The setting of Braided Ribbon Networks is used to present a general result in spin-networks embedded in manifolds: the existence of an infinite number of species of conserved quantities. Restricted to three-valent networks the number of such conserved quantities in a given network is shown to be invariant barring a single case. The implication of these conserved quantities is discussed in the context of Loop Quantum Gravity.
The presence of Nambu-Goldstone bosons introduce a natural degeneracy inside the vacuum solutions of the non-linear formulations of massive gravity in the same spirit of the $σ$-models. When the gravitational effects are taken into account, and the observers are located at any distance with respect to the source, this degeneracy corresponds to a multiplicity (flow) of the fundamental scales of the theory. The different values of the fundamental scales are connected each other through the broken generators of the theory.
It is shown that the notion of Conformal Mass can be defined within a given anti-de Sitter (AdS) branch of a Lovelock gravity theory as long as the corresponding vacuum is not degenerate. Indeed, conserved charges obtained by the addition of Kounterterms to the bulk action turn out to be proportional to the electric part of the Weyl tensor, when the fall-off of a generic solution in that AdS branch is considered. The factor of proportionality is the degeneracy condition for the vacua in the particular Lovelock AdS theory under study. This last feature explains the obstruction to define Conform…
We investigate a compact star in the general $F(R)$ gravity. Developing a novel formulation in the spherically symmetric and static space-time with the matter, we confirm that an arbitrary relation between the mass $M$ and the radius $R_s$ of the compact star can be realized by adjusting the functional form of $F(R)$. Such a degeneracy with a choice of the equation of state (EOS) suggests that only mass-radius relation is insufficient to constrain the $F(R)$ gravity. Furthermore, by solving the differential equation for $\left. \frac{dF(R)}{dR}\right|_{R=R(r)}$ near and inside the surface of t…
The planar Landau system which describes the quantum mechanical motion of a charged particle in a plane with a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the plane, is explored within pedagogical settings aimed at the beginning graduate level. The system is known to possess the Euclidean symmetry in two dimensions with central extension $\bar{E}(2)$. In this paper, we revisit the well-known energy eigenvalues of the system, known as the Landau levels, by exploiting the related $\bar{e}(2)$ symmetry algebra. Specifically, we utilize the Casimir operator and the commutation relations of the generat…
It has been long known that by appropriately modifying gravity one can always reproduce the expansion history of any dark energy model, e.g. the $Λ$CDM. This degeneracy cannot be broken with geometric probes like the Type Ia supernovae, the cosmic microwave background or the baryon acoustic oscillations since they are based on the measurement of distances and scales and therefore require the expansion history $H(z)$, so one may only hope to break this degeneracy by using dynamic probes like the growth rate data that track the matter density perturbations. We demonstrate that breaking this dege…
This article aims to transform the infinite-order Lagrangian density for ghost-free infinite-derivative linearized gravity into non-local. To achieve it, we use the theory of generalized functions and the Fourier transform in the space of tempered distributions $\mathcal{S}^\prime$. We show that the non-local operator domain is not defined on the whole functional space but on a subset of it. Moreover, we prove that these functions and their derivatives are bounded in all $\mathbb{R}^3$ and, consequently, the Riemann tensor is regular and the scalar curvature invariants do not present any space…
Infinite derivative theory of gravity is a modification to the general theory of relativity. Such modification maintains the massless graviton as the only true physical degree of freedom and avoids ghosts. Moreover, this class of modified gravity can address classical singularities. In this thesis some essential aspects of an infinite derivative theory of gravity are studied. Namely, we considered the Hamiltonian formalism, where the true physical degrees of freedom for infinite derivative scalar models and infinite derivative gravity are obtained. Furthermore, the Gibbons-Hawking-York boundar…
Nonrelativistic Hamiltonians with large, even infinite, ground-state degeneracy are studied by connecting the degeneracy to the property of a Dirac operator. We then identify a special class of Hamiltonians, for which the full space of degenerate ground states in any spatial dimension can be exhibited explicitly. The two-dimensional version of the latter coincides with the Pauli Hamiltonian, and recently-discussed models leading to higher-dimensional Landau levels are obtained as special cases of the higher-dimensional version of this Hamiltonian. But, in our framework, it is only the asymptot…
In this paper, we shall consider an infinite-derivative theory of gravity, with a view to making it renormalisable. First, we derive the modified superficial degree of divergence. Next, we establish that the theory is invariant under BRS (Becchi-Rouet-Stora) transformations. Consequently, we show that the corresponding Slavnov identities hold for the theory. Finally, we summarise our results and discuss renormalisability.
