We study the evolution of homogeneous and isotropic, flat cosmological models within the general scalar-tensor theory of gravity with arbitrary coupling function and potential. After introducing the limit of general relativity we describe the details of the phase space geometry. Using the methods of dynamical systems for the decoupled equation of the Jordan frame scalar field we find the fixed points of flows in two cases: potential domination and matter domination. We present the conditions on the mathematical form of the coupling function and potential which determine the nature of the fixed points (attractor or other). There are two types of fixed points, both are characterized by cosmological evolution mimicking general relativity, but only one of the types is compatible with the Solar System PPN constraints. The phase space structure should also carry over to the Einstein frame as long as the transformation between the frames is regular which however is not the case for the latter (PPN compatible) fixed point.
We study the evolution of homogeneous and isotropic, flat cosmological models within the general scalar-tensor theory of gravity with arbitrary coupling function and potential and scrutinize its limit to general relativity. Using the methods of dynamical systems for the decoupled equation of the Jordan frame scalar field we find the fixed points of flows in two cases: potential domination and matter domination. We present the conditions on the mathematical form of the coupling function and potential which determine the nature of the fixed points (attractor or other). There are two types of fix…
We examine the potential strong coupling problem at early times in a bouncing cosmological model with "strong gravity in the past" (Jordan frame), which is conformally related to inflation (Einstein frame). From naive dimensional analysis in the Jordan frame one would conclude that the quantum strong coupling energy scale can be lower than the classical energy scale. However, from the Einstein frame prospective this should not be the case. We illustrate this point by calculation in the Jordan frame which shows cancellations of the dangerous contributions in the tree level amplitude.
An inflationary epoch driven by the kinetic energy density in a dynamical Planck mass is studied. In the conformally related Einstein frame it is easiest to see the demands of successful inflation cannot be satisfied by kinetic inflation alone. Viewed in the original Jordan-Brans-Dicke frame, the obstacle is manifest as a kind of graceful exit problem and/or a kind of flatness problem. These arguments indicate the weakness of only the simplest formulation. {}From them can be gleaned directions toward successful kinetic inflation.
We consider the correspondence between the Jordan frame and the Einstein frame descriptions of scalar-tensor theory of gravitation. We argue that since the redefinition of the scalar field is not differentiable at the limit of general relativity the correspondence between the two frames is lost at this limit. To clarify the situation we analyse the dynamics of the scalar field in different frames for two distinct scalar-tensor cosmologies with specific coupling functions and demonstrate that the corresponding scalar field phase portraits are not equivalent for regions containing the general re…
We investigate the dynamics of $f(R)$ gravity in Jordan and Einstein frames. First, we perform a phase-space singularities analysis in both frames. We show that, typically, anisotropic singularities are absent in the Einstein frame, whereas they may appear in the Jordan frame. We conciliate this apparent inconsistency by showing that the necessary conditions for the existence of the Einstein frame are namely the same ones assuring the absence of the anisotropic singularities in the Jordan frame. In other words, we show that, at least in the context of Bianchi I cosmologies, the Einstein frame …
We investigate the qualitative evolution of (D+1)-dimensional cosmological models in f(R) gravity for the general case of the function f(R). The analysis is specified for various examples, including the (D+1)-dimensional generalization of the Starobinsky model, models with polynomial and exponential functions. The cosmological dynamics are compared in the Einstein and Jordan representations of the corresponding scalar-tensor theory. The features of the cosmological evolution are discussed for Einstein frame potentials taking negative values in certain regions of the field space.
