cosmological constant problem confronts observational cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Narimani, Ali; Afshordi, Niayesh; Scott, Douglas

2014-08-01

An important and long-standing puzzle in the history of modern physics is the gross inconsistency between theoretical expectations and cosmological observations of the vacuum energy density, by at least 60 orders of magnitude, otherwise known as the cosmological constant problem. A characteristic feature of vacuum energy is that it has a pressure with the same amplitude, but opposite sign to its energy density, while all the precision tests of General Relativity are either in vacuum, or for media with negligible pressure. Therefore, one may wonder whether an anomalous coupling to pressure might be responsible for decoupling vacuum from gravity. We test this possibility in the context of the Gravitational Aether proposal, using current cosmological observations, which probe the gravity of relativistic pressure in the radiation era. Interestingly, we find that the best fit for anomalous pressure coupling is about half-way between General Relativity (GR), and Gravitational Aether (GA), if we include Planck together with WMAP and BICEP2 polarization cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. Taken at face value, this data combination excludes both GR and GA at around the 3 σ level. However, including higher resolution CMB observations (``highL'') or baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) pushes the best fit closer to GR, excluding the Gravitational Aether solution to the cosmological constant problem at the 4- 5 σ level. This constraint effectively places a limit on the anomalous coupling to pressure in the parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN) expansion, ζ4 = 0.105 ± 0.049 (+highL CMB), or ζ4 = 0.066 ± 0.039 (+BAO). These represent the most precise measurement of this parameter to date, indicating a mild tension with GR (for ΛCDM including tensors, with 0ζ4=), and also among different data sets.

How does pressure gravitate? Cosmological constant problem confronts observational cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narimani, Ali; Scott, Douglas; Afshordi, Niayesh

2014-01-01

An important and long-standing puzzle in the history of modern physics is the gross inconsistency between theoretical expectations and cosmological observations of the vacuum energy density, by at least 60 orders of magnitude, otherwise known as the cosmological constant problem. A characteristic feature of vacuum energy is that it has a pressure with the same amplitude, but opposite sign to its energy density, while all the precision tests of General Relativity are either in vacuum, or for media with negligible pressure. Therefore, one may wonder whether an anomalous coupling to pressure might be responsible for decoupling vacuum from gravity. We test this possibility in the context of the Gravitational Aether proposal, using current cosmological observations, which probe the gravity of relativistic pressure in the radiation era. Interestingly, we find that the best fit for anomalous pressure coupling is about half-way between General Relativity (GR), and Gravitational Aether (GA), if we include Planck together with WMAP and BICEP2 polarization cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. Taken at face value, this data combination excludes both GR and GA at around the 3 σ level. However, including higher resolution CMB observations (''highL'') or baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) pushes the best fit closer to GR, excluding the Gravitational Aether solution to the cosmological constant problem at the 4- 5 σ level. This constraint effectively places a limit on the anomalous coupling to pressure in the parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN) expansion, ζ 4  = 0.105 ± 0.049 (+highL CMB), or ζ 4  = 0.066 ± 0.039 (+BAO). These represent the most precise measurement of this parameter to date, indicating a mild tension with GR (for ΛCDM including tensors, with 0ζ 4 =), and also among different data sets

In the Beginning Was Quantum Gravity.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomsen, Dietrick E.

1983-01-01

Cosmology is the theory by which the structure and history of the universe is described. Discusses the relationship between cosmology, gravity, and quantum mechanics, and whether the relationship can be formulated through Einstein's theory or a modification of it. Also discusses progress made in these scientific areas. (JN)

Brane-world and loop cosmology from a gravity–matter coupling perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olmo, Gonzalo J., E-mail: gonzalo.olmo@csic.es [Departamento de Física Teórica and IFIC, Centro Mixto Universidad de Valencia – CSIC, Universidad de Valencia, Burjassot-46100, Valencia (Spain); Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58051-900 João Pessoa, Paraíba (Brazil); Rubiera-Garcia, D., E-mail: drubiera@fisica.ufpb.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58051-900 João Pessoa, Paraíba (Brazil)

2015-01-05

We show that the effective brane-world and the loop quantum cosmology background expansion histories can be reproduced from a modified gravity perspective in terms of an f(R) gravity action plus a g(R) term non-minimally coupled with the matter Lagrangian. The reconstruction algorithm that we provide depends on a free function of the matter density that must be specified in each case and allows to obtain analytical solutions always. In the simplest cases, the function f(R) is quadratic in the Ricci scalar, R, whereas g(R) is linear. Our approach is compared with recent results in the literature. We show that working in the Palatini formalism there is no need to impose any constraint that keeps the equations second-order, which is a key requirement for the successful implementation of the reconstruction algorithm.

gravity

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We study the cosmological dynamics for R p exp( λ R ) gravity theory in the metric formalism, using dynamical systems approach. Considering higher-dimensional FRW geometries in case of an imperfect fluid which has two different scale factors in the normal and extra dimensions, we find the exact solutions, and study its ...

Minimal theory of massive gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio De Felice

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a new theory of massive gravity with only two propagating degrees of freedom. While the homogeneous and isotropic background cosmology and the tensor linear perturbations around it are described by exactly the same equations as those in the de Rham–Gabadadze–Tolley (dRGT massive gravity, the scalar and vector gravitational degrees of freedom are absent in the new theory at the fully nonlinear level. Hence the new theory provides a stable nonlinear completion of the self-accelerating cosmological solution that was originally found in the dRGT theory. The cosmological solution in the other branch, often called the normal branch, is also rendered stable in the new theory and, for the first time, makes it possible to realize an effective equation-of-state parameter different from (either larger or smaller than −1 without introducing any extra degrees of freedom.

An analysis of the phase space of Horava-Lifshitz cosmologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carloni, S; Elizalde, E; Silva, P J

2010-01-01

Using the dynamical system approach, the properties of cosmological models based on the Horava-Lifshitz gravity are systematically studied. In particular, the cosmological phase space of the Horava-Lifshitz model is characterized. The analysis allows us to compare some key physical consequences of the imposition (or not) of detailed balance. The result of the investigation is that in the detailed balance case one of the attractors in the theory corresponds to an oscillatory behavior. Such oscillations can be associated with a bouncing universe, as previously described by Brandenberger, and will prevent a possible evolution toward a de Sitter universe. Other results obtained show that the cosmological models generated by Horava-Lifshitz gravity without the detailed balance assumption have indeed the potential to describe the transition between the Friedmann and the dark-energy eras. The whole analysis leads to the plausible conclusion that a cosmology compatible with the present observations of the universe can be achieved only if the detailed balance condition is broken.

R 2 inflation to probe non-perturbative quantum gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Koshelev, Alexey S.; Sravan Kumar, K.; Starobinsky, Alexei A.

2018-03-01

It is natural to expect a consistent inflationary model of the very early Universe to be an effective theory of quantum gravity, at least at energies much less than the Planck one. For the moment, R + R 2, or shortly R 2, inflation is the most successful in accounting for the latest CMB data from the PLANCK satellite and other experiments. Moreover, recently it was shown to be ultra-violet (UV) complete via an embedding into an analytic infinite derivative (AID) non-local gravity. In this paper, we derive a most general theory of gravity that contributes to perturbed linear equations of motion around maximally symmetric space-times. We show that such a theory is quadratic in the Ricci scalar and the Weyl tensor with AID operators along with the Einstein-Hilbert term and possibly a cosmological constant. We explicitly demonstrate that introduction of the Ricci tensor squared term is redundant. Working in this quadratic AID gravity framework without a cosmological term we prove that for a specified class of space homogeneous space-times, a space of solutions to the equations of motion is identical to the space of backgrounds in a local R 2 model. We further compute the full second order perturbed action around any background belonging to that class. We proceed by extracting the key inflationary parameters of our model such as a spectral index ( n s ), a tensor-to-scalar ratio ( r) and a tensor tilt ( n t ). It appears that n s remains the same as in the local R 2 inflation in the leading slow-roll approximation, while r and n t get modified due to modification of the tensor power spectrum. This class of models allows for any value of r complete R 2 gravity a natural target for future CMB probes.

