We show that the new type of "non-metric" gravity theories introduced independently by Bengtsson and Krasnov can in fact be reexpressed explicitely as a metrical theory coupled to an auxiliary field. We unravel why such theories possess only one propagating graviton by looking at the quadratic perturbation around a fixed solution. And we give a general construction principle with a new class of example of such modified gravity theories still possessing only two propagating degrees of freedom.
This paper is a collection of lecture notes on modified gravity. Various modified gravity models formulated within the Riemannian formalism are discussed.
We consider spatially covariant modified gravity in which the would-be scalar degree of freedom is made non-dynamical and hence there are just two tensorial degrees of freedom, i.e., the same number of dynamical degrees of freedom as in general relativity. Focusing on a class of such modified gravity theories characterized by three functions of time, we discuss how modified gravity with two tensorial degrees of freedom can be distinguished observationally or phenomenologically from general relativity. It is checked that the theory gives the same predictions as general relativity for weak gravi…
The dynamics of the dust-shell model of universe is exactly solved for the modified Schwarzschild solution. This solution is used to derive the cosmology corresponding to the modified gravity.
It is shown that if a metric in quantum gravity can be decomposed as a sum of classical and quantum parts then Einstein quantum gravity looks approximately like modified gravity with a nonminimal interaction between gravity and matter.
We give conditions to obtain cosmological asymptotic freedom in scalar-tensor theories of gravity. We show that this feature can be achieved in FRW flat spacetimes since we obtain singularity free solutions where the effective gravitational constant $G_{eff}\rightarrow 0$ for $t\rightarrow -\infty$ and, for some of them, $G_{eff}\rightarrow G_{N}$ for $t\rightarrow\infty$, where $G_{N}$ is the Newton constant.
We present a brief overview of the stability analysis of the Einstein static universe in various modified theories of gravity, like f(R) gravity, Gauss-Bonnet or f(G) gravity, and Horava-Lifshitz gravity.
We present an observation about the proposal that four-dimensional modification of general relativity may explain the observed cosmic acceleration today. Assuming that the thermodynamical nature of gravity theory continues to hold in modified gravity theories, we derive the modified horizon entropy formula from the modified Friedmann equation. We argue that our results imply that there are conceptual problems in some models of four-dimensional modification of general relativity.
We briefly describe the modified Friedmann equations for Einstein-Aether gravity theory and we find the effective density and pressure. The purpose of our present work is to reconstruction of Einstein-Aether Gravity from other modified gravities like $f(T)$, $f(R)$, $f(G)$, $f(R,T)$ and $f(R,G)$ and check its viability. The scale factor is chosen in power law form. The free function $F(K)$ for Einstein-Aether gravity (where $K$ is proportional to $H^{2}$) have been found in terms for $K$ by the correspondence between Einstein-Aether gravity and other modified gravities and the nature of $F(K)$…
We discuss the cosmological reconstruction in modified Gauss-Bonnet (GB) gravity. It is demonstrated that the modified GB gravity may describe the most interesting features of late-time cosmology. We derive explicit form of effective phantom cosmological models ending by the finite-time future singularity (Big Rip) and without singularities in the future (Little Rip).
Chern-Simons modified gravity models in 4-dimensions are shown to be special cases of low energy effective string models to first order in the string constant.
The stability issue of generalized modified gravitational models is discussed with particular emphasis to de Sitter solutions. Two approaches are briefly presented.
This study uses very simple symmetry and consistency considerations to put constraints on possible Friedmann equations for modified gravity models in curved spaces. As an example, it is applied to loop quantum cosmology.
The modified gravity with 1/R term (R being scalar curvature) and the Einstein-Hilbert term is studied by incorporating the phantom scalar field. A number of cosmological solutions are derived in the presence of the phantom field in the perfect fluid background. It is shown the current inflation obtained in the modified gravity is affected by the existence the phantom field.
The dynamical equivalence between modified and scalar-tensor gravity theories is revisited and it is concluded that it breaks down in the limit to general relativity. A gauge-independent analysis of cosmological perturbations in both classes of theories lends independent support to this conclusion. As a consequence, the PPN formalism of scalar-tensor gravity and Solar System experiments do not veto modified gravity, as previously thought.
The existence of an extra degree of freedom (d.o.f.) in $f(T)$ gravity has been recently proved by means of the Dirac formalism for constrained Hamiltonian systems. We will show a toy model displaying the essential feature of $f(T)$ gravity, which is the pseudoinvariance of T under a local symmetry, to understand the nature of the extra d.o.f.
A modified Newton's gravity is obtained as the weak field approximation of the Einstein's equation in Finsler space. It is found that a specified Finsler structure makes the modified Newton's gravity equivalent to the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND). In the framework of Finsler geometry, the flat rotation curves of spiral galaxies can be deduced naturally without invoking dark matter.
