The cosmological constant is the most economical candidate for dark energy. No other approach really alleviates the difficulties faced by the cosmological constant because, in all other attempts to model the dark energy, one still has to explain why the bulk cosmological constant (treated as a low-energy parameter in the action principle) is zero. I argue that until the theory is made invariant under the shifting of the Lagrangian by a constant, one cannot obtain a satisfactory solution to the cosmological constant problem. This is impossible in any generally covariant theory with the conventional low-energy matter action, if the metric is varied in the action to obtain the field equations. I review an alternative perspective in which gravity arises as an emergent, long wavelength phenomenon and can be described in terms of an effective theory using an action associated with null vectors in the spacetime. This action is explicitly invariant under the shift of the energy momentum tensor $T_{ab}\to T_{ab}+Λg_{ab}$ and any bulk cosmological constant can be gauged away. Such an approach seems to be necessary for addressing the cosmological constant problem and can easily explain why its bulk value is zero. I describe some possibilities for obtaining its observed value from quantum gravitational fluctuations.
We review the unification of early-time inflation with late-time acceleration in several local modified gravity models which pass Solar System and cosmological tests. It is also demonstrated that account of non-local gravitational corrections to the action does not destroy the possibility of such unification. Dark matter effect is caused by composite graviton degree of freedom in such models.
The current accelerated expansion of our universe could be due to an unknown energy component (dark energy) or a modification to 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 non-trivial dark energy clustering, we show that the possible interaction between dark energy and dark matter could make the interacting dark energy model and the modified gravity model indistinguishable. An explicit example i…
Modern astrophysical and cosmological models are faced with two severe theoretical difficulties, that can be summarized as the dark energy and the dark matter problems. Relative to the former, it has been stated that cosmology has entered a 'golden age', in which high-precision observational data have confirmed with startling evidence that the Universe is undergoing a phase of accelerated expansion. Several candidates, responsible for this expansion, have been proposed in the literature, in particular, dark energy models and modified gravity, amongst others. One is liable to ask: What is the s…
We review modified $F(R)$ gravity as realistic candidate to describe the observable universe expansion history. We show that recent cosmic acceleration, radiation/matter-dominated epoch and inflation could be realized in the framework of $F(R)$-gravity in the unified way. For some viable classes of $F(R)$-gravity, the Newton law is respected and there is no so-called matter instability (the very heavy positive mass for additional scalar degree of freedom is generated). The reconstruction program in modified gravity is also reviewed and it is demonstrated that {\it any} time-evolution of the un…
A nonlocal generalization of Einstein's theory of gravitation is constructed within the framework of the translational gauge theory of gravity. In the linear approximation, the nonlocal theory can be interpreted as linearized general relativity but in the presence of "dark matter" that can be simply expressed as an integral transform of matter. It is shown that this approach can accommodate the Tohline-Kuhn treatment of the astrophysical evidence for dark matter.
Kelso, Hooper and Buckley [arXiv:1110.5338] found CRESST, CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA results are consistent with 10 - 15 GeV dark matter particles. Hennawi and Ostriker [arXiv:astro-ph/0108203] analyzed supermassive black hole formation in the centers of galaxies, finding a best fit for dark matter (self-interaction cross-section)/mass ratio = 0.02 cm^{2}/g, with round-off error of 25%. Combining the Hennawi/Ostriker result with the "strong gravity" model for dark matter [arXiv:0706.3050] requires dark matter particles with mass between 10.5 GeV and 17.5 GeV, overlapping the Kelso/Hooper/Buckley da…
We study the cosmological evolution of an induced gravity model with a self-interacting scalar field $σ$ and in the presence of matter and radiation. Such model leads to Einstein Gravity plus a cosmological constant as a stable attractor among homogeneous cosmologies and is therefore a viable dark-energy (DE) model for a wide range of scalar field initial conditions and values for its positive $γ$ coupling to the Ricci curvature $γσ^{2}R$.