Regular bouncing solutions in the framework of a scalar-tensor gravity model were found in a recent work. We reconsider the problem in the Einstein frame (EF) in the present work. Singularities arising at the limit of physical viability of the model in the Jordan frame (JF) are either of the Big Bang or of the Big Crunch type in the EF. As a result we obtain integrable scalar field cosmological models in general relativity (GR) with inverted double-well potentials unbounded from below which possess solutions regular in the future, tending to a de Sitter space, and starting with a Big Bang. The…
Jordan-Brans-Dicke theories with a linearized potential for the scalar field are investigated in the framework of the stochastic approach. The fluctuations of this field are examined and their backreaction on the classical background is described. We compute the mode functions and analyze the time evolution of the variance of the stochastic ensemble corresponding to the full quantum scalar field in the pre-big-bang regime. We compute fluctuations of the term discriminating between the two branches of solutions present in the theory. We find, both analytically and upon direct integration of the…
By using a bottom-up reconstruction technique for non-minimally 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 non-minimal 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 consider flat Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-Robertson-Walker cosmological models in the framework of general scalar-tensor theories of gravity with arbitrary coupling functions, set in the Jordan frame, in the cosmological epoch when the energy density of the ordinary dust matter dominates over the energy density of the scalar potential. Motivated by cosmological observations, we apply an approximation scheme in the regime close to the so-called limit of general relativity. The ensuing nonlinear approximate equations for the scalar field and the Hubble parameter can be solved analytically in cosmolo…
We study the evolution of linear perturbations in metric f(R) models of gravity and identify a potentially observable characteristic scale-dependent pattern in the behavior of cosmological structures. While at the background level viable f(R) models must closely mimic LCDM, the differences in their prediction for the growth of large scale structures can be sufficiently large to be seen with future weak lensing surveys. While working in the Jordan frame, we perform an analytical study of the growth of structures in the Einstein frame, demonstrating the equivalence of the dynamics in the two fra…
We consider the potential dominated era of Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker flat cosmological models in the framework of general Jordan frame scalar-tensor theories of gravity with arbitrary coupling functions, and focus upon the phase space of the scalar field. To study the regime suggested by the local weak field tests (i.e. close to the so-called limit of general relativity) we propose a nonlinear approximation scheme, solve for the phase trajectories, and provide a complete classification of possible phase portraits. We argue that the topology of trajectories in the nonlinear approximat…
We consider Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-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 class…
We revisit a general minisuperspace (MSS) formalism for scalar-tensor (ST) FLRW type cosmological models in arbitrary frame with perfect fluid source. We discuss how to impose Cauchy data on the corresponding dynamical system in order to reconstruct standard (ΛCDM) cosmological model. So far, the integrability of such models has been extensively studied in the Einstein or Jordan frames mainly. We extend these studies to arbitrary frame taking into account non-minimal coupling between matter and gravity. To this aim we explore a gauge freedom associated with a choice of lapse function. We show …
We investigate which Jordan frame $F(R)$ gravity can describe a Type IV singular bouncing cosmological evolution, with special emphasis given near the point at which the Type IV singularity occurs. The cosmological bounce is chosen in such a way so that the bouncing point coincides exactly with Type IV singularity point. The stability of the resulting $F(R)$ gravity is examined and in addition, we study the Einstein frame scalar-tensor theory counterpart of the resulting Jordan frame $F(R)$ gravity. Also, by assuming that the Jordan frame metric is chosen in such a way so that, when conformall…
In the framework of spatially averaged inhomogeneous cosmologies in classical General Relativity, effective Einstein equations govern the regional and the global dynamics of averaged scalar variables of cosmological models. A particular solution may be characterized by a cosmic equation of state. In this paper it is pointed out that a globally static averaged dust model is conceivable without employing a compensating cosmological constant. Much in the spirit of Einstein's original model we discuss consequences for the global, but also for the regional properties of this cosmology. We then cons…
An alternative to the Big Bang cosmologies is obtained by the Big Bounce cosmologies. In this paper, we study a bounce cosmology with a Type IV singularity occurring at the bouncing point, in the context of $F(R)$ modified gravity. We investigate the evolution of the Hubble radius and we examine the issue of primordial cosmological perturbations in detail. As we demonstrate, for the singular bounce, the primordial perturbations originating from the cosmological era near the bounce, do not produce a scale invariant spectrum and also the short wavelength modes, after these exit the horizon, do n…
This paper is devoted to the analysis of the covariant canonical formalism of $F(R)$ gravity in Einstein frame. We also find canonical transformation between covariant canonical formulation of F(R) gravity in Jordan frame and Einstein frames and we also determine corresponding generating function.
The null energy condition, in its usual form, can appear to be violated by transformations in the conformal frame of the metric. We propose a generalization of the form of the null energy condition to Jordan frame, in which matter is non-minimally coupled, which reduces to the familiar form in Einstein frame. Using our version of the null energy condition, we provide a direct proof of the second law of black hole thermodynamics in Jordan frame.
