Gravitational coupling and dynamical reduction of the cosmological constant

We introduce a dynamical model to reduce a large cosmological constant to a sufficiently small value. The basic ingredient in this model is a distinction which has been made between the two unit systems used in cosmology and particle physics. We have used a conformal invariant gravitational model to define a particular conformal frame in terms of large scale properties of the universe. It is then argued that the contributions of mass scales in particle physics to the vacuum energy density should be considered in a different conformal frame. In this manner, a decaying mechanism is presented in which the conformal factor appears as a dynamical field and plays a key role to relax a large effective cosmological constant. Moreover, we argue that this model also provides a possible explanation for the coincidence problem.     

Conformal Invariance, Accelerating Universe and the Cosmological Constant Problem

We investigate a conformal invariant gravitational model which is taken to hold at early universe. The conformal invariance allows us to make a dynamical distinction between the two unit systems (or conformal frames) usually used in cosmology and elementary particle physics. In this model we argue that when the universe suffers phase transition, the resulting mass scale introduced by particle physics should have a variable contribution to vacuum energy density. This variation is controlled by the conformal factor which is taken as a dynamical field. We then deal with the cosmological consequences of this model. In particular, we shall show that there is an inationary phase at early times. At late times, on the other hand, it provides a mechanism which makes a large effective cosmological constant relax to a sufficiently small value. Moreover, we shall show that the conformal factor acts as a quintessence field that leads the universe to accelerate at late times.     

Conformal fixed point,cosmological constant,and quintessence

We connect a possible solution for the "cosmological constant problem" to the existence of a (postulated) conformal fixed point in a fundamental theory. The resulting cosmology leads to quintessence, where the present acceleration of the expansion of the universe is linked to a crossover in the flow of coupling constants.     

Comprehensive solution to the cosmological constant,zero-point energy,and quantum gravity problems

We present a solution to the cosmological constant, the zero-point energy, and the quantum gravity problems within a single comprehensive framework. We show that in quantum theories of gravity in which the zero-point energy density of the gravitational field is well-defined, the cosmological constant and zero-point energy problems solve each other by mutual cancellation between the cosmological constant and the matter and gravitational field zero-point energy densities. Because of this cancellation, regulation of the matter field zero-point energy density is not needed, and thus does not cause any trace anomaly to arise. We exhibit our results in two theories of gravity that are well-defined quantum-mechanically. Both of these theories are locally conformal invariant, quantum Einstein gravity in two dimensions and Weyl-tensor-based quantum conformal gravity in four dimensions (a fourth-order derivative quantum theory of the type that Bender and Mannheim have recently shown to be ghost-free and unitary). Central to our approach is the requirement that any and all departures of the geometry from Minkowski are to be brought about by quantum mechanics alone. Consequently, there have to be no fundamental classical fields, and all mass scales have to be generated by dynamical condensates. In such a situation the trace of the matter field energy-momentum tensor is zero, a constraint that obliges its cosmological constant and zero-point contributions to cancel each other identically, no matter how large they might be. In our approach quantization of the gravitational field is caused by its coupling to quantized matter fields, with the gravitational field not needing any independent quantization of its own. With there being no a priori classical curvature, one does not have to make it compatible with quantization.     

Conformal invariance and spontaneous symmetry breaking

We study the spontaneous symmetry breaking in a conformally invariant gravitational theory. We particularly emphasize on the nonminimal coupling of matter fields to gravity. By the nonminimal coupling we consider a local distinction between the conformal frames of metric of matter fieldsand the metric explicitly entering the vacuum sector. We suppose that these two frames are conformally related by a dilaton field. We show that the imposition of a condition on the variable mass term of a scalar field may lead to the spontaneous symmetry breaking. In this way the scalar field may imitate the Higgs field behavior. Attributing a constant configuration to the ground state of the Higgs field, a Higgs conformal frame is specified. We define the Higgs conformal frame as a cosmological frame which describes the large scale characteristics of the observed universe. In the cosmological frame the gravitational coupling acquires a correct value and one no longer deals with the vacuum energy problem. We then study a more general case by considering a variable configuration for the ground state of Higgs field. In this case we introduce a cosmological solution of themodel.     

The Double Self-Dual Gravity with Cosmological Term and Constraints Under the Double Constant Conformal Transformation

The double constraint equations in the self-dual gravitational theory containing the cosmological term are derived in 3 + 1 gravity. Furthermore, in order to deeply study the Lorentzian and Euclidean reality conditions for this theory, the relations between constraints are discussed by introducing the double constant conformal transformation and the double complex function method.     