This note presents a simple argument showing that dark matter is an effect of $f(R)$ gravity based on the definition of slightly modified gravitational theories previously proposed by the author.
A specific choice of gauge is shown to imply a decoupling between the tensor and scalar components of Gravitational Radiation in the context of Brans-Dicke type theories of gravitation. The comparison of the predictions of these theories with those of General Relativity is thereby made straightforward.
Finding spherically symmetric exact solutions in modified gravity is usually a difficult task. In this paper we use the Noether's symmetry approach for a modified Teleparallel theory of gravity labelled as $f(T,B)$ gravity where $T$ is the scalar torsion and $B$ the boundary term. Using the Noether's theorem, we were able to find exact spherically symmetric solutions for different forms of the function $f(T,B)$ coming from the Noether's symmetries.
We derive the equations of state of Fermi gas by maximizing the Fermi-Dirac entropy in modified gravity in relativistic and non-relativistic case. It will be demonstrated that the microphysics must depend on a given theory of gravity in order to consistently describe a physical system at a statistical equilibrium state.
We study the matter stability in modified teleparallel gravity or $f(T)$ theories. We show that there is no Dolgov-Kawasaki instability in these types of modified teleparallel gravity theories. This give the $f(T)$ theories a great advantage over their $f(R)$ counterparts because from the stability point of view there isn't any limit on the form of functions that can be chosen.
A recently proposed theory of modified gravity with an explicit ``anomalous'' coupling of the Ricci curvature to matter is discussed, and an inequality is derived which expresses a necessary and sufficient condition to avoid the notorius Dolgov-Kawasaki instability.
In this paper we consider FRW cosmology in modified non-local gravity. The stability analysis shows that there is only one stable critical point for the model and the universe undergoes a quintessence dominated era.
A brief introduction on the issue of stability in generalized modified gravity is presented and the dynamical system methods are used in the investigation of the stability of spatially flat homogeneous cosmologies within a large class of generalized modified gravity models in the presence of a relativistic matter-radiation fluid.
A brief review of cosmology in some generalized modified gravity theories with vacuum polarization is presented. Stability question of de Sitter solution is investigated.
The stability issue of a large class of modified gravitational models is discussed with particular emphasis to de Sitter solutions. Three approaches are briefly presented and the generalization to more general cases is mentioned.
In this paper we obtain the entropy of the Kerr black hole for a number of modified theories of gravity. We show that as long as the deviation from Einstein Hilbert term consists purely of terms involving scalar curvature and Ricci tensor, the entropy is solely given by the area law. However, the area law will be modified by appropriate corrections when we consider terms involving Riemann tensor explicitly.
Modifications of Einstein's theory of gravitation have been extensively considered in the past years, in connection to both cosmology and quantum gravity. Higher-curvature and higher-derivative gravity theories constitute the main examples of such modifications. These theories exhibit, in general, more degrees of freedom than those found in standard General Relativity; counting, identifying, and retrieving the description/representation of such dynamical variables is currently an open problem, and a decidedly nontrivial one. In this work we review, via both formal arguments and custom-made exa…
In the context of modified $f(R)$ gravity theory, we study time-dependent wormhole spacetimes in the radiation background. In this framework, we attempt to generalize the thermodynamic properties of time-dependent wormholes in $f(R)$ gravity. Finally, at event horizon, the rate of change of total entropy has been discussed.
We derive the equations of motion of an electrically neutral test particle for modified gravity theories in which the covariant divergence of the ordinary matter energy-momentum tensor dose not vanish (i.e. $\nabla_μT^{μν}\neq0$). In fact, we generalize the Mathisson-Papapetrou equations by deriving a general form for the equations of motion of a test particle. Furthermore, using the generalized Mathisson-Papapetrou equations, we investigate the equations of motion of a pole-dipole (spinning) particle in the context of Modified Gravity (MOG).
We consider cosmological properties of modified gravity with nonlocal term $ R^p\mathcal{F}(\Box)R^q$ in its Lagrangian. Equations of motion are presented. For the flat FLRW metric, and some particular values of natural numbers $p$ and $q$ cosmological solutions of the form $a(t)= C e^{- \frac γ{12}t^2}$ are found.
We review the exact solutions in modified gravity. It is one of the main problems of mathematical physics for the gravity theory. One can obtain an exact solution if the field equations reduce to a system of ordinary differential equations. In this paper we consider a number of exact solutions obtained by the method of separation of variables. Some applications to Cosmology and BH entropy are briefly mentioned.
We investigate the spacetime of a slowly rotating black hole in the Chern-Simons modified gravity. The long range feature of frame-dragging effect under the Chern-Simon gravity well explains the flat rotation curves of galaxies which is a central evidence of dark matter. Our solution provides a different scenario of rotating space from Goedel's solution.