We review some modified gravity models which describe the gravitational dark energy and the possibility of cosmic speed-up. The new consistent version of such theory which contains inverse and HD curvature terms as well as new type of coupling with matter is proposed. The accelerating cosmologies are discussed there. The structure of finite-time (sudden) singularities is investigated.
Recent observations provide strong evidence that the universe is accelerating. This confronts theory with a severe challenge. Explanations of the acceleration within the framework of general relativity are plagued by difficulties. General relativistic models require a "dark energy" field with effectively negative pressure. An alternative to dark energy is that gravity itself may behave differently from general relativity on the largest scales, in such a way as to produce acceleration. The alternative approach of modified gravity also faces severe difficulties, but does provide a new angle on t…
The modified F(R)-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity is proposed as dark energy model. The reconstruction program for such theory is developed. It is explicitly demonstrated that the known classical universe expansion history (deceleration epoch, transition to acceleration and effective quintessence, phantom or cosmological constant era) may naturally occur in such unified theory for some (reconstructed) classes of scalar potentials. Gauss-Bonnet assisted dark energy is also proposed. The possibility of cosmic acceleration is studied there.
We discuss the relevance of quantum gravity to the frontier questions in high energy phenomenology: the problems of dark matter, dark energy, and vacuum selection as well as the problems of emergent spacetime and wormholes. Dark matter and dark energy phenomenology, and the problem of vacuum selection are discussed within the context of string theory as a model of quantum gravity. Emergent spacetime and wormholes are discussed in a more general context of effective theories of quantum gravity.
We review on the viability of $F(R)$-gravity. We show that recent cosmic acceleration, radiation/matter-dominated epoch and inflation could be realized in the framework of $F(R)$-gravity in the unified way. For some classes of $F(R)$-gravity, the correction to the Newton law is extremely small and there is no so-called matter instability (the very heavy positive mass for additional scalar degree of freedom is generated). The reconstruction program in modified gravity is also reviewed and it is demonstrated that {\it any} time-evolution of the universe expansion could be realized in $F(R)$-grav…
We propose gravity, matters and dark energy may be confined on different four dimensional \emph{minimal surfaces} for the observer in five dimensional spacetime. Following this idea, we construct the equations of motion when gravity, matters and dark energy are confined on different minimal surfaces. Then in the background of Friedman-Robertson-Walker universe, we investigate the cosmic evolution when gravity and quintessence are confined on the minimal surfaces.
We propose the Kaluza-Klein inspired Brans-Dicke gravity model containing possible existence of dark matter and dark energy. The massive scalar field coupled with gravity in 5 dimensional spacetime can be reduced to 4 dimensional gravity along with the dilaton $ϕ$, gauge fields $A_μ$, and the tower of scalar fields $η_n$. Two additional gauge fields are introduced to form "Cosmic Triad" vector field scenario. We then use the dynamical system approach to analyze the critical points and their corresponding physical parameters. We found that in the case where only the zero mode of the Kaluza-Klei…
We reply to the comment "A note on the innocuous implications of a minimum length in quantum gravity" by P.H. Frampton [Class. Quantum Grav. 26 (2009) 018001, arXiv:arXiv:0808.0283] on our paper "Dangerous implications of a minimum length in quantum gravity" [Class. Quantum Grav. 25 (2008) 195013, arXiv:0803.0749].
A modification to the time-energy uncertainty relation in quantum gravity has been interpreted as increasing the duration of fluctuations producing virtual black holes with masses greater than the Planck mass. I point out that such virtual black holes have an exponential factor arising from the action such that their contribution to proton decay is suppressed, rather than enhanced, relative to Planck-mass black holes.
The holographic state of matter exists in the quantum gravitational regime, with black holes as the example. In this essay, we provide a microscopic derivation to the holographic thermodynamics and further discuss its implications for quantum gravity. Especially, we establish the link between holographic entropy and dimensional reduction. It seems that the fundamental physics behind black holes and the very early universe is $1+1$ dimensional.
