Local Scale Invariance and General Relativity

According to the theory of unimodular relativity developed by Anderson and Finkelstein, the equations of general relativity with a cosmological constant are composed of two independent equations, one which determines the null-cone structure of space-time, another which determines the measure structure of space-time. The field equations that follow from the restricted variational principle of this version of general relativity only determine the null-cone structure and are globally scale-invariant and scale-free. We show that the electromagnetic field may be viewed as a compensating gauge field that guarantees local scale invariance of these field equations. In this way, Weyl's geometry is revived. However, the two principle objections to Weyl's theory do not apply to the present formulation: the Lagrangian remains first order in the curvature scalar and the nonintegrability of length only applies to the null-cone structure.     

An asymptotic approximation applied to a simple model

An asymptotic approximation scheme based on a sequence of solutions is applied to a simple model problem of a harmonic oscillator coupled to a scalar field. We evaluate explicitly the evolution of the field off the initial hypersurface and discuss an appropriate choice of the initial data for the field in order for a sequence of solutions to have a Newtonian limit. The study may help to understand the more complicated situation in general relativity. We also discuss an alternative sequence of solutions that may be useful in studying instabilities that occur for large values of the coupling constant.     

Scalar-tensor cosmologies with a potential in the general relativity limit: Time evolution

We consider Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker flat cosmological models in the framework of general Jordan frame scalar-tensor theories of gravity with arbitrary coupling function and potential. For the era when the cosmological energy density of the scalar potential dominates over the energy density of ordinary matter, we use a nonlinear approximation of the decoupled scalar field equation for the regime close to the so-called limit of general relativity where the local weak field constraints are satisfied. We give the solutions in cosmological time with a particular attention to the classes of models asymptotically approaching general relativity. The latter can be subsumed under two types: (i) exponential convergence, and (ii) damped oscillations around general relativity. As an illustration we present an example of oscillating dark energy.     

The Brans-Dicke scalar field in Einstein-Cartan theory

In the framework of Einstein-Cartan (EC) theory, the Brans-Dicke (BD) theory is considered and it is found that a scalar field nonminimally coupled to the gravitational field gives rise to torsion, even though the scalar field has zero spin. The metric equations stay the same if the coupling constant is rescaled, but the equations of motion of a test particle, derived from the conservation equations, differ from those of the usual BD theory without torsion. The gravitational red-shift value differs considerably from the usual prediction of general theory of relativity (GTR), and rules out the possibility of a torsion version of BD theory for<6.     

On the Møller Energy Associated with Black Holes

In this paper, we consider both Einstein's theory of general relativity and the teleparallel gravity (the tetrad theory of gravitation) analogs of the energy-momentum definition of Møller in order to explicitly evaluate the energy distribution (due to matter and fields including gravity) associated with a general black hole model which includes several well-known black holes. To calculate the special cases of energy distribution, here we consider eight different types of black hole models such as anti-de Sitter Cmetric with spherical topology, charged regular black hole, conformal scalar dyon black hole, dyadosphere of a charged black hole, regular black hole, charged topological black hole, charged massless black hole with a scalar field, and the Schwarzschild-de Sitter space-time. Our teleparallel gravitational result is also independent of the teleparallel dimensionless coupling constant, which means that it is valid not only in teleparallel equivalent of general relativity but also in any teleparallel model. This paper also sustains (a) the importance of the energy-momentum definitions in the evaluation of the energy distribution of a given spacetime and (b) the viewpoint of Lessner that the Møller energy-momentum complex is the powerful concept to calculate energy distribution in a given space-time.     

Decoupling and reduction in Chern–Simons modified gravity

We show that for four-dimensional spacetimes with a non-null hypersurface orthogonal Killing vector and for a Chern–Simons (CS) background (non-dynamical) scalar field, which is constant along the Killing vector, the source-free equations of CS modified gravity decouple into their Einstein and Cotton constituents. Thus, the model supports only general relativity solutions. We also show that, when the cosmological constant vanishes and the gradient of the CS scalar field is parallel to the non-null hypersurface orthogonal Killing vector of constant length, CS modified gravity reduces to topologically massive gravity in three dimensions. Meanwhile, with the cosmological constant such a reduction requires an appropriate source term for CS modified gravity.     

Reconstruction of constant slow-roll inflation

Using the relations between the slow-roll parameters and the power spectra for the single field slow-roll inflation, we derive the scalar spectral tilt n_s and the tensor to scalar ratio r for the constant slow-roll inflation, and obtain the constraint on the slow-roll parameter η from the Planck 2015 results. The inflationary potential for the constant slow-roll inflation is then reconstructed in the framework of both general relativity and the scalar-tensor theory of gravity, and compared with the recently reconstructed E model potential. In the strong coupling limit, we show that the η attractor is reached.     

Scalar field cosmology in phase space

Using dynamical systems methods, we describe the evolution of a minimally coupled scalar field and a Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe in the context of general relativity, which is relevant for inflation and late-time quintessence eras. Focussing on the spatially flat case, we examine the geometrical structure of the phase space, locate the equilibrium points of the system (de Sitter spaces with a constant scalar field), study their stability through both a third-order perturbation analysis and Lyapunov functions, and discuss the late-time asymptotics. As we do not specify the scalar field’s origin or its potential, the results are independent of the high-energy model.     

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.     