We study the gravitational field of the NUT-like source in the linearized (ghost-free) infinite derivative gravity. Such a source is equivalent to the spinning semi-infinite cosmic string with no tension. In general relativity, the linearized (massless) Taub-NUT solution has a curvature singularity as well as a topological defect corresponding to distributional curvature on one half of the symmetry axis called the Misner string. We find the NUT-charged spacetime in the linearized infinite derivative gravity. We show that it is free from curvature singularities as well as Misner strings. We als…
We consider four-dimensional quadratic gravity coupled to infinite towers of free massive scalar fields, Weyl fermions and vector bosons. We find that for specific numbers of towers, finite cosmological and Newton constants are induced in the 1-loop effective action. This is derived both in Adler's approach and by using the heat kernel method, which yield identical results. If the infinite number of massive states may be regarded as Kaluza--Klein modes arising from fields in higher dimensions, there are no Kaluza--Klein states associated with the four-dimensional graviton. Hence gravity is int…
We compute the Wald entropy of the Schwarzschild black hole in the ghost-free, infinite derivative gravity that is quadratic in curvature. This is not given purely by the area law but includes an additional contribution depending on the power of d'Alembertian operator, when requiring that the massless graviton be the only propagating mode in the Minkowski sapcetime.
In this paper we will consider the most general quadratic curvature action with infinitely many covariant derivatives of massless gravity in three spacetime dimensions. The action is parity invariant and torsion-free and contains the same off-shell degrees of freedom as the Einstein-Hilbert action in general relativity. In the ultraviolet, with an appropriate choice of the propagator given by the exponential of an entire function, the point-like curvature singularity can be smoothened to a Gaussian distribution, while in the infrared the theory reduces to general relativity. We will also show …
In this paper, we will show that the equations of motion of the quadratic in curvature, ghost free, infinite derivative theory of gravity will not permit an anisotropic collapse of a homogeneous Universe for a Kasner-type vacuum solution.
In this paper, we demonstrate that the Wald's entropy for any spherically symmetric blackhole within an infinite derivative theory of gravity is determined solely by the area law. Thus, the infrared behaviour of gravity is captured by the Einstein-Hilbert term, provided that the massless graviton remains the only propagating degree of freedom in the spacetime.
We study solutions describing spinning null sources called gyratons in generic theories of gravity with terms that are quadratic in curvature and contain an arbitrary number of covariant derivatives. In particular, we show that the properties of pp-waves of the algebraic type III allow for extreme simplification of the field equations. It turns out that the resulting differential equations are exactly solvable due to partial decoupling and linearity of the equations. This is demonstrated explicitly by finding axially symmetric gyraton solutions in Stelle's fourth derivative gravity and the non…
Typically higher-derivative theories are unstable. Instabilities manifest themselves from extra propagating degrees of freedom, which are unphysical. In this paper, we will investigate an infinite derivative field theory and study its true dynamical degrees of freedom via Hamiltonian analysis. In particular, we will show that if the infinite derivatives can be captured by a Gaussian kinetic term, i.e. exponential of entire function, then it is possible to prove that there are only finite number of dynamical degrees of freedom. We will further extend our investigation into infinite derivative t…
In this paper we will study the complete equations of motion for a ghost free quadratic curvature infinite derivative gravity. We will argue that within the scale of non-locality, Schwarzschild-type singular metric solution is not {\it permissible}. Therefore, Schwarzschild-type vacuum solution which is a prediction in Einstein-Hilbert gravity may {\it not} persist within the region of non-locality. We will also show that just quadratic curvature gravity, without infinite derivatives, always allows Schwarzschild-type singular metric solution.
In this paper we will provide a non-singular rotating space time metric for a ghost free infinite derivative theory of gravity. We will provide the predictions for the Lense-Thirring effect for a slowly rotating system, and how it is compared with that from general relativity.
The Hulse-Taylor binary provides possibly the best test of GR to date. We find the modified quadrupole formula for Infinite Derivative Gravity (IDG). We extend the backreaction formula for propagation of gravitational waves, found previously for Effective Quantum Gravity (EQG) for a flat background and extend this calculation to a de Sitter background for both EQG and IDG. We put tighter constraints on EQG using new LIGO data. We also find the power emitted by a binary system within the IDG framework for both circular and elliptical orbits and use the example of the Hulse-Taylor binary. IDG pr…
Einstein's General theory of relativity permits spacetime singularities, where null geodesic congruences focus in the presence of matter, which satisfies an appropriate energy condition. In this paper, we provide a minimal defocusing condition for null congruences without assuming any Ansatz-dependent background solution. The two important criteria are: (1) an additional scalar degree of freedom, besides the massless graviton must be introduced into the spacetime; and (2) an infinite derivative theory of gravity is required in order to avoid tachyons or ghosts in the graviton propagator. In th…
Theories with an infinite number of derivatives are described by non-local Lagrangians for which the standard Hamiltonian formalism cannot be applied. Hamiltonians of special types of non-local theories can be constructed by means of the (1+1)-dimensional Hamiltonian formalism. In this paper, we consider a simple scalar field model inspired by the infinite derivative gravity and study its reduced phase space by using this formalism. Assuming the expansion of the solutions in the coupling constant, we compute the perturbative Hamiltonian and the symplectic 2-form. We also discuss an example of …
We construct exact pp-wave solutions of ghost-free infinite derivative gravity and demonstrate that the sourceless theory does not bring any pp-wave solutions save for that of Einstein's gravity. These waves described in the Kerr-Schild form also solve the linearized field equations of the theory. We also find an exact gravitational shock wave with non-singular curvature invariants and with a finite limit in the ultraviolet regime of non-locality which is in contrast to the divergent limit in Einstein's theory.