With an explicit example, we show that Jordan frame and the conformally transformed Einstein frames clearly lead to different physics for a non-minimally coupled theory of gravity, namely Brans-Dicke theory, at least at the quantum level. The example taken up is the spatially flat Friedmann cosmology in Brans-Dicke theory.
In this article, we examine the possibility that there exist special scalar-tensor theories of gravity with completely nonsingular FRW solutions. Our investigation in fact shows that while most probes living in such a Universe never see the singularity, gravity waves always do. This is because they couple to both the metric and the scalar field, in a way which effectively forces them to move along null geodesics of the Einstein conformal frame. Since the metric of the Einstein conformal frame is always singular for configurations where matter satisfies the energy conditions, the gravity wave w…
Using the generalized Schwinger-DeWitt technique, we calculate the divergent part of the one-loop effective action for gravity non-minimally coupled to a multiplet of scalar fields. All the calculations are consistently done in the Jordan frame.
In this note we consider the issue of the classical equivalence of scale-invariant gravity in the Einstein and in the Jordan frames. We first consider the simplest example $f(R)=R^{2}$ and show explicitly that the equivalence breaks down when dealing with Ricci-flat solutions. We discuss the link with the fact that flat solutions in quadratic gravity have zero energy. We also consider the case of scale-invariant tensor-scalar gravity and general $f(R)$ theories. We argue that all scale-invariant gravity models have Ricci flat solutions in the Jordan frame that cannot be mapped into the Einstei…
We investigate the classical stability of Schwarzschild black hole in Jordan and Einstein frames which are related by the conformal transformations. For this purpose, we introduce two models of the Brans-Dicke theory and Brans-Dicke-Weyl gravity in Jordan frame and two corresponding models in the Einstein frame. The former model is suitable for studying the massless spin-2 graviton propagating around the Schwarzschild black hole, while the later is designed for the massive spin-2 graviton propagating around the black hole. It turns out that the black hole (in)stability is independent of the fr…
In this work we shall study a new class of attractor models which we shall call generalized $R^p$-attractor models. This class of models is based on a generalization of the Einstein frame potential of $R^p$ $f(R)$ gravity models in the Jordan frame. We present the attractor properties of the corresponding non-minimally coupled Jordan frame theory, and we calculate the observational indices of inflation in the Einstein frame. As we show, there is a large class of non-minimally coupled scalar theories, with an arbitrary non-minimal coupling which satisfies certain conditions, that yield the same…
We study cosmological solutions in the low-energy effective heterotic string theory, which is the Einstein gravity with Gauss-Bonnet term and the dilaton. We show that the field equations are cast into an autonomous system for flat internal and external spaces, and derive all the fixed points in the system. We also examine the time evolution of the solutions and whether the solutions can give (transient) accelerated expansion of our four-dimensional space in the Einstein frame.
Jordan and Einstein frame are studied under the light of Hamiltonian formalism. Dirac's constraint theory for Hamiltonian systems is applied to Brans-Dicke theory in the Jordan Frame. In both Jordan and Einstein frame, Brans-Dicke theory has four secondary first class constraints and their constraint algebra is closed. We show, contrary to what is generally believed, the Weyl (conformal) transformation, between the two frames, is not a canonical transformation, in the sense of Hamiltonian formalism. This addresses quantum mechanical inequivalence as well. A canonical transformation is shown.
The Hamiltonian of any quantum cosmological model must obey some conditions in order to be self-adjoint, or to admit self-adjoint extensions. We will consider in this paper the self-adjoint character of the Hamiltonian resulting from the Brans-Dicke theory, both in Einstein and Jordan frames. In both cases we find the wave-function solutions in order to obtain concrete predictions for the evolution of the Universe. We show that the specific cosmological scenarios obtained depend very weakly on the conditions of having a self-adjoint operator. The problem of equivalence between Einstein and Jor…
Non-minimal scalar-tensor (ST) theories may admit an Einstein frame representation, where gravity is described by the Einstein-Hilbert action plus the scalar sector. Some STs become just {\em minimal} Einstein-scalar (MES) theories, notable examples are Brans-Dicke and $Rϕ^2$. ST theories with {\em derivative} coupling can also be reduced to an Einstein frame by disformal transformations, but, as a rule, their scalar sector will contain higher derivative terms. Here we draw attention to a new Palatini kinetically coupled theory which can be reduced to pure MES by an invertible disformal transf…
We show, considering a specific f(R)-gravity model, that the Jordan frame and the Einstein frame are physically non-equivalent, although they are connected by a conformal transformation which yields a mathematical equivalence. Since all the calculations are performed analytically, this non-equivalence is shown in an unambiguous way.