Grafting and Poisson Structure in (2+1)-Gravity with Vanishing Cosmological Constant

Science.gov (United States)

Meusburger, C.

2006-09-01

We relate the geometrical construction of (2+1)-spacetimes via grafting to phase space and Poisson structure in the Chern-Simons formulation of (2+1)-dimensional gravity with vanishing cosmological constant on manifolds of topology mathbb{R} × S_g, where S g is an orientable two-surface of genus g>1. We show how grafting along simple closed geodesics λ is implemented in the Chern-Simons formalism and derive explicit expressions for its action on the holonomies of general closed curves on S g .We prove that this action is generated via the Poisson bracket by a gauge invariant observable associated to the holonomy of λ. We deduce a symmetry relation between the Poisson brackets of observables associated to the Lorentz and translational components of the holonomies of general closed curves on S g and discuss its physical interpretation. Finally, we relate the action of grafting on the phase space to the action of Dehn twists and show that grafting can be viewed as a Dehn twist with a formal parameter θ satisfying θ2 = 0.

Quintessential inflation from a variable cosmological constant in a 5D vacuum

OpenAIRE

Membiela, Agustin; Bellini, Mauricio

2006-01-01

We explore an effective 4D cosmological model for the universe where the variable cosmological constant governs its evolution and the pressure remains negative along all the expansion. This model is introduced from a 5D vacuum state where the (space-like) extra coordinate is considered as noncompact. The expansion is produced by the inflaton field, which is considered as nonminimally coupled to gravity. We conclude from experiental data that the coupling of the inflaton with gravity should be...

Effective action in multidimensional quantum gravity and spontaneous compactification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagrov, V.G.; Bukhbinder, I.L.; Odintsov, S.D.

1987-01-01

One-loop effective action (the Casimir energy) is obtained for a special model of multidimensional quantum gravity and several variants of the d-dimensional quantum R 2 gravity in the space M 4 xT d-4 , where M 4 is the Minkowski space and T d-4 is the (d-4)-dimensional torus. It is shown that the effective action for the conformal gravity and the R 2 gravity without cosmological and Einstein's terms lead to an instability of the classical compactification. A numerical calculation reveals that the effective action for the five-dimensional R 2 gravity with the cosmological term is compatible with a self-consistent spontaneous compactification. The one-loop effective action is also obtained for the five dimensional Einstein gravity with the antisymmetrical torsion in the space M 4 xS 1 , where S 1 is the one-dimensional sphere

Effective action in multidimensional quantum gravity, and spontaneous compactification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagrov, V.G.; Bukhbinder, I.L.; Odintsov, S.D.

1987-01-01

The one-loop effective action (Casimir energy) is obtained for a special form of model of multidimensional quantum gravity and for several variants of d-dimensional quantum R 2 -gravity on the space M 4 x T/sub d//sub -4/, where M 4 is Minkowski space and T/sub d//sub -4/ is the (d-4)-dimensional torus. It is shown that the effective action of the model of multidimensional quantum gravity and R 2 -gravity without the cosmological term and Einstein term leads to instability of the classical compactification. By a numerical calculation it is demonstrated that the effective action of five-dimensional R 2 -gravity with the cosmological term admits a self-consistent spontaneous compactification. The one-loop effective action is also found for five-dimensional Einstein gravity with antisymmetric torsion on the space M 4 x S 1 (S 1 is the one-dimensional sphere)

The generalized second law of thermodynamics in Hořava-Lifshitz cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jamil, Mubasher [Center for Advanced Mathematics and Physics, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Islamabad (Pakistan); Saridakis, Emmanuel N. [Department of Physics, University of Athens, GR-15771 Athens (Greece); Setare, M.R., E-mail: mjamil@camp.nust.edu.pk, E-mail: msaridak@phys.uoa.gr, E-mail: rezakord@ipm.ir [Department of Campus of Bijar, University of Kurdistan, Takht Street, Bijar (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-11-01

We investigate the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics in a universe governed by Hořava-Lifshitz gravity. Under the equilibrium assumption, that is in the late-time cosmological regime, we calculate separately the entropy time-variation for the matter fluid and, using the modified entropy relation, that of the apparent horizon itself. We find that under detailed balance the generalized second law is generally valid for flat and closed geometry and it is conditionally valid for an open universe, while beyond detailed balance it is only conditionally valid for all curvatures. Furthermore, we also follow the effective approach showing that it can lead to misleading results. The non-complete validity of the generalized second law could either provide a suggestion for its different application, or act as an additional problematic feature of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity.

Cosmology and Particle Physics beyond Standard Models Ten Years of the SEENET-MTP Network

CERN Document Server

Álvarez-Gaumé, Luis; Stojkovic, Dejan

2014-01-01

This publication - "Cosmology and Particle Physics beyond Standard Models" - is dedicated to the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Southeastern European Network in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics (SEENET-MTP). As a Theme Collection, rather than a Monograph or Proceedings, this volume presents a number of reports and overviews, a few research papers and a short note. However, some of them are excellent examples of a nowadays increasingly deep interplay between particle physics and cosmology. Contributions span a wide range of topics in cosmology, particle physics, but also gravity, including the interface of these fields. The presented work is of both theoretical and experimental/ observational nature. The contributions represent recent progress in their respective fields: inflation, dark matter, neutrino physics, supersymmetry, collider physics, string theory, quantum gravity, black hole physics and massive gravity.

Solar System constraints on massless scalar-tensor gravity with positive coupling constant upon cosmological evolution of the scalar field

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, David; Yunes, Nicolás

2017-09-01

Scalar-tensor theories of gravity modify general relativity by introducing a scalar field that couples nonminimally to the metric tensor, while satisfying the weak-equivalence principle. These theories are interesting because they have the potential to simultaneously suppress modifications to Einstein's theory on Solar System scales, while introducing large deviations in the strong field of neutron stars. Scalar-tensor theories can be classified through the choice of conformal factor, a scalar that regulates the coupling between matter and the metric in the Einstein frame. The class defined by a Gaussian conformal factor with a negative exponent has been studied the most because it leads to spontaneous scalarization (i.e. the sudden activation of the scalar field in neutron stars), which consequently leads to large deviations from general relativity in the strong field. This class, however, has recently been shown to be in conflict with Solar System observations when accounting for the cosmological evolution of the scalar field. We here study whether this remains the case when the exponent of the conformal factor is positive, as well as in another class of theories defined by a hyperbolic conformal factor. We find that in both of these scalar-tensor theories, Solar System tests are passed only in a very small subset of coupling parameter space, for a large set of initial conditions compatible with big bang nucleosynthesis. However, while we find that it is possible for neutron stars to scalarize, one must carefully select the coupling parameter to do so, and even then, the scalar charge is typically 2 orders of magnitude smaller than in the negative-exponent case. Our study suggests that future work on scalar-tensor gravity, for example in the context of tests of general relativity with gravitational waves from neutron star binaries, should be carried out within the positive coupling parameter class.