Energy of a Charged Wormhole

The Møller energy(due to matter and fields including gravity) distribution of the traversable Lorentzian wormhole space-time by the scalar field or electric charged is studied in two different approaches of gravity such as general relativity and tele-parallel gravity. The results are found exactly the same in these different approximations. The energy found in tele-parallel gravity is also independent of the tele-parallel dimensionless coupling constant, which means that it is valid in any tele-parallel model. Our results sustains that (a) the importance of the energy-momentum definitions in the evaluation of the energy distribution of a given space-time and (b) the viewpoint of Lassner that the Møller energy-momentum complex is a powerful concept of energy and momentum.     

Slightly Bimetric Gravitation

The inclusion of a flat metric tensor in gravitation permits the formulation of a gravitational stress-energy tensor and the formal derivation of general relativity from a linear theory in flat spacetime. Building on the works of Kraichnan and Deser, we present such a derivation using universal coupling and gauge invariance.Next we slightly weaken the assumptions of universal coupling and gauge invariance, obtaining a larger "slightly bimetric" class of theories, in which the Euler-Lagrange equations depend only on a curved metric, matter fields, and the determinant of the flat metric. The theories are equivalent to generally covariant theories with an arbitrary cosmological constant and an arbitrarily coupled scalar field, which can serve as an inflaton or dark matter.The question of the consistency of the null cone structures of the two metrics is addressed.     

Relativistie Cosmology With Quantum Corrections

Homogeneous isotropic, anisotropic, and inhomogeneous cosmological models are studied using Einstein's general relativity with quntum corrections in field theoretical approximation. In particular we discuss coherent scalar fields and curvature squared terms in the gravitational Lagrangian. The conformal equivalence of the field equations of fourth order to general relativity with a scalar field as source is an example of the geometrization of a matter field. The aemiclassical quantum eorrections of the scalar fields can avoid the initial cosmological singularity and they lead to an inflationary evolution stage as transient attrator. The review provides new points of view on questions like the probability of the inflationary stage and the question of mechanisms for multiple inflation.     

Floating and sinking: the imprint of massive scalars around rotating black holes

We study the coupling of massive scalar fields to matter in orbit around rotating black holes. It is generally expected that orbiting bodies will lose energy in gravitational waves, slowly inspiraling into the black hole. Instead, we show that the coupling of the field to matter leads to a surprising effect: because of superradiance, matter can hover into "floating orbits" for which the net gravitational energy loss at infinity is entirely provided by the black hole's rotational energy. Orbiting bodies remain floating until they extract sufficient angular momentum from the black hole, or until perturbations or nonlinear effects disrupt the orbit. For slowly rotating and nonrotating black holes floating orbits are unlikely to exist, but resonances at orbital frequencies corresponding to quasibound states of the scalar field can speed up the inspiral, so that the orbiting body sinks. These effects could be a smoking gun of deviations from general relativity.     

Conformal field theory on the horizon of a BTZ black hole

In a three-dimensional spacetime with negative cosmological constant, general relativity can be written as two copies of SO(2,1) Chern-Simons theory. On a manifold with a boundary, the Chern-Simons theory induces a conformal field theory—Wess-Zumino-Witten theory on the boundary. In this paper, it is shown that with suitable boundary conditions for a Banados-Teitelboim-Zanelli black hole, the Wess-Zumino-Witten theory can reduce to a chiral massless scalar field on the horizon.     

General relativity as a conformally invariant scalar gauge field theory

The global symmetry implied by the fact that one can multiply all masses with a common constant is made into a local, gauge symmetry. The matter action then becomes Conformally invariant and it seems natural to choose for the corresponding scalar gauge field the action for a conformally invariant (massless) scalar field. The resulting conformally invariant theory turns out to be equivalent to general relativity. Since this means that the usual Einstein-Hilbert action is not, in fact, a true gauge action for the space-time geometry, the full theory ought to be supplied with such a term. Gauge-theoretic arguments and conformal invariance requirements dictate its form.     

From massive gravity to modified general relativity II

We continue our investigation of massive gravity in the massless limit of vanishing graviton mass. From gauge invariance we derive the most general coupling between scalar matter and gravity. We get further couplings beside the standard coupling to the energy–momentum tensor. On the classical level this leads to a further modification of general relativity.     

Constraints on shift-symmetric scalar-tensor theories with a Vainshtein mechanism from bounds on the time variation of G

We show that the current bounds on the time variation of the Newton constant G can put severe constraints on many interesting scalar-tensor theories which possess a shift symmetry and a nonminimal matter-scalar coupling. This includes, in particular, Galileon-like models with a Vainshtein screening mechanism. We underline that this mechanism, if efficient to hide the effects of the scalar field at short distance and in the static approximation, can in general not alter the cosmological time evolution of the scalar field. This results in a locally measured time variation of G which is too large when the matter-scalar coupling is of order one.     

Dark energy and graviton mass in the nearby universe

The problem of the local Hubble flow on scales of several Mpc induced by the dark energy realized by a scalar quintessence field is considered within the framework of relativistic gravity theory (RGT). The observational Hubble Space Telescope data are shown to be well described in RGT by a model similar to the Chernin–Baryshev–Teerikorpi model constructed in general relativity, with the local Hubble constant being smaller than the cosmological Hubble constant. A stringent constraint has been placed on the quintessence parameter, 0 ≤ ν ≤ 0.05.