A kinematical approach to conformal cosmology

We present an alternative cosmology based on conformal gravity, as originally introduced by H. Weyl and recently revisited by P. Mannheim and D. Kazanas. Unlike past similar attempts our approach is a purely kinematical application of the conformal symmetry to the Universe, through a critical reanalysis of fundamental astrophysical observations, such as the cosmological redshift and others. As a result of this novel approach we obtain a closed-form expression for the cosmic scale factor R(t) and a revised interpretation of the space–time coordinates usually employed in cosmology. New fundamental cosmological parameters are introduced and evaluated. This emerging new cosmology does not seem to possess any of the controversial features of the current standard model, such as the presence of dark matter, dark energy or of a cosmological constant, the existence of the horizon problem or of an inflationary phase. Comparing our results with current conformal cosmologies in the literature, we note that our kinematic cosmology is equivalent to conformal gravity with a cosmological constant at late (or early) cosmological times. The cosmic scale factor and the evolution of the Universe are described in terms of several dimensionless quantitites, among which a new cosmological variable δ emerges as a natural cosmic time. The mathematical connections between all these quantities are described in details and a relationship is established with the original kinematic cosmology by L. Infeld and A. Schild. The mathematical foundations of our kinematical conformal cosmology will need to be checked against current astrophysical experimental data, before this new model can become a viable alternative to the standard theory.     

THE PROBLEM OF THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT

The cosmological term is necessaritly vanishing in a conformal gravitational theory, and the sum of the induced cosmological constants of all the brocken gauge symmetries cancels the curvature of the background spacetime. Thus the sum of all the cosmological constants is vanishing when the background spacetime is Minkowskian. Furthermore, the spontaneous breaking of a gauge symmetry through the Higgs mechanism is always accompanied by a phase transition of the background spacetime.     

The Quantum Regularization of Singular Black-Hole Solutions in Covariant Quantum Gravity

An excruciating issue that arises in mathematical, theoretical and astro-physics concerns the possibility of regularizing classical singular black hole solutions of general relativity by means of quantum theory. The problem is posed here in the context of a manifestly covariant approach to quantum gravity. Provided a non-vanishing quantum cosmological constant is present, here it is proved how a regular background space-time metric tensor can be obtained starting from a singular one. This is obtained by constructing suitable scale-transformed and conformal solutions for the metric tensor in which the conformal scale form factor is determined uniquely by the quantum Hamilton equations underlying the quantum gravitational field dynamics.     

Conformally equivalent metrics in bimetric general relativity

Space-times conformal to physical space-time are considered, assuming the nongravitational energy is conservative after the conformal transformation. Necessary and sufficient conditions satisfied by the conformal factor axe found for a given type of transformation of the energy tensor. The weak gravitational field is defined and the coordinate conditions for the existence of conformal factors in such a field are obtained.     

Constraining extended theories of gravity using Solar System tests

Solar System tests give nowadays constraints on the estimated value of the cosmological constant, which can be accurately derived from different experiments regarding gravitational redshift, light deflection, gravitational time-delay and geodesic precession. Assuming that each reasonable theory of gravitation should satisfy Solar System tests, we use these limits on the estimated value of the cosmological constant to constrain extended theories of Gravity, which are nowadays studied as possible theories for cosmological models and provide viable solutions to the cosmological constant problem and the explanation of the present acceleration of the Universe. We obtain that the estimated values, from Solar System tests, for the parameters appearing in the extended theories of Gravity are orders of magnitude bigger than the values obtained in the framework of cosmologically relevant theories.     

Vertex Operators in 4D Quantum Gravity Formulated as CFT

We study vertex operators in 4D conformal field theory derived from quantized gravity, whose dynamics is governed by the Wess-Zumino action by Riegert and the Weyl action. Conformal symmetry is equal to diffeomorphism symmetry in the ultraviolet limit, which mixes positive-metric and negative-metric modes of the gravitational field and thus these modes cannot be treated separately in physical operators. In this paper, we construct gravitational vertex operators such as the Ricci scalar, defined as space-time volume integrals of them are invariant under conformal transformations. Short distance singularities of these operator products are computed and it is shown that their coefficients have physically correct signs. Furthermore, we show that conformal algebra holds even in the system perturbed by the cosmological constant vertex operator as in the case of the Liouville theory shown by Curtright and Thorn.     

Conformal aspects of the Palatini approach in Extended Theories of Gravity

The debate on the physical relevance of conformal transformations can be faced by taking the Palatini approach into account gravitational theories. We show that conformal transformations are not only a mathematical tool to disentangle gravitational and matter degrees of freedom (passing from the Jordan frame to the Einstein frame) but they acquire a physical meaning considering the bi-metric structure of Palatini approach which allows to distinguish between spacetime structure and geodesic structure. These facts are relevant at least at cosmological scales, while at small scale (i.e. in the spacetime regions relevant for observations) the conformal factor is slowly varying and its effects are not relevant. Examples of higher-order and non-minimally coupled theories are worked out and relevant cosmological solutions in Einstein frame and Jordan frame are discussed showing that also the interpretation of cosmological observations can drastically change depending on the adopted frame.     