New effective coupled F({sup (4)}R, φ) modified gravity from f({sup (5)}R) gravity in five dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Madriz Aguilar, Jose Edgar [Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e ingenierias (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG), Departamento de Matematicas, Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico)

2015-12-15

Using some ideas of the Wesson induced matter theory, we obtain a new kind of F({sup (4)}R, φ) modified gravity theory as an effective four-dimensional (4D) theory derived from f({sup (5)}R) gravity in five dimensions (5D). This new theory exhibits a different matter coupling than the one in BBHL theory. We show that the field equations of the Wesson induced matter theory and of some brane-world scenarios can be obtained as maximally symmetric solutions of the same f({sup (5)}R) theory. We found criteria for the Dolgov-Kawasaki instabilities for both the f({sup (5)}R) and the F({sup (4)}R, φ) theories. We demonstrate that under certain conditions imposed on the 5D geometry it is possible to interpret the F({sup (4)}R, φ) theory as a modified gravity theory with dynamical coefficients, making this new theory a viable candidate to address the present accelerating cosmic expansion issue. Matter sources in the F({sup (4)}R, φ) case appear induced by the 5D geometry without the necessity of the introduction of matter sources in 5D. (orig.)

Gravity and the quantum pedagogical essays on cosmology, astrophysics, and quantum gravity

CERN Document Server

Engineer, Sunu

2017-01-01

This book provides a compilation of in-depth articles and reviews on key topics within gravitation, cosmology and related issues. It is a celebratory volume dedicated to Prof. Thanu Padmanabhan ("Paddy"), the renowned relativist and cosmologist from IUCAA, India, on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The authors, many of them leaders of their fields, are all colleagues, collaborators and former students of Paddy, who have worked with him over a research career spanning more than four decades. Paddy is a scientist of diverse interests, who attaches great importance to teaching. With this in mind, the aim of this compilation is to provide an accessible pedagogic introduction to, and overview of, various important topics in cosmology, gravitation and astrophysics. As such it will be an invaluable resource for scientists, graduate students and also advanced undergraduates seeking to broaden their horizons.

Novel test of modified Newtonian dynamics with gas rich galaxies.

Science.gov (United States)

McGaugh, Stacy S

2011-03-25

The current cosmological paradigm, the cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant, requires that the mass-energy of the Universe be dominated by invisible components: dark matter and dark energy. An alternative to these dark components is that the law of gravity be modified on the relevant scales. A test of these ideas is provided by the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR), an empirical relation between the observed mass of a galaxy and its rotation velocity. Here, I report a test using gas rich galaxies for which both axes of the BTFR can be measured independently of the theories being tested and without the systematic uncertainty in stellar mass that affects the same test with star dominated spirals. The data fall precisely where predicted a priori by the modified Newtonian dynamics. The scatter in the BTFR is attributable entirely to observational uncertainty, consistent with a single effective force law.

Generalized teleparallel cosmology and initial singularity crossing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Awad, Adel; Nashed, Gamal, E-mail: Adel.Awad@bue.edu.eg, E-mail: gglnashed@sci.asu.edu.eg [Center for Theoretical Physics, the British University in Egypt, Suez Desert Road, Sherouk City 11837 (Egypt)

2017-02-01

We present a class of cosmological solutions for a generalized teleparallel gravity with f ( T )= T +α̃ (− T ) {sup n} , where α̃ is some parameter and n is an integer or half-integer. Choosing α̃ ∼ G {sup n} {sup −1}, where G is the gravitational constant, and working with an equation of state p = w ρ, one obtains a cosmological solution with multiple branches. The dynamics of the solution describes standard cosmology at late times, but the higher-torsion correction changes the nature of the initial singularity from big bang to a sudden singularity. The milder behavior of the sudden singularity enables us to extend timelike or lightlike curves, through joining two disconnected branches of solution at the singularity, leaving the singularity traversable. We show that this extension is consistent with the field equations through checking the known junction conditions for generalized teleparallel gravity. This suggests that these solutions describe a contracting phase a prior to the expanding phase of the universe.

Cosmological viability of theories with massive spin-2 fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koennig, Frank

2017-03-30

Theories of spin-2 fields take on a particular role in modern physics. They do not only describe the mediation of gravity, the only theory of fundamental interactions of which no quantum field theoretical description exists, it furthermore was thought that they necessarily predict massless gauge bosons. Just recently, a consistent theory of a massive graviton was constructed and, subsequently, generalized to a bimetric theory of two interacting spin-2 fields. This thesis studies both the viability and consequences at cosmological scales in massive gravity as well as bimetric theories. We show that all consistent models that are free of gradient and ghost instabilities behave like the cosmological standard model, LCDM. In addition, we construct a new theory of massive gravity which is stable at both classical background and quantum level, even though it suffers from the Boulware-Deser ghost.

The reconstruction of f(ϕ)R and mimetic gravity from viable slow-roll inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Odintsov, S. D.; Oikonomou, V. K.

2018-04-01

In this work, we extend the bottom-up reconstruction framework of F (R) gravity to other modified gravities, and in particular for f (ϕ) R and mimetic F (R) gravities. We investigate which are the important conditions in order for the method to work, and we study several viable cosmological evolutions, focusing on the inflationary era. Particularly, for the f (ϕ) R theory case, we specify the functional form of the Hubble rate and of the scalar-to-tensor ratio as a function of the e-foldings number and accordingly, the rest of the physical quantities and also the slow-roll and the corresponding observational indices can be calculated. The same method is applied in the mimetic F (R) gravity case, and in both cases we thoroughly analyze the resulting free parameter space, in order to show that the viability of the models presented is guaranteed and secondly that there is a wide range of values of the free parameters for which the viability of the models occurs. In addition, the reconstruction method is also studied in the context of mimetic F (R) = R gravity. As we demonstrate, the resulting theory is viable, and also in this case, only the scalar-to-tensor ratio needs to be specified, since the rest follow from this condition. Finally, we discuss in brief how the reconstruction method could function for other modified gravities.

Effective field theory of cosmological perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piazza, Federico; Vernizzi, Filippo

2013-01-01

The effective field theory of cosmological perturbations stems from considering a cosmological background solution as a state displaying spontaneous breaking of time translations and (adiabatic) perturbations as the related Nambu–Goldstone modes. With this insight, one can systematically develop a theory for the cosmological perturbations during inflation and, with minor modifications, also describe in full generality the gravitational interactions of dark energy, which are relevant for late-time cosmology. The formalism displays a unique set of Lagrangian operators containing an increasing number of cosmological perturbations and derivatives. We give an introductory description of the unitary gauge formalism for theories with broken gauge symmetry—that allows us to write down the most general Lagrangian—and of the Stückelberg ‘trick’—that allows to recover gauge invariance and to make the scalar field explicit. We show how to apply this formalism to gravity and cosmology and we reproduce the detailed analysis of the action in the ADM variables. We also review some basic applications to inflation and dark energy. (paper)

Effective field theory of cosmological perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Piazza, Federico; Vernizzi, Filippo

2013-11-01

The effective field theory of cosmological perturbations stems from considering a cosmological background solution as a state displaying spontaneous breaking of time translations and (adiabatic) perturbations as the related Nambu-Goldstone modes. With this insight, one can systematically develop a theory for the cosmological perturbations during inflation and, with minor modifications, also describe in full generality the gravitational interactions of dark energy, which are relevant for late-time cosmology. The formalism displays a unique set of Lagrangian operators containing an increasing number of cosmological perturbations and derivatives. We give an introductory description of the unitary gauge formalism for theories with broken gauge symmetry—that allows us to write down the most general Lagrangian—and of the Stückelberg ‘trick’—that allows to recover gauge invariance and to make the scalar field explicit. We show how to apply this formalism to gravity and cosmology and we reproduce the detailed analysis of the action in the ADM variables. We also review some basic applications to inflation and dark energy.