A particle in four dimensions should behave like a classical black hole if the horizon radius is larger than the Compton wavelength or, equivalently, if its degeneracy (measured by entropy in units of the Planck scale) is large. For spherically symmetric black holes in 4 + d dimensions, both arguments again lead to a mass threshold MC and degeneracy scale Mdeg of the order of the fundamental scale of gravity MG. In the brane-world, deviations from the Schwarzschild metric induced by bulk effects alter the horizon radius and effective four-dimensional Euclidean action in such a way that MC \sim…
It turns out that the infinite derivative gravity (IDG) is ghost-free and renormalizable when one chooses the exponential of an entire function. For this IDG case, the corresponding Newtonian potential generated from the delta function is non-singular at the origin. However, we will explicitly show that the source generating this non-singular potential is given not by the delta-function due to the point-like source of mass, but by the Gaussian mass distribution. This explains clearly why the IDG with the exponential of an entire function yields the finite potential at the origin.
We consider nonlocal modified Einstein gravity without matter, where nonlocal term has the form $P(R) F(\Box) Q(R)$. For this model, in this paper we give the derivation of the equations of motion in detail. This is not an easy task and presented derivation should be useful to a researcher who wants to investigate nonlocal gravity. Also, we present the second variation of the related Einstein-Hilbert modified action and basics of gravity perturbations.
A form of infinite derivative gravity is free from ghost-like instabilities with improved small scale behavior. In this theory, we calculate the tree-level scattering amplitude and the corresponding weak field potential energy between two localized covariantly conserved spinning point-like sources that also have velocities and orbital motion. We show that the spin-spin and spin-orbit interactions take the same form as in Einstein's gravity at large separations, whereas at small separations, the results are different. We find that not only the usual Newtonian potential energy but also the spin-…
We study exact impulsive gravitational waves propagating in anti-de Sitter spacetime in the context of the ghost free infinite derivative gravity. We show that the source-free theory does not admit any AdS wave solutions other than that of Einstein's general relativity. The situation is significantly different in the presence of sources. We construct impulsive-wave solutions of the infinite derivative gravity generated by massless particles and linear sources in four and three dimensions. The singularities corresponding to distributional curvature at the locations of the sources get smeared by…
In String Theory there often appears a rather interesting class of higher derivative theories containing an infinite set of derivatives in the form of an exponential. These theories may provide a way to tame ultraviolet divergences without introducing ghost-like states. In this invited article we provide a brief overview on the progress that has been made over the last decade to construct such infinite derivative theories of gravity which may be able to address the singularity problems in gravity. In the process we will also be able to present some general results that applies to covariant tor…
We discuss a non-dynamical theory of gravity in three-dimensions which is based on an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra that is closely related to an infinite-dimensional extended AdS algebra. We find an intriguing connection between on the one hand higher-derivative gravity theories that are consistent with the holographic c-theorem and on the other hand truncations of this infinite-dimensional Lie algebra that violate the Lie algebra structure. We show that in three dimensions different truncations reproduce, up to terms that do not contribute to the c-theorem, Chern-Simons-like gravity model…
Einstein's General theory of relativity is plagued by cosmological and blackhole type singularities Recently, it has been shown that infinite derivative, ghost free, gravity can yield non-singular cosmological and mini-blackhole solutions. In particular, the theory possesses a {\it mass-gap} determined by the scale of new physics. We will use this property to argue that it is possible to form a non-singular super-massive compact objects without having any event horizon in this class of theories.
In this paper we present an alternative cosmological extension of the three-dimensional extended Newtonian Chern-Simons gravity by switching on the torsion. The theory is obtained as a non-relativistic limit of an enhancement and $U(1)$-enlargement of the so-called teleparallel algebra and can be seen as the teleparallel analogue of the Newtonian gravity theory. The infinite-dimensional extension of our result is also explored through the Lie algebra expansion method. An infinite-dimensional torsional Galilean gravity model is presented which in the vanishing cosmological constant limit reprod…
In this paper we will consider the ultraviolet (UV) finiteness of the most general one-particle irreducible ($1$PI) Feynman diagrams within the context of ghost-free, infinite-derivative scalar toy model, which is inspired from ghost free and singularity-free infinite-derivative theory of gravity. We will show that by using dressed vertices and dressed propagators, $n$-loop, $N$-point diagrams constructed out of lower-loop $2$- & $3$-point and, in general, $N_i$-point diagrams are UV finite with respect to internal and external loop momentum. Moreover, we will demonstrate that the external mom…
We present the most general quadratic curvature action with torsion including infinite covariant derivatives and study its implications around the Minkowski background via the Palatini approach. Provided the torsion is solely given by the background axial field, the metric and torsion are shown to decouple, and both of them can be made ghost and singularity free for a fermionic source.