A Classical Cosmological Model for Triviality

The aim of this paper is to study the triviality of λ ϕ⁴ theory in a classical gravitational model. Starting from a conformal invariant scalar tensor theory with a self-interaction term λ ϕ⁴, we investigate the effect of a conformal symmetry breaking emerging from the gravitational coupling of the large-scale distribution of matter in the universe. Taking in this cosmological symmetry breaking phase the infinite limit of the maximal length (the size of the universe) and the zero limit of the minimal length (the Planck length) implies triviality, i.e. a vanishing coupling constant λ. It suggests that the activity of the self-interaction term λ ϕ⁴ in the cosmological context implies that the universe is finite and a minimal fundamental length exists.     

Fundamental constants and their time variation

We discuss the fundamental constants of physics within the Standard Model of particle physics. In this model there are 28 fundamental constants, e.g. the constant of gravity or the fine-structure constant. We consider possible changes of these constants on the cosmological time scale.     

Viscous Cosmological Model with Variable Gravitational and Cosmological Constants

We have considered some cosmological solutions with variable gravitational and cosmological constants with bulk viscosity. It is found that the solutions are singularity free and the deceleration parameter is in general not a constant unless we assume perfect fluid with equation of state in the standard cosmologies. Moreover, the deceleration parameter is a function of the scale factor and changes sign with evolution, so our solution is a generalization of those obtained by Arbab I. Arbab. The introduction of viscosity not only free from singularity but also give the deceleration parameter a freedom to vary with scale factor. Thus, a viscous cosmological fluid gives a more general situation in the early universe.     

Electromagnetic Duality in General Relativity

By resolving the Riemann curvature relative to a unit timelike vector into electric and magnetic parts, we consider duality relations analogous to those in electromagnetic theory. It turns out that the duality transformation implies the Einstein vacuum equation without the cosmological term. The vacuum equation is invariant under interchange of active and passive electric parts, giving rise to the same vacuum solutions but with the opposite sign for the gravitational constant. Further, by modifying the equation it is possible to construct interesting dual solutions to vacuum as well as to flat spacetimes.     

Large numbers hypothesis. IV. The cosmological constant and quantum physics

In standard physics quantum field theory is based on a flat vacuum space-time. This quantum field theory predicts a nonzero cosmological constant. Hence the gravitational field equations do not admit a flat vacuum space-time. This dilemma is resolved using the units covariant gravitational field equations. This paper shows that the field equations admit a flat vacuum space-time with nonzero cosmological constant if and only if the canonical LNH is valid. This allows an interpretation of the LNH phenomena in terms of a time-dependent vacuum state. If this is correct then the cosmological constant must be positive.     

Stress-energy connection and cosmological constant problem

We study gravitational properties of vacuum energy by erecting a geometry on the stress-energy tensor of vacuum, matter and radiation. Postulating that the gravitational effects of matter and radiation can be formulated by an appropriate modification of the spacetime connection, we obtain varied geometrodynamical equations which properly comprise the usual gravitational field equations with, however, Planck-suppressed, non-local, higher-dimensional additional terms. The prime novelty brought about by the formalism is that, the vacuum energy does act not as the cosmological constant but as the source of the gravitational constant. The formalism thus deafens the cosmological constant problem by channeling vacuum energy to gravitational constant. Nevertheless, quantum gravitational effects, if any, restore the problem via the graviton and graviton-matter loops, and the mechanism proposed here falls short of taming such contributions to cosmological constant.     

Mach Like Principle from Conserved Charges

We study models where the gauge coupling constants, masses and the gravitational constant are functions of some conserved charge in the universe, and furthermore a cosmological constant that depends on the total charge of the universe. We first consider the standard Dirac action, but where the mass and the electromagnetic coupling constant are a function of the charge in the universe and afterwards extend this to curved spacetime and consider gauge coupling constants, the gravitational constant and the mass as a function of the charge of the universe, which represent a sort of Mach principle for all the constants of nature. In the flat space formulation, the formalism is not manifestly Lorentz invariant, however Lorentz invariance can be restored by performing a phase transformation of the Dirac field. One interesting model of this type is one where the action is invariant under rescalings of the Dirac wave function. In the curved space time formulation, there is the additional feature that some of the equations of motion break the general coordinate invariance also, but in a way that can be understood as a coordinate choice only, so the equations are still of the General Relativity type, but with a certain natural coordinate choice, where there is no current of the charge. We have generalized what we have done and also constructed a cosmological constant which depends on the total charge of the universe. We discuss how these ideas work when the space where the charges live is finite. If we were to use some only approximately conserved charge for these constructions, like say baryon number (in the context of the standard model), this will lead to corresponding violations of Lorentz symmetry in the early universe for example. We also briefly discuss another non-local formulations where the coupling constants are functions of the Pontryagin index of some non-abelian gauge field configurations. The construction of charge dependent contributions can also be motivated from the structure of the “infra-red counter terms” needed to cancel infra red divergences for example in three dimensions.