The gravitational wave stress–energy (pseudo)-tensor in modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Saffer, Alexander; Yunes, Nicolás; Yagi, Kent

2018-03-01

The recent detections of gravitational waves by the advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors open up new tests of modified gravity theories in the strong-field and dynamical, extreme gravity regime. Such tests rely sensitively on the phase evolution of the gravitational waves, which is controlled by the energy–momentum carried by such waves out of the system. We here study four different methods for finding the gravitational wave stress–energy pseudo-tensor in gravity theories with any combination of scalar, vector, or tensor degrees of freedom. These methods rely on the second variation of the action under short-wavelength averaging, the second perturbation of the field equations in the short-wavelength approximation, the construction of an energy complex leading to a Landau–Lifshitz tensor, and the use of Noether’s theorem in field theories about a flat background. We apply these methods in general relativity, Jordan–Fierz–Brans–Dicky theoy, and Einstein-Æther theory to find the gravitational wave stress–energy pseudo-tensor and calculate the rate at which energy and linear momentum is carried away from the system. The stress–energy tensor and the rate of linear momentum loss in Einstein-Æther theory are presented here for the first time. We find that all methods yield the same rate of energy loss, although the stress–energy pseudo-tensor can be functionally different. We also find that the Noether method yields a stress–energy tensor that is not symmetric or gauge-invariant, and symmetrization via the Belinfante procedure does not fix these problems because this procedure relies on Lorentz invariance, which is spontaneously broken in Einstein-Æther theory. The methods and results found here will be useful for the calculation of predictions in modified gravity theories that can then be contrasted with observations.

Cosmological perturbations in a family of deformations of general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasnov, Kirill; Shtanov, Yuri

2010-01-01

We study linear cosmological perturbations in a previously introduced family of deformations of general relativity characterized by the absence of new degrees of freedom. The homogeneous and isotropic background in this class of theories is unmodified and is described by the usual Friedmann equations. The theory of cosmological perturbations is modified and the relevant deformation parameter has the dimension of length. Gravitational perturbations of the scalar type can be described by a certain relativistic potential related to the matter perturbations just as in general relativity. A system of differential equations describing the evolution of this potential and of the stress-energy density perturbations is obtained. We find that the evolution of scalar perturbations proceeds with a modified effective time-dependent speed of sound, which, contrary to the case of general relativity, does not vanish even at the matter-dominated stage. In a broad range of values of the length parameter controlling the deformation, a specific transition from the regime of modified gravity to the regime of general relativity in the evolution of scalar perturbations takes place during the radiation domination. In this case, the resulting power spectrum of perturbations in radiation and dark matter is suppressed on the comoving spatial scales that enter the Hubble radius before this transition. We estimate the bounds on the deformation parameter for which this suppression does not lead to observable consequences. Evolution of scalar perturbations at the inflationary stage is modified but very slightly and the primordial spectrum generated during inflation is not noticeably different from the one obtained in general relativity

FLRW cosmology in Weyl-integrable space-time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gannouji, Radouane [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, 1–3, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601 (Japan); Nandan, Hemwati [Department of Physics, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidayalaya, Haridwar 249404 (India); Dadhich, Naresh, E-mail: gannouji@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp, E-mail: hntheory@yahoo.co.in, E-mail: nkd@iucaa.ernet.in [IUCAA, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007 (India)

2011-11-01

We investigate the Weyl space-time extension of general relativity (GR) for studying the FLRW cosmology through focusing and defocusing of the geodesic congruences. We have derived the equations of evolution for expansion, shear and rotation in the Weyl space-time. In particular, we consider the Starobinsky modification, f(R) = R+βR{sup 2}−2Λ, of gravity in the Einstein-Palatini formalism, which turns out to reduce to the Weyl integrable space-time (WIST) with the Weyl vector being a gradient. The modified Raychaudhuri equation takes the form of the Hill-type equation which is then analysed to study the formation of the caustics. In this model, it is possible to have a Big Bang singularity free cyclic Universe but unfortunately the periodicity turns out to be extremely short.

Dynamics of linear perturbations in f(R) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bean, Rachel; Bernat, David; Pogosian, Levon; Silvestri, Alessandra; Trodden, Mark

2007-01-01

We consider predictions for structure formation from modifications to general relativity in which the Einstein-Hilbert action is replaced by a general function of the Ricci scalar. We work without fixing a gauge, as well as in explicit popular coordinate choices, appropriate for the modification of existing cosmological code. We present the framework in a comprehensive and practical form that can be directly compared to standard perturbation analyses. By considering the full evolution equations, we resolve perceived instabilities previously suggested, and instead find a suppression of perturbations. This result presents significant challenges for agreement with current cosmological structure formation observations. The findings apply to a broad range of forms of f(R) for which the modification becomes important at low curvatures, disfavoring them in comparison with the ΛCDM scenario. As such, these results provide a powerful method to rule out a wide class of modified gravity models aimed at providing an alternative explanation to the dark energy problem

Astrophysical tests of modified gravity: Constraints from distance indicators in the nearby universe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jain, Bhuvnesh; Vikram, Vinu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Sakstein, Jeremy [Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge CB3 0WA (United Kingdom)

2013-12-10

We use distance measurements in the nearby universe to carry out new tests of gravity, surpassing other astrophysical tests by over two orders of magnitude for chameleon theories. The three nearby distance indicators—cepheids, tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) stars, and water masers—operate in gravitational fields of widely different strengths. This enables tests of scalar-tensor gravity theories because they are screened from enhanced forces to different extents. Inferred distances from cepheids and TRGB stars are altered (in opposite directions) over a range of chameleon gravity theory parameters well below the sensitivity of cosmological probes. Using published data, we have compared cepheid and TRGB distances in a sample of unscreened dwarf galaxies within 10 Mpc. We use a comparable set of screened galaxies as a control sample. We find no evidence for the order unity force enhancements expected in these theories. Using a two-parameter description of the models (the coupling strength and background field value), we obtain constraints on both the chameleon and symmetron screening scenarios. In particular we show that f(R) models with background field values f {sub R0} above 5 × 10{sup –7} are ruled out at the 95% confidence level. We also compare TRGB and maser distances to the galaxy NGC 4258 as a second test for larger field values. While there are several approximations and caveats in our study, our analysis demonstrates the power of gravity tests in the local universe. We discuss the prospects for additional improved tests with future observations.

Astrophysical tests of modified gravity: Constraints from distance indicators in the nearby universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Bhuvnesh; Vikram, Vinu; Sakstein, Jeremy

2013-01-01

We use distance measurements in the nearby universe to carry out new tests of gravity, surpassing other astrophysical tests by over two orders of magnitude for chameleon theories. The three nearby distance indicators—cepheids, tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) stars, and water masers—operate in gravitational fields of widely different strengths. This enables tests of scalar-tensor gravity theories because they are screened from enhanced forces to different extents. Inferred distances from cepheids and TRGB stars are altered (in opposite directions) over a range of chameleon gravity theory parameters well below the sensitivity of cosmological probes. Using published data, we have compared cepheid and TRGB distances in a sample of unscreened dwarf galaxies within 10 Mpc. We use a comparable set of screened galaxies as a control sample. We find no evidence for the order unity force enhancements expected in these theories. Using a two-parameter description of the models (the coupling strength and background field value), we obtain constraints on both the chameleon and symmetron screening scenarios. In particular we show that f(R) models with background field values f R0 above 5 × 10 –7 are ruled out at the 95% confidence level. We also compare TRGB and maser distances to the galaxy NGC 4258 as a second test for larger field values. While there are several approximations and caveats in our study, our analysis demonstrates the power of gravity tests in the local universe. We discuss the prospects for additional improved tests with future observations.