It is well known that the Jordan and Einstein frames are equivalent to each other in classical Brans-Dicke theory, provided that one and the same metric is employed for the physical space-time. Nevertheless, it is shown in this paper by cosmological models that the loop quantisation in the two different frames will lead to inequivalent effective theories. Analytical solutions have been found in both frames for the effective loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology without potential in: (i) vacuum case, (ii) additional massless scalar field case. In Einstein frame the analytical solution for the Bran…
Scalar-Tensor theories of gravity can be formulated in different frames, most notably, the Einstein and the Jordan one. While some debate still persists in the literature on the physical status of the different frames, a frame transformation in Scalar-Tensor theories amounts to a local redefinition of the metric, and then should not affect physical results. We analyze the issue in a cosmological context. In particular, we define all the relevant observables (redshift, distances, cross-sections, ...) in terms of frame-independent quantities. Then, we give a frame-independent formulation of the …
We study the thermodynamical aspects of $f(R)$ gravity in the Jordan and the Einstein frame, and we investigate the corresponding equivalence of the thermodynamical quantities in the two frames. We examine static spherically symmetric black hole solutions with constant Ricci scalar curvature $R$, and as we demonstrate, the thermodynamical quantities in the two frames are equivalent. However, for the case of black holes with non-constant scalar curvature $R$, the thermodynamical equivalence of the two frames is no longer valid. In addition, we examine cosmological solutions with non-trivial cur…
We discuss the conformal symmetry between Jordan and Einstein frames considering their relations with the metric and Palatini formalisms for modified gravity. Appropriate conformal transformations are taken into account leading to the evident connection between the gravitational actions in the two mentioned frames and the Hilbert-Einstein action with a cosmological constant. We show that the apparent differences between Palatini and metric formalisms strictly depend on the representation while the number of degrees of freedom is preserved. This means that the dynamical content of both formalis…
We investigate inflation models in Jordan frame supergravity, in which an inflaton non-minimally couples to the scalar curvature. By imposing the condition that an inflaton would have the canonical kinetic term in the Jordan frame, we construct inflation models with asymptotically flat potential through pole inflation technique and discuss their relation to the models based on Einstein frame supergravity. We also show that the model proposed by Ferrara et al. has special position and the relation between the Kähler potential and the frame function is uniquely determined by requiring that scala…
The Jordan frame action for general disformal theories is presented and studied for the first time, motivated by several unresolved mysteries that arise when working in the Einstein frame. We present the Friedmann equations and, specialising to exponential functions, study the late-time cosmology using dynamical systems methods and by finding approximate solutions. Our analysis reveals that either the disformal effects are irrelevant or the universe evolves towards a phantom phase where the equation of state of dark energy is $-3$. There is a marginal case where the asymptotic state of the uni…
A no-hair theorem for spherical black holes in scalar-tensor gravity is presented. Contrary to the existing theorems, which are proved in the Einstein conformal frame, this proof is performed entirely in the Jordan frame. The theorem is limited to spherical symmetry (instead of axisymmetry) but holds for non-constant Brans-Dicke couplings.
The present work shows that the mathematical equivalence of Jordan frame and its conformally transformed version, the Einstein frame, so far as Brans-Dicke theory is concerned, survives a quantization of cosmological models in the theory. We work with the Wheeler-deWitt quantization scheme and take up quite a few anisotropic cosmological models as examples. We effectively show that the transformation from Jordan to Einstein frame is a canonical one and hence two frames are equivalent description of same physical scenario.