In this paper, we propose a new approach to study the dark sector of the universe by considering the dark energy as emerging a q-deformed bosonic scalar field which is not only interacting with the dark matter, but also non-minimally coupled to gravity, in the framework of standard Einsteinian gravity. In order to analyze the dynamic of the system, we first give the quantum field theoretical description of the q-deformed scalar field dark energy, then construct the action and the dynamical structure of these interacting and non-minimally coupled dark sector. As a second issue, we perform the p…
The existence of a minimum length and a generalization of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle seem to be two fundamental ingredients required in any consistent theory of quantum gravity. In this letter we show that they would predict dangerous processes which are phenomenologically unacceptable. For example, long--lived virtual super--Planck mass black holes may lead to rapid proton decay. Possible solutions of this puzzle are briefly discussed.
The cosmological implications of an evolutionary quantum gravity are analyzed in the context of a generic inhomogeneous model. The Schrödinger problem is formulated and solved in the presence of a scalar field, an ultrarelativistic matter and a perfect gas regarded as the dust-clock. Considering the actual phenomenology, it is shown how the evolutionary approach overlaps the Wheeler-DeWitt one.
In this work, we have considered the Ricci dark energy model, where the energy density of the universe is proportional to the Ricci scalar curvature, 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.
The acceleration of the cosmic expansion may be due to a new component of physical energy density or a modification of physics itself. Mapping the expansion of cosmic scales and the growth of large scale structure in tandem can provide insights to distinguish between the two origins. Using Minimal Modified Gravity (MMG) - a single parameter gravitational growth index formalism to parameterize modified gravity theories - we examine the constraints that cosmological data can place on the nature of the new physics. For next generation measurements combining weak lensing, supernovae distances, and…
In this work, we reconstruct the $f(R)$ modified gravity for different ghost and generalized ghost dark energy models in FRW flat universe, which describe the accelerated expansion of the universe. The equation of state of reconstructed $f(R)$ - gravity has been calculated. We show that the corresponding $f(R)$ gravity of ghost dark energy model can behave like phantom or quintessence. We also show that the equation of state of reconstructed $f(R)$ gravity for generalized ghost model can transit from quintessence regime to the phantom regime as indicated by recent observations.
The Ricci dark energy is a model inspired by the holographic dark energy models with the dark energy density being proportional to Ricci scalar curvature. Here this model is studied in the bumblebee gravity theory. It is a gravitational theory that exhibit spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking. Then the modified Friedmann equation is solved for two cases. In the first case the coupling constant $ξ$ is equal to zero. And in the second case a solution in the vacuum, where the bumblebee field becomes a constant that minimizes the potential, is considered. The coupling constant controls the intera…
We examine the effectiveness of the weak gravity conjecture in constraining the dark energy by comparing with observations. For general dark energy models with plausible phenomenological interactions between dark sectors, we find that although the weak gravity conjecture can constrain the dark energy, the constraint is looser than that from the observations.
It has recently been suggested that observed galaxy rotation curves can be accounted for by general relativity without recourse to dark-matter halos. Good fits have been produced to observed galatic rotation curves using this model. We show that the implied total mass is infinite, adding to the evidence opposing the hypothesis.
The general equations describing hydrostatic equilibrium are developed for Non-singular Gravity. A new type of astrophysical structure, a Super Dense Object (SDO) or "Dark Star", is shown to exist beyond Neutron star field strengths. These structures are intrinsically stable against gravitational collapse and represent the non-singular alternative to General Relativity's Black Holes.
We show that quantum gravity, whatever its ultra-violet completion might be, could account for dark matter. Indeed, besides the massless gravitational field recently observed in the form of gravitational waves, the spectrum of quantum gravity contains two massive fields respectively of spin 2 and spin 0. If these fields are long-lived, they could easily account for dark matter. In that case, dark matter would be very light and only gravitationally coupled to the standard model particles.