Feynman diagrams coupled to three-dimensional quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrett, John W

2006-01-01

A framework for quantum field theory coupled to three-dimensional quantum gravity is proposed. The coupling with quantum gravity regulates the Feynman diagrams. One recovers the usual Feynman amplitudes in the limit as the cosmological constant tends to zero

Constraint propagation equations of the 3+1 decomposition of f(R) gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschalidis, Vasileios; Shapiro, Stuart L; Halataei, Seyyed M H; Sawicki, Ignacy

2011-01-01

Theories of gravity other than general relativity (GR) can explain the observed cosmic acceleration without a cosmological constant. One such class of theories of gravity is f(R). Metric f(R) theories have been proven to be equivalent to Brans-Dicke (BD) scalar-tensor gravity without a kinetic term (ω = 0). Using this equivalence and a 3+1 decomposition of the theory, it has been shown that metric f(R) gravity admits a well-posed initial value problem. However, it has not been proven that the 3+1 evolution equations of metric f(R) gravity preserve the (Hamiltonian and momentum) constraints. In this paper, we show that this is indeed the case. In addition, we show that the mathematical form of the constraint propagation equations in BD-equilavent f(R) gravity and in f(R) gravity in both the Jordan and Einstein frames is exactly the same as in the standard ADM 3+1 decomposition of GR. Finally, we point out that current numerical relativity codes can incorporate the 3+1 evolution equations of metric f(R) gravity by modifying the stress-energy tensor and adding an additional scalar field evolution equation. We hope that this work will serve as a starting point for relativists to develop fully dynamical codes for valid f(R) models.

The Brans-Dicke gravity as a theory of dark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hongsu

2010-01-01

The pure Brans-Dicke (BD) gravity with or without the cosmological constant Λ has been taken as a model theory for dark matter. Indeed, there has been a consensus that unless one modifies either the standard theory of gravity, namely, general relativity, or the standard model for particle physics, or both, one can never achieve a satisfying understanding of the phenomena associated with dark matter and dark energy. Along this line, our dark matter model in this work can be thought of as an attempt to modify the gravity side alone in the simplest fashion to achieve the goal. Among others, it is demonstrated that our model theory can successfully predict the emergence of a dark matter halo-like configuration in terms of a self-gravitating spacetime solution to the BD field equations and reproduce the flattened rotation curve in this dark halo-like object in terms of the non-trivial energy density of the BD scalar field, which was absent in the context of general relativity, where Newton's constant is strictly a 'constant' having no dynamics. Our model theory, however, is not entirely without flaw, such as the prediction of relativistic jets in all types of galaxies, which actually is not the case.

Scale factor duality for conformal cyclic cosmologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, University Camara da; Lima, A.L. Alves; Sotkov, G.M. [Departamento de Física - CCE,Universidade Federal de Espirito Santo, 29075-900, Vitoria ES (Brazil)

2016-11-16

The scale factor duality is a symmetry of dilaton gravity which is known to lead to pre-big-bang cosmologies. A conformal time version of the scale factor duality (SFD) was recently implemented as a UV/IR symmetry between decelerated and accelerated phases of the post-big-bang evolution within Einstein gravity coupled to a scalar field. The problem investigated in the present paper concerns the employment of the conformal time SFD methods to the construction of pre-big-bang and cyclic extensions of these models. We demonstrate that each big-bang model gives rise to two qualitatively different pre-big-bang evolutions: a contraction/expansion SFD model and Penrose’s Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC). A few examples of SFD symmetric cyclic universes involving certain gauged Kähler sigma models minimally coupled to Einstein gravity are studied. We also describe the specific SFD features of the thermodynamics and the conditions for validity of the generalized second law in the case of Gauss-Bonnet (GB) extension of these selected CCC models.

Scale factor duality for conformal cyclic cosmologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, University Camara da; Lima, A.L. Alves; Sotkov, G.M.

2016-01-01

The scale factor duality is a symmetry of dilaton gravity which is known to lead to pre-big-bang cosmologies. A conformal time version of the scale factor duality (SFD) was recently implemented as a UV/IR symmetry between decelerated and accelerated phases of the post-big-bang evolution within Einstein gravity coupled to a scalar field. The problem investigated in the present paper concerns the employment of the conformal time SFD methods to the construction of pre-big-bang and cyclic extensions of these models. We demonstrate that each big-bang model gives rise to two qualitatively different pre-big-bang evolutions: a contraction/expansion SFD model and Penrose’s Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC). A few examples of SFD symmetric cyclic universes involving certain gauged Kähler sigma models minimally coupled to Einstein gravity are studied. We also describe the specific SFD features of the thermodynamics and the conditions for validity of the generalized second law in the case of Gauss-Bonnet (GB) extension of these selected CCC models.

Equivalence of two-dimensional gravities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammedi, N.

1990-01-01

The authors find the relationship between the Jackiw-Teitelboim model of two-dimensional gravity and the SL(2,R) induced gravity. These are shown to be related to a two-dimensional gauge theory obtained by dimensionally reducing the Chern-Simons action of the 2 + 1 dimensional gravity. The authors present an explicit solution to the equations of motion of the auxiliary field of the Jackiw-Teitelboim model in the light-cone gauge. A renormalization of the cosmological constant is also given

Plane symmetric cosmological micro model in modified theory of Einstein’s general relativity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panigrahi U.K.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we have investigated an anisotropic homogeneous plane symmetric cosmological micro-model in the presence of massless scalar field in modified theory of Einstein's general relativity. Some interesting physical and geometrical aspects of the model together with singularity in the model are discussed. Further, it is shown that this theory is valid and leads to Ein­stein's theory as the coupling parameter λ →>• 0 in micro (i.e. quantum level in general.

Cosmological constraints on Brans-Dicke theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Avilez, A; Skordis, C

2014-07-04

We report strong cosmological constraints on the Brans-Dicke (BD) theory of gravity using cosmic microwave background data from Planck. We consider two types of models. First, the initial condition of the scalar field is fixed to give the same effective gravitational strength Geff today as the one measured on Earth, GN. In this case, the BD parameter ω is constrained to ω>692 at the 99% confidence level, an order of magnitude improvement over previous constraints. In the second type, the initial condition for the scalar is a free parameter leading to a somewhat stronger constraint of ω>890, while Geff is constrained to 0.981theory and are valid for any Horndeski theory, the most general second-order scalar-tensor theory, which approximates the BD theory on cosmological scales. In this sense, our constraints place strong limits on possible modifications of gravity that might explain cosmic acceleration.

Weak lensing by galaxy troughs with modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreira, Alexandre [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85741 Garching (Germany); Bose, Sownak; Li, Baojiu; Llinares, Claudio, E-mail: barreira@mpa-garching.mpg.de, E-mail: sownak.bose@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: baojiu.li@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: claudio.llinares@durham.ac.uk [Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, South Road DH1 3LE, Durham (United Kingdom)

2017-02-01

We study the imprints that theories of gravity beyond GR can leave on the lensing signal around line of sight directions that are predominantly halo-underdense (called troughs) and halo-overdense. To carry out our investigations, we consider the normal branch of DGP gravity, as well as a phenomenological variant thereof that directly modifies the lensing potential. The predictions of these models are obtained with N-body simulation and ray-tracing methods using the ECOSMOG and Ray-Ramses codes. We analyse the stacked lensing convergence profiles around the underdense and overdense lines of sight, which exhibit, respectively, a suppression and a boost w.r.t. the mean in the field of view. The modifications to gravity in these models strengthen the signal w.r.t. ΛCDM in a scale-independent way. We find that the size of this effect is the same for both underdense and overdense lines of sight, which implies that the density field along the overdense directions on the sky is not sufficiently evolved to trigger the suppression effects of the screening mechanism. These results are robust to variations in the minimum halo mass and redshift ranges used to identify the lines of sight, as well as to different line of sight aperture sizes and criteria for their underdensity and overdensity thresholds.