Ghost-free Infinite Derivative Gravity (IDG) is a modified gravity theory which can avoid the singularities predicted by General Relativity. This thesis examines the effect of IDG on four areas of importance for theoretical cosmologists and experimentalists. First, the gravitational potential produced by a point source is derived and compared to experimental evidence, around both Minkowski and (Anti) de Sitter backgrounds. Second, the conditions necessary for avoidance of singularities for perturbations around Minkowski and (Anti) de Sitter spacetimes are found, as well as for background Fried…
In this paper we will construct a linearized metric solution for an electrically charged system in a {\it ghost-free} infinite derivative theory of gravity which is valid in the entire region of spacetime. We will show that the gravitational potential for a point-charge with mass $m$ is non-singular, the Kretschmann scalar is finite, and the metric approaches conformal-flatness in the ultraviolet regime where the non-local gravitational interaction becomes important. We will show that the metric potentials are bounded below one as long as two conditions involving the mass and the electric char…
We revisit the degeneracy between massive neutrinos and generalized theories of gravity in the framework of effective field theory of cosmic acceleration. In particular we consider f(R) theories and a class of non-minimally coupled models parametrized via a coupling to gravity which is linear in the scale factor. In the former case, we find a slightly lower degeneracy with respect to what found so far in the literature, due to the fact that we implement exact designer f(R) models and evolve the full linear dynamics of perturbations. As a consequence, our bounds are slightly tighter on the f(R)…
We present the construction of a gravitational action including an infinite series of higher derivative terms. The outcome is a classically consistent completion of a well-studied quadratic curvature theory. The closed form for the full action is ghost-free bimetric theory, describing the interactions of a massive and a massless spin-2 field. At energies much smaller than the spin-2 mass scale, the theory reduces to general relativity. For energies comparable to the spin-2 mass, the higher derivative terms completing the Einstein-Hilbert action capture the effects of the additional massive spi…
We propose the concept of MoNDian dark matter which behaves like cold dark matter at cluster and cosmic scales but emulates modified Newtonian dynamics at the galactic scale. The connection between global physics and local galactic dynamics is implemented via entropic gravity. We also give an alternative formulation of MoNDian dark matter by using an effective gravitational Born-Infeld theory. In the latter approach, we show that the quanta of MoNDian dark matter obey infinite statistics.
We discuss some general properties of black hole entropy in loop quantum gravity from the perspective of local stationary observers at distance l from the horizon. The present status of the theory indicates that black hole entropy differs from the low energy (IR) expected value A/(4G) (in natural units) in the deep Planckian regime (UV). The partition function is well defined if the number of non-geometric degrees of freedom g_M (encoding the degeneracy of the area a_p eigenvalue at a puncture p) satisfy the holographic bound g_M < exp(ap/(4G)). Our framework provides a natural renormalization…
We elaborate on our proposal regarding a connection between global physics and local galactic dynamics via quantum gravity. This proposal calls for the concept of MONDian dark matter which behaves like cold dark matter at cluster and cosmological scales but emulates modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) at the galactic scale. In the present paper, we first point out a surprising connection between the MONDian dark matter and an effective gravitational Born-Infeld theory. We then argue that these unconventional quanta of MONDian dark matter must obey infinite statistics, and the theory must be fun…
The asymptotic safety conjecture is examined for quantum gravity in four dimensions. Using the renormalisation group, we find evidence for an interacting UV fixed point for polynomial actions up to the 34th power in the Ricci scalar. The extrapolation to infinite polynomial order is given, and the self-consistency of the fixed point is established using a bootstrap test. All details of our analysis are provided. We also clarify further aspects such as stability, convergence, the role of boundary conditions, and a partial degeneracy of eigenvalues. Within this setting we find strong support for…
Emergence of $R^2$ inflation which is the best fit framework for CMB observations till date comes from the attempts to attack the problem of quantization of gravity which in turn have resulted in the trace anomaly discovery. Further developments in trace anomaly and different frameworks aiming to construct quantum gravity indicate an inevitability of non-locality in fundamental physics at small time and length scales. A natural question would be to employ the $R^2$ inflation as a probe for signatures of non-locality in the early Universe physics. Recent advances of embedding $R^2$ inflation in…