We investigate a cosmological scenario by finding solutions using first-order formalism in the Horndeski gravity that constrains the superpotential and implies that no free choice of scalar potential is allowed. Despite this we show that a de Sitter phase at late-time cosmology can be realized, where the dark energy sector can be identified. The scalar field equation of state tends to the cosmological scenario at present time and allows us to conclude that it can simulate the dark energy in the Horndeski gravity.
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.
A ghost-free theory of gravity with two dynamical metrics both coupled to matter is shown to be consistent and viable. Its cosmological implications are studied, and the models, in particular in the context of partially massless gravity, are found to explain the cosmic acceleration without resorting to dark energy.
This paper scrutinises the tenability of a strict conceptual distinction between space(time) and matter via the lens of the debate between modified gravity and dark matter. In particular, we consider Berezhiani and Khoury's novel 'superfluid dark matter theory' (SFDM) as a case study. Two families of criteria for being matter and being spacetime, respectively, are extracted from the literature. Evaluation of the new scalar field postulated by SFDM according to these criteria reveals that it is as much (dark) matter as anything could possibly be, but also$-$below the critical temperature for su…
We examine the conformal equivalence between the $f(R)$ gravity and the interacting dark sector model. We review the well-known result that the conformal transformation physically corresponds to the mass dilation which marks the strength of interaction between dark sectors. Instead of modeling f(R) gravity in the Jordan frame, we construct the $f(R)$ gravity in terms of mass dilation function in the Einstein frame. We find that the condition to keep $f(R)$ gravity consistent with CMB observations ensures the energy flow from dark energy to dark matter in the corresponding interacting model, wh…
This brief contribution is devoted to phenomenological consequences of deviations from Lorentz invariance in gravity and dark matter. We will discuss main effects on cosmological observables and current constraints derived from astrophysical and cosmological data.
Adopting Dirac's brane variation prescription, the energy-momentum tensor of a brane gets supplemented by a geometrical (embedding originated) dark component. While the masslessness of the graviton is preserved, and the Newton force law is recovered, the corresponding Newton constant is necessarily lower than the one which governs FRW cosmology. This has the potential to puzzle out cosmological dark matter, a subsequent conjecture concerning galactic dark matter follows.
We discuss the implications for gravity wave detectors of a class of modified gravity theories which dispense with the need for dark matter. These models, which are known as Dark Matter Emulators, have the property that weak gravitational waves couple to the metric that would follow from general relativity without dark matter whereas ordinary particles couple to a combination of the metric and other fields which reproduces the result of general relativity with dark matter. We show that there is an appreciable difference in the Shapiro delays of gravitational waves and photons or neutrinos from…
We discuss the motivation for high accuracy relativistic gravitational experiments in the Solar System and complementary cosmological tests. We focus our attention on the issue of distinguishing a generic scalar-theory of gravity as the underlying physical theory from the usual general relativistic picture, where one expects the presence of fundamental scalar fields associated, for instance, to inflation, dark matter and dark energy.
We explore the cosmological consequences of Modified Gravity (MOG), and find that it provides, using a minimal number of parameters, good fits to data, including CMB temperature anisotropy, galaxy power spectrum, and supernova luminosity-distance observations without exotic dark matter. MOG predicts a bouncing cosmology with a vacuum energy term that yields accelerating expansion and an age of ~13 billion years.
In the present work, we reconstruct different f(T)-gravity models corresponding to the original and entropy-corrected version of the holographic and new agegraphic dark energy models. We also obtain the equation of state parameters of the corresponding f(T)-gravity models. We conclude that the holographic and new agegraphic f(T)-gravity models behave like phantom or quintessence model. Whereas in the entropy-corrected models, the equation of state parameter can justify the transition from the quintessence state to the phantom regime as indicated by the recent observations.