Cosmology and fundamental physics with the Euclid satellite.

Science.gov (United States)

Amendola, Luca; Appleby, Stephen; Avgoustidis, Anastasios; Bacon, David; Baker, Tessa; Baldi, Marco; Bartolo, Nicola; Blanchard, Alain; Bonvin, Camille; Borgani, Stefano; Branchini, Enzo; Burrage, Clare; Camera, Stefano; Carbone, Carmelita; Casarini, Luciano; Cropper, Mark; de Rham, Claudia; Dietrich, Jörg P; Di Porto, Cinzia; Durrer, Ruth; Ealet, Anne; Ferreira, Pedro G; Finelli, Fabio; García-Bellido, Juan; Giannantonio, Tommaso; Guzzo, Luigi; Heavens, Alan; Heisenberg, Lavinia; Heymans, Catherine; Hoekstra, Henk; Hollenstein, Lukas; Holmes, Rory; Hwang, Zhiqi; Jahnke, Knud; Kitching, Thomas D; Koivisto, Tomi; Kunz, Martin; La Vacca, Giuseppe; Linder, Eric; March, Marisa; Marra, Valerio; Martins, Carlos; Majerotto, Elisabetta; Markovic, Dida; Marsh, David; Marulli, Federico; Massey, Richard; Mellier, Yannick; Montanari, Francesco; Mota, David F; Nunes, Nelson J; Percival, Will; Pettorino, Valeria; Porciani, Cristiano; Quercellini, Claudia; Read, Justin; Rinaldi, Massimiliano; Sapone, Domenico; Sawicki, Ignacy; Scaramella, Roberto; Skordis, Constantinos; Simpson, Fergus; Taylor, Andy; Thomas, Shaun; Trotta, Roberto; Verde, Licia; Vernizzi, Filippo; Vollmer, Adrian; Wang, Yun; Weller, Jochen; Zlosnik, Tom

2018-01-01

Euclid is a European Space Agency medium-class mission selected for launch in 2020 within the cosmic vision 2015-2025 program. The main goal of Euclid is to understand the origin of the accelerated expansion of the universe. Euclid will explore the expansion history of the universe and the evolution of cosmic structures by measuring shapes and red-shifts of galaxies as well as the distribution of clusters of galaxies over a large fraction of the sky. Although the main driver for Euclid is the nature of dark energy, Euclid science covers a vast range of topics, from cosmology to galaxy evolution to planetary research. In this review we focus on cosmology and fundamental physics, with a strong emphasis on science beyond the current standard models. We discuss five broad topics: dark energy and modified gravity, dark matter, initial conditions, basic assumptions and questions of methodology in the data analysis. This review has been planned and carried out within Euclid's Theory Working Group and is meant to provide a guide to the scientific themes that will underlie the activity of the group during the preparation of the Euclid mission.

Cosmology and fundamental physics with the Euclid satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Amendola, Luca; Appleby, Stephen; Avgoustidis, Anastasios; Bacon, David; Baker, Tessa; Baldi, Marco; Bartolo, Nicola; Blanchard, Alain; Bonvin, Camille; Borgani, Stefano; Branchini, Enzo; Burrage, Clare; Camera, Stefano; Carbone, Carmelita; Casarini, Luciano; Cropper, Mark; de Rham, Claudia; Dietrich, Jörg P.; Di Porto, Cinzia; Durrer, Ruth; Ealet, Anne; Ferreira, Pedro G.; Finelli, Fabio; García-Bellido, Juan; Giannantonio, Tommaso; Guzzo, Luigi; Heavens, Alan; Heisenberg, Lavinia; Heymans, Catherine; Hoekstra, Henk; Hollenstein, Lukas; Holmes, Rory; Hwang, Zhiqi; Jahnke, Knud; Kitching, Thomas D.; Koivisto, Tomi; Kunz, Martin; La Vacca, Giuseppe; Linder, Eric; March, Marisa; Marra, Valerio; Martins, Carlos; Majerotto, Elisabetta; Markovic, Dida; Marsh, David; Marulli, Federico; Massey, Richard; Mellier, Yannick; Montanari, Francesco; Mota, David F.; Nunes, Nelson J.; Percival, Will; Pettorino, Valeria; Porciani, Cristiano; Quercellini, Claudia; Read, Justin; Rinaldi, Massimiliano; Sapone, Domenico; Sawicki, Ignacy; Scaramella, Roberto; Skordis, Constantinos; Simpson, Fergus; Taylor, Andy; Thomas, Shaun; Trotta, Roberto; Verde, Licia; Vernizzi, Filippo; Vollmer, Adrian; Wang, Yun; Weller, Jochen; Zlosnik, Tom

2018-04-01

Euclid is a European Space Agency medium-class mission selected for launch in 2020 within the cosmic vision 2015-2025 program. The main goal of Euclid is to understand the origin of the accelerated expansion of the universe. Euclid will explore the expansion history of the universe and the evolution of cosmic structures by measuring shapes and red-shifts of galaxies as well as the distribution of clusters of galaxies over a large fraction of the sky. Although the main driver for Euclid is the nature of dark energy, Euclid science covers a vast range of topics, from cosmology to galaxy evolution to planetary research. In this review we focus on cosmology and fundamental physics, with a strong emphasis on science beyond the current standard models. We discuss five broad topics: dark energy and modified gravity, dark matter, initial conditions, basic assumptions and questions of methodology in the data analysis. This review has been planned and carried out within Euclid's Theory Working Group and is meant to provide a guide to the scientific themes that will underlie the activity of the group during the preparation of the Euclid mission.

Cosmology and Fundamental Physics with the Euclid Satellite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Amendola

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Euclid is a European Space Agency medium-class mission selected for launch in 2019 within the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program. The main goal of Euclid is to understand the origin of the accelerated expansion of the universe. Euclid will explore the expansion history of the universe and the evolution of cosmic structures by measuring shapes and red-shifts of galaxies as well as the distribution of clusters of galaxies over a large fraction of the sky. Although the main driver for Euclid is the nature of dark energy, Euclid science covers a vast range of topics, from cosmology to galaxy evolution to planetary research. In this review we focus on cosmology and fundamental physics, with a strong emphasis on science beyond the current standard models. We discuss five broad topics: dark energy and modified gravity, dark matter, initial conditions, basic assumptions and questions of methodology in the data analysis. This review has been planned and carried out within Euclid's Theory Working Group and is meant to provide a guide to the scientific themes that will underlie the activity of the group during the preparation of the Euclid mission.

Locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I cosmology in f(R, T) gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamir, M.F. [National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Department of Sciences and Humanities, Lahore (Pakistan)

2015-08-15

This manuscript is devoted to the investigation of the Bianchi type I universe in the context of f(R, T) gravity. For this purpose, we explore the exact solutions of locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I spacetime. The modified field equations are solved by assuming an expansion scalar θ proportional to the shear scalar σ, which gives A = B{sup n}, where A, B are the metric coefficients and n is an arbitrary constant. In particular, three solutions have been found and physical quantities are calculated in each case. (orig.)