We study the Jordan frame formulation of generalizations of scalar-tensor theories conceived by replacing the scalar with other fields such as vectors. The generic theory in this family contains higher order time derivative terms in the Jordan frame action which is indicative of ill-posedness. However, we show that equations of motion can always be reduced to a second-order-in-time form as long as the original Einstein frame formulation is well posed. The inverse transformation from the Jordan frame back to the Einstein frame is not possible for all field values in all theories, but we obtain …
We investigate how inflationary predictions are affected by the difference in the number of $e$-folds between the Jordan and Einstein frames. We study several test models in relation to a Jordan frame defined by the common Higgs-inflation-like non-minimal coupling to gravity and consider two different formulations of gravity: metric and Palatini. We find that the difference is quite contained in case of a metric Jordan frame while can be quite remarkable in case of a Palatini Jordan frame. We also discuss a way to overcome the discrepancy by introducing a frame invariant physical distance and …
We show how to use the quasi-Maxwell formalism to obtain solutions of Einstein's field equations corresponding to homogeneous cosmologies - namely Einstein's universe, Godel's universe and the Ozsvath-Farnsworth-Kerr class I solutions - written in frames for which the associated observers are stationary.
We study the scalar-tensor theory of gravity profoundly in the action level as well as in the thermodynamic level. Contrary to the usual description in the literature about the equivalence in the two conformally connected frames, this paper addresses several incomplete inferences regarding it and mentions some inequivalences which were not pointed out earlier. In the thermodynamic level, our analysis shows the two frames are equivalent. In that process, we identify the entropy, the energy and the temperature for the thermodynamic description, and we find these quantities are conformally invari…
We study mimetic $F(R)$ gravity with potential and Lagrange multiplier constraint. In the context of these theories, we introduce a reconstruction technique which enables us to realize arbitrary cosmologies, given the Hubble rate and an arbitrarily chosen $F(R)$ gravity. We exemplify our method by realizing cosmologies that are in concordance with current observations (Planck data) and also well known bouncing cosmologies. The attribute of our method is that the $F(R)$ gravity can be arbitrarily chosen, so we can have the appealing features of the mimetic approach combined with the known featu…
It is shown that the Jordan frame and its conformally transformed version, the Einstein frame of nonminimally coupled theories of gravity, are actually equivalent at the quantum level. The example of the theory taken up is the Brans-Dicke theory, and the wave packet calculations are done for a homogeneous and isotropic cosmological model in the purest form of the theory, i.e., in the absence of any additional matter sector. The calculations are clean and exact, and the result obtained are unambiguous.
We study the relation between the Jordan-Einstein frame transition and the possible description of the crossing of singularities in flat Friedmann universes, using the fact that the regular evolution in one frame can correspond to crossing singularities in the other frame. We show that some interesting effects arise in simple models such as one with a massless scalar field or another wherein the potential is constant in the Einstein frame. The dynamics in these models and in their conformally coupled counterparts are described in detail, and a method for the continuation of such cosmological e…
It is well known that, in contrast to general relativity, there are two conformally related frames, the Jordan frame and the Einstein frame, in which the Brans-Dicke theory, a prototype of generic scalar-tensor theory, can be formulated. There is a long standing debate on the physical equivalence of the formulations in these two different frames. It is shown here that gravitational deflection of light to second order accuracy may observationally distinguish the two versions of the Brans-Dicke theory.
We construct a dark energy model where a scalar field non-minimally coupled to gravity plays the role of the dark component. We compare cosmological consequences of this non-minimal coupling of the scalar field and gravity in the spirit of the dark energy paradigm in Jordan and Einstein frames. Some important issues such as phantom divide line crossing, existence of the bouncing solutions and the stability of the solutions are compared in these two frames. We show that while a non-minimally coupled scalar field in the Jordan frame is a suitable dark energy component with capability to realize …
Inflation models based on scalar-tensor theories of gravity are formulated in the Jordan frame but most often analysed in the Einstein frame. The transformation between the frames is not always desirable. In this work we formulate slow-roll conditions in the Jordan frame. This is achieved by comparing different background quantities and approximations on the same spatial slice in both frames. We use these approximations to derive simple equations that can be applied to compute inflation model observables in terms of Jordan frame quantities only. Finally, we apply some of the results to analyse…
The $f(R)$ gravity and scalar-tensor theory are known to be equivalent at the classical level. We study if this equivalence is valid at the quantum level. There are two descriptions of the scalar-tensor theory in the Jordan and Einstein frames. It is shown that these three formulations of the theories give the same determinant or effective action on shell, and thus they are equivalent at the quantum one-loop level on shell in arbitrary dimensions. We also compute the one-loop divergence in $f(R)$ gravity.