We analyze, within the framework of unified brane gravity, the weak-field perturbations caused by the presence of matter on a 3-brane. Although deviating from the Randall-Sundrum approach, the masslessness of the graviton is still preserved. In particular, the four-dimensional Newton force law is recovered, but serendipitously, the corresponding Newton constant is shown to be necessarily lower than the one which governs FRW cosmology. This has the potential to puzzle out cosmological dark matter. A subsequent conjecture concerning galactic dark matter follows.
In this paper, we have considered $F(R,T)$ gravity as a linear function of the curvature and torsion scalars and interacted it with logarithmic entropy corrected holographic dark energy to evaluate cosmology solutions. The model has been investigated by FRW metric, and then the energy density and the pressure of dark energy have calculated. Also we obtained equation of state (EoS) parameter of dark energy and has plotted it with respect to both variable of cosmic time and $e$-folding number. Finally, we have described the scenario in three status: early, late and future time by $e$-folding num…
We explore a new horizon of modified gravity from the viewpoint of the particle physics. As a concrete example, we take the $F(R)$ gravity to raise a question: can a scalar particle ("scalaron") derived from the $F(R)$ gravity be a dark matter candidate? We place the limit on the parameter in a class of $F(R)$ gravity model from the constraint on the scalaron as a dark matter. The role of the screening mechanism and compatibility with the dark energy problem are addressed.
Quantum gravity places important consistency conditions on low-energy effective field theory, such as the absence of global symmetries. These may have important consequences in the search for particle physics beyond the Standard Model. We review some of these conditions and their phenomenological implications for the strong CP problem, the weak scale, new gauge interactions, and cosmology. We also offer some general comments on how these ideas can guide model building.
Signature change at high density has been obtained as a possible consequence of deformed space-time structures in models of loop quantum gravity. This article provides a conceptual discussion of implications for cosmological scenarios, based on an application of mathematical results for mixed-type partial differential equations (the Tricomi problem). While the effective equations from which signature change has been derived are shown to be locally regular and therefore reliable, the underlying theory of loop quantum gravity may face several global problems in its semiclassical solutions.
A scientific analysis of the conditions under which gravity could be controlled and the implications that an hypothetical manipulation of gravity would have for known schemes of space propulsion have been the scope of a recent study carried out for the European Space Agency. The underlying fundamental physical principles of known theories of gravity were analysed and shown that even if gravity could be modified it would bring somewhat modest gains in terms of launching of spacecraft and no breakthrough for space propulsion.
We present an overview of the phenomenological implications of the theory of resummed quantum gravity. We discuss its prediction for the cosmological constant in the context of the Planck scale cosmology of Bonanno and Reuter, its relationship to Weinberg's asymptotic safety idea, and its relationship to Weinberg's soft graviton resummation theorem. We also discuss constraints and consistency checks of the theory.
In this work we shall demonstrate that it is possible to describe in a unified way a primordial bounce with the dark energy era, in the context of Gauss-Bonnet modified gravity. Particularly, the early time bounce has a nearly scale invariant power spectrum of primordial scalar curvature perturbations, while the dark energy era is a viable one, meaning that it mimics the $Λ$-Cold-Dark-Matter model and also is compatible with the Planck 2018 data on cosmological parameters. In addition, our analysis indicates that the dark energy era is free from dark energy oscillations, which occur in the con…
We suggest a class of generally covariant ghost-free nonlocal gravity models generating de Sitter or Anti-de Sitter background with an arbitrary value of the effective cosmological constant and featuring a mechanism of dark matter simulation. These models interpolate between the general relativistic phase on a flat spacetime background and their strongly coupled infrared (Anti)-de Sitter phase with two propagating massless graviton modes.