Pedagogical systematic derivation of Noether point symmetries in special relativistic field theories and extended gravity cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, Fernando

2016-11-01

A didactic and systematic derivation of Noether point symmetries and conserved currents is put forward in special relativistic field theories, without a priori assumptions about the transformation laws. Given the Lagrangian density, the invariance condition develops as a set of partial differential equations determining the symmetry transformation. The solution is provided in the case of real scalar, complex scalar, free electromagnetic, and charged electromagnetic fields. Besides the usual conservation laws, a less popular symmetry is analyzed: the symmetry associated with the linear superposition of solutions, whenever applicable. The role of gauge invariance is emphasized. The case of the charged scalar particle under external electromagnetic fields is considered, and the accompanying Noether point symmetries determined. Noether point symmetries for a dynamical system in extended gravity cosmology are also deduced.

Pedagogical systematic derivation of Noether point symmetries in special relativistic field theories and extended gravity cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, Fernando

2016-01-01

A didactic and systematic derivation of Noether point symmetries and conserved currents is put forward in special relativistic field theories, without a priori assumptions about the transformation laws. Given the Lagrangian density, the invariance condition develops as a set of partial differential equations determining the symmetry transformation. The solution is provided in the case of real scalar, complex scalar, free electromagnetic, and charged electromagnetic fields. Besides the usual conservation laws, a less popular symmetry is analyzed: the symmetry associated with the linear superposition of solutions, whenever applicable. The role of gauge invariance is emphasized. The case of the charged scalar particle under external electromagnetic fields is considered, and the accompanying Noether point symmetries determined. Noether point symmetries for a dynamical system in extended gravity cosmology are also deduced. (paper)

Quintessential inflation from a variable cosmological constant in a 5D vacuum

Science.gov (United States)

Membiela, Agustin; Bellini, Mauricio

2006-10-01

We explore an effective 4D cosmological model for the universe where the variable cosmological constant governs its evolution and the pressure remains negative along all the expansion. This model is introduced from a 5D vacuum state where the (space-like) extra coordinate is considered as noncompact. The expansion is produced by the inflaton field, which is considered as nonminimally coupled to gravity. We conclude from experimental data that the coupling of the inflaton with gravity should be weak, but variable in different epochs of the evolution of the universe.

Quintessential inflation from a variable cosmological constant in a 5D vacuum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Membiela, Agustin [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata (Argentina)]. E-mail: membiela@argentina.com; Bellini, Mauricio [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata (Argentina) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONICET) (Argentina)]. E-mail: mbellini@mdp.edu.ar

2006-10-05

We explore an effective 4D cosmological model for the universe where the variable cosmological constant governs its evolution and the pressure remains negative along all the expansion. This model is introduced from a 5D vacuum state where the (space-like) extra coordinate is considered as noncompact. The expansion is produced by the inflaton field, which is considered as nonminimally coupled to gravity. We conclude from experimental data that the coupling of the inflaton with gravity should be weak, but variable in different epochs of the evolution of the universe.

Quintessential inflation from a variable cosmological constant in a 5D vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Membiela, Agustin; Bellini, Mauricio

2006-01-01

We explore an effective 4D cosmological model for the universe where the variable cosmological constant governs its evolution and the pressure remains negative along all the expansion. This model is introduced from a 5D vacuum state where the (space-like) extra coordinate is considered as noncompact. The expansion is produced by the inflaton field, which is considered as nonminimally coupled to gravity. We conclude from experimental data that the coupling of the inflaton with gravity should be weak, but variable in different epochs of the evolution of the universe

Axions in inflationary cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linde, A.

1991-01-01

The problem of the cosmological constraints on the axion mass is re-examined. It is argued that in the context of inflationary cosmology the constraint m a > or approx.10 -5 eV can be avoided even when the axion perturbations produced during inflation are taken into account. It is shown also that in most axion models the effective parameter f a rapidly changes during inflation. This modifies some earlier statements concerning isothermal perturbations in the axion cosmology. A hybrid inflation scenario is proposed which combines some advantages of chaotic inflation with specific features of new and/or extended inflation. Its implications for the axion cosmology are discussed. (orig.)

PREFACE: The Sixth International Conference on Gravitation & Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Date, Ghanashyam; Souradeep, Tarun

2008-07-01

The sixth International Conference on Gravitation & Cosmology (ICGC-2007) was organized at IUCAA, Pune, 17-21 December 2007. This series of international meetings, held every four years under the auspices of the Indian Association for General Relativity and Gravitation (IAGRG), has now spanned two decades. Previous ICGC meetings were held at Cochin University of Science and Technology (2004), Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (2000), IUCAA, Pune (1995), Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (1991) & Goa (1987). These meetings have broad international participation and feature leading experts in the field of Cosmology, gravitational waves and quantum gravity. The frontier of research in Gravitation and Cosmology has seen remarkable progress in the past decades. On the theoretical front, black holes and cosmological singularities continue to challenge and attract quantum gravity researchers. The quest for the detection of Gravitational waves and the promise of gravitational wave astronomy continues to grow and breakthroughs of the past couple of years indicate that numerical relativity is catching up too. The past few years have also seen very ambitious experimental efforts to verify general relativity as the theory of gravitation. Cosmology has been veritably transformed into a precision science with the tremendous improvement in the quantity and quality of cosmological observations. The exquisite measurements not only allow refinement of the cosmological model parameters but have begun to allow observational tests of underlying fundamental assumptions and hunt for subtle deviations that could be the key to understanding the early universe. The sixth meeting brought together active scientists from all over the globe to present the state of the art at the frontiers of research. It also offered younger Indian researchers an opportunity for interaction with experts from within India and abroad. The meeting was attended by over 160 participants. The scientific

Ultra faint dwarf galaxies: an arena for testing dark matter versus modified gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Weikang; Ishak, Mustapha, E-mail: wxl123830@utdallas.edu, E-mail: mishak@utdallas.edu [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75083 (United States)

2016-10-01

The scenario consistent with a wealth of observations for the missing mass problem is that of weakly interacting dark matter particles. However, arguments or proposals for a Newtonian or relativistic modified gravity scenario continue to be made. A distinguishing characteristic between the two scenarios is that dark matter particles can produce a gravitational effect, in principle, without the need of baryons while this is not the case for the modified gravity scenario where such an effect must be correlated with the amount of baryonic matter. We consider here ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies as a promising arena to test the two scenarios based on the above assertion. We compare the correlation of the luminosity with the velocity dispersion between samples of UFD and non-UFD galaxies, finding a significant loss of correlation for UFD galaxies. For example, we find for 28 non-UFD galaxies a strong correlation coefficient of −0.688 which drops to −0.077 for the 23 UFD galaxies. Incoming and future data will determine whether the observed stochasticity for UFD galaxies is physical or due to systematics in the data. Such a loss of correlation (if it is to persist) is possible and consistent with the dark matter scenario for UFD galaxies but would constitute a new challenge for the modified gravity scenario.

Pseudo-supersymmetry and the domain-wall/cosmology correspondence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skenderis, Kostas; Townsend, Paul K

2007-01-01

The correspondence between domain-wall and cosmological solutions of gravity coupled to scalar fields is explained. Any domain-wall solutions that admit a Killing spinor are shown to correspond to a cosmology that admits a pseudo-Killing spinor; whereas the Killing spinor obeys a Dirac-type equation with Hermitian 'mass'-matrix, the corresponding pseudo-Killing spinor obeys a Dirac-type equation with a anti-Hermitian 'mass'-matrix. We comment on some implications of (pseudo)supersymmetry

Can codimension-two branes solve the cosmological constant problem?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinet, Jeremie; Cline, James M.