The modification of Einstein gravity at high energies is mandatory from a quantum approach. In this work, we point out that this modification will necessarily introduce new degrees of freedom. We analyze the possibility that these new gravitational states can provide the main contribution to the non-baryonic dark matter of the Universe. Unfortunately, the right ultraviolet completion of gravity is still unresolved. For this reason, we will illustrate this idea with the simplest high energy modification of the Einstein-Hilbert action: R^2-gravity.
In this work we study certain classes of $F(R,{\cal G})$ gravity which have appealing phenomenological features, with respect to the successful realization of the dark energy and of the inflationary era. Particularly, we discuss the general formalism and we demonstrate how several inflationary and dark energy evolutions can be described in the context of $F(R,{\cal G})$ gravity. Also we propose a unified model, in the context of which the early and late-time dynamics are controlled by the $F(R,{\cal G})$ gravity, thus producing inflation and the dark energy era, while the intermediate era is a…
Using the fluid representation, we formulate the conditions for the appearance of all four types finite-time future singularity in modified gravity in accelerating FRW universe. It stressed that number of standard quintessence/phantom DE theories (including scalar, fluid, DBI ones, etc) brings the accelerating cosmology to future singularity precisely in the same way as singular modified gravity DE. The viable non-singular modified gravity unifying the early-time inflation with late-time acceleration is considered. It is shown that adding such non-singular theory to another realistic singular …
We propose a connection between global physics and local galactic dynamics via quantum gravity. The salient features of cold dark matter (CDM) and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) are combined into a unified scheme by introducing the concept of MONDian dark matter which behaves like CDM at cluster and cosmological scales but emulates MOND at the galactic scale.
The premier alternative to the dark matter paradigm is modified gravity. Following an introduction to the relevant phenomenology of galaxies, I review the MOND paradigm, an effective summary of the observations which any theory must reproduce. A simple nonlinear modified gravity theory does justice to MOND at the nonrelativistic level, but cannot be elevated to the relativistic level in a unique way. I go in detail into the covariant tensor-vector-theory (TeVeS) which not only recovers MOND but can also deal in detail with gravitational lensing and cosmology. Problems with MOND and TeVeS at th…
Models where Dark Matter and Dark Energy interact with each other have been proposed to solve the coincidence problem. We review the motivations underlying the need to introduce such interaction, its influence on the background dynamics and how it modifies the evolution of linear perturbations. We test models using the most recent observational data and we find that the interaction is compatible with the current astronomical and cosmological data. Finally, we describe the forthcoming data sets from current and future facilities that are being constructed or designed that will allow a clearer u…
We show that Newton's gravitational potential, augmented by a logarithmic term, partly or wholly mitigates the need for dark matter. As a bonus, it also explains why MOND seems to work at galactic scales. We speculate on the origin of such a potential.
This is an invited contribution to be included in a multi-authored book on "Dark Energy", to be edited by Pilar Ruiz-Lapuente and published by Cambridge University Press.
We study the constraints on the dark energy model with constant equation of state parameter $w=p/ρ$ and the holographic dark energy model by using the weak gravity conjecture. The combination of weak gravity conjecture and the observational data gives $w<-0.7$ at the $3σ$ confidence level. The holographic dark energy model realized by a scalar field is in swampland.
Metric $f(R)$ gravity theories behave like GR with cosmological constant when $f"(R)$ = 0, and like scalar-tensor theories elsewhere. I investigate the transition from $f"(R) \neq 0$ to $f"(R) = 0$, and show that this theory may offer a way to explain Dark Energy and/or Dark Matter without having to make use of the chameleon mechanism to agree with solar system tests.
The logarithmic $R^2$-corrected $F(R)$ gravity is investigated as a prototype model of modified gravity theories with quantum corrections. By using the auxiliary field method, the model is described by the general relativity with a scalaron field. The scalaron field can be identified as an inflaton at the primordial inflation era. It is also one of the dark matter candidates in the dark energy era. It is found that a wide range of the parameters is consistent with the current observations of CMB fluctuations, dark energy and dark matter.