2004-01-01

It has been suggested that codimension-two braneworlds might naturally explain the vanishing of the 4D effective cosmological constant, due to the automatic relation between the deficit angle and the brane tension. To investigate whether this cancellation happens dynamically, and within the context of a realistic cosmology, we study a codimension-two braneworld with spherical extra dimensions compactified by magnetic flux. Assuming Einstein gravity, we show that when the brane contains matter with an arbitrary equation of state, the 4D metric components are not regular at the brane, unless the brane has nonzero thickness. We construct explicit 6D solutions with thick branes, treating the brane matter as a perturbation, and find that the universe expands consistently with standard Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmology. The relation between the brane tension and the bulk deficit angle becomes Δ=2πG 6 (ρ-3p) for a general equation of state. However, this relation does not imply a self-tuning of the effective 4D cosmological constant to zero; perturbations of the brane tension in a static solution lead to deSitter or anti-deSitter braneworlds. Our results thus confirm other recent work showing that codimension-two braneworlds in nonsupersymmetric Einstein gravity do not lead to a dynamical relaxation of the cosmological constant, but they leave open the possibility that supersymmetric versions can be compatible with self-tuning

Holographic (de)confinement transitions in cosmological backgrounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdmenger, Johanna; Ghoroku, Kazuo; Meyer, Rene

2011-01-01

For type IIB supergravity with a running axio-dilaton, we construct bulk solutions which admit a cosmological background metric of Friedmann-Robertson-Walker type. These solutions include both a dark radiation term in the bulk as well as a four-dimensional (boundary) cosmological constant, while gravity at the boundary remains nondynamical. We holographically calculate the stress-energy tensor, showing that it consists of two contributions: The first one, generated by the dark radiation term, leads to the thermal fluid of N=4 SYM theory, while the second, the conformal anomaly, originates from the boundary cosmological constant. Conservation of the boundary stress-tensor implies that the boundary cosmological constant is time-independent, such that there is no exchange between the two stress-tensor contributions. We then study (de)confinement by evaluating the Wilson loop in these backgrounds. While the dark radiation term favors deconfinement, a negative cosmological constant drives the system into a confined phase. When both contributions are present, we find an oscillating universe with negative cosmological constant which undergoes periodic (de)confinement transitions as the scale of three-space expands and recontracts.

Value of the Cosmological Constant in Emergent Quantum Gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hogan, Craig [Fermilab

2018-03-30

It is suggested that the exact value of the cosmological constant could be derived from first principles, based on entanglement of the Standard Model field vacuum with emergent holographic quantum geometry. For the observed value of the cosmological constant, geometrical information is shown to agree closely with the spatial information density of the QCD vacuum, estimated in a free-field approximation. The comparison is motivated by a model of exotic rotational fluctuations in the inertial frame that can be precisely tested in laboratory experiments. Cosmic acceleration in this model is always positive, but fluctuates with characteristic coherence length $\\approx 100$km and bandwidth $\\approx 3000$ Hz.

Self-accelerated Universe Induced by Repulsive Effects as an Alternative to Dark Energy and Modified Gravities

Science.gov (United States)

Luongo, Orlando; Quevedo, Hernando

2018-01-01

The existence of current-time universe's acceleration is usually modeled by means of two main strategies. The first makes use of a dark energy barotropic fluid entering by hand the energy-momentum tensor of Einstein's theory. The second lies on extending the Hilbert-Einstein action giving rise to the class of extended theories of gravity. In this work, we propose a third approach, derived as an intrinsic geometrical effect of space-time, which provides repulsive regions under certain circumstances. We demonstrate that the effects of repulsive gravity naturally emerge in the field of a homogeneous and isotropic universe. To this end, we use an invariant definition of repulsive gravity based upon the behavior of the curvature eigenvalues. Moreover, we show that repulsive gravity counterbalances the standard gravitational attraction influencing both late and early times of the universe evolution. This phenomenon leads to the present speed up and to the fast expansion due to the inflationary epoch. In so doing, we are able to unify both dark energy and inflation in a single scheme, showing that the universe changes its dynamics when {\\ddot{H}\\over H}=-2 \\dot{H}, at the repulsion onset time where this condition is satisfied. Further, we argue that the spatial scalar curvature can be taken as vanishing because it does not affect at all the emergence of repulsive gravity. We check the goodness of our approach through two cosmological fits involving the most recent union 2.1 supernova compilation.

Quantum cosmology and the early universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartle, J.B.

1983-01-01

Despite the absence of a complete and manageable quantum theory of gravity, it is shown that considerable progress has been made in constructing cosmological models displaying the possible implications such a theory might have for the structure and dynamics of the very early universe. (U.K.)

Neutrino mass from Cosmology

CERN Document Server

Lesgourgues, Julien

2012-01-01

Neutrinos can play an important role in the evolution of the Universe, modifying some of the cosmological observables. In this contribution we summarize the main aspects of cosmological relic neutrinos and we describe how the precision of present cosmological data can be used to learn about neutrino properties, in particular their mass, providing complementary information to beta decay and neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments. We show how the analysis of current cosmological observations, such as the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background or the distribution of large-scale structure, provides an upper bound on the sum of neutrino masses of order 1 eV or less, with very good perspectives from future cosmological measurements which are expected to be sensitive to neutrino masses well into the sub-eV range.

The reconstruction of f(ϕR and mimetic gravity from viable slow-roll inflation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.D. Odintsov

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this work, we extend the bottom-up reconstruction framework of F(R gravity to other modified gravities, and in particular for f(ϕR and mimetic F(R gravities. We investigate which are the important conditions in order for the method to work, and we study several viable cosmological evolutions, focusing on the inflationary era. Particularly, for the f(ϕR theory case, we specify the functional form of the Hubble rate and of the scalar-to-tensor ratio as a function of the e-foldings number and accordingly, the rest of the physical quantities and also the slow-roll and the corresponding observational indices can be calculated. The same method is applied in the mimetic F(R gravity case, and in both cases we thoroughly analyze the resulting free parameter space, in order to show that the viability of the models presented is guaranteed and secondly that there is a wide range of values of the free parameters for which the viability of the models occurs. In addition, the reconstruction method is also studied in the context of mimetic F(R=R gravity. As we demonstrate, the resulting theory is viable, and also in this case, only the scalar-to-tensor ratio needs to be specified, since the rest follow from this condition. Finally, we discuss in brief how the reconstruction method could function for other modified gravities.

Hot topics in Modern Cosmology - SW9 - Slides of the presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berezhiani, Z.; Sigl, G.; Biondi, R.; Volkov, M.; Noller, J.; Starobinsky, A.; Toporensky, A.; Renaux, S.; Pilo, L.; Comelli, D.; Slagter, R.; Novello, M.; Padilla, A.; Antunes, V.; Kamenshchik, A.; Vernieri, D.; Kaloper, N.; Denkiewics, T.; Gohar, H.; Zahariade, G.; Frusciante, N.; Von Strauss, M.

2016-01-01

This 9. Spontaneous Workshop (SW9) brought together specialists on recent insights in Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology. The aim was to stimulate debate on common topics in views of providing us with innovating ideas. SW9 topics includes: 1) Cosmological parameters - Anomalies in CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background); 2) Dark matter and neutrinos; 3) Gravity - Dark energy; 4) Singular universes; and 5) Cosmological Large Scale Structures - Magnetic Fields; This document is made up of the slides of the presentations