A relativistic modified gravity (MOG) theory leads to a self-consistent, stable gravity theory that can describe the solar system, galaxy and clusters of galaxies data and cosmology.
Recently one of us derived the action of modified gravity consistent with the holographic and new-agegraphic dark energy. In this paper, we investigate the stability of the Lagrangians of the modified gravity as discussed in [M. R. Setare, Int. J. Mod. Phys. D 17 (2008) 2219; M. R. Setare, Astrophys. Space Sci. 326 (2010) 27]. We also calculate the statefinder parameters which classify our dark energy model.
The gauge approach to gravity based on the local Lorentz group with a general independent affine connection A_{μcd} is developed. We consider SO(1,3) gauge theory with a Lagrangian quadratic in curvature as a simple model of quantum gravity. The torsion is proposed to represent a dynamic degree of freedom of quantum gravity at scales above the Planckian energy. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is induced as an effective theory due to quantum corrections of torsion via generating a stable gravito-magnetic condensate. We conjecture that torsion possesses an intrinsic quantum nature and can be confine…
With continuous advances in related technologies, relativistic gravitational experiments with orbiting gradiometers becomes feasible, which could naturally be incorporated into future satellite gravity missions. Tests of Chern-Simons modified gravity are meaningful since such a modification gives us insights into (possible) parity-violations in gravitation. In this work, we derive, at the post-Newtonian level, the new observables of secular gradients from the non-dynamical Chern-Simons modified gravity, which will greatly improve the constraint on the mass scale $M_{CS}$ that may be drawn from…
Euclidean gravity provides an interesting test system for an analysis of cosmological perturbations in an effective Hamiltonian constraint with holonomy modifications from loop quantum gravity. This paper presents a discussion of scalar modes, with a specific form of the holonomy modification function derived from a general expansion in a connection formulation. Compared with some previous models, the constraint brackets are deformed in a different and more restricted way. A general comparison of anomaly-free brackets in various effective and operator versions shows overall consistency between…
In this paper, we examine the existence of traversable wormhole solutions within the Chern-Simons modified gravity. We find a non-trivial solution in the theory with dynamical Chern-Simons coefficient in the absence of matter sources. This result displays a situation opposite to GR where the matter sources violating the energy conditions are required.
We study the gravitomagnetism in the Scalar-Vector-Tensor theory or Moffat's Modified theory of Gravity(MOG). We compute the gravitomagnetic field that a slow-moving mass distribution produces in its Newtonian regime. We report that the consistency between the MOG gravitomagnetic field and that predicted by the Einstein's gravitional theory and measured by Gravity Probe B, LAGEOS and LAGEOS 2, and with a number of GRACE and Laser Lunar ranging measurements requires $|α| < 0.0013$. We provide a discussion.
A reconstruction of modified gravity is proposed by establishing a correspondence between the effective density of the modified gravity and the holographic density. The non-homogeneous term in the modified Friedmann equation, generated by the vacuum (holographic) energy density, lead to reconstructed models that contain explicitly, as part of the solution, the Einstein-Hilbert term. It was shown that the $Λ$CDM-type cosmic histories allow the general relativity Lagrangian with cosmological constant as a particular reconstructed solution. The Starobinsky term appears in some reconstructed solut…
We extend Padmanabhan's entropy functional formalism to show that, in addition to the Gauss-Bonnet or the entire series of Lanczos-Lovelock Lagrangians already obtained, more general higher-order corrections to General Relativity, i.e., the so-called modified gravity theories, also emerge naturally from this formalism. This extension shows that the formalism constitutes a valuable tool to investigate, at each order in the curvature, the possible structure the higher-order modified gravity theories might have. As an application, the extended formalism is used to evaluate the horizon entropy in …
This MSc thesis is divided in to two parts. The first, covers the foundations of theories of gravitation, and, the second incorporates original work on the subject of the existence of traversable wormholes in $f(R)$ modified theories of gravity. A short incursion in the field of scalar-tensor theories had to be made, owing to an apparent inconsistency in the result previously found.
We construct a conserved, symmetric energy-momentum (pseudo-)tensor for Chern-Simons modified gravity, thus demonstrating that the theory is Lorentz invariant. The tensor is discussed in relation to other gravitational energy-momentum tensors and analyzed for the Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordstrom, and FRW solutions. To our knowledge this is the first confirmation that the Reissner-Nordstrom and FRW metrics are solutions of the modified theory.
In this paper we present the results of our calculations of the Einsteinian strengths S_E(d) and numbers dynamical degrees of freedom N_{DF}(d) for alternative gravity theories in d >= 4 dimensions. In the first part we consider the numbers S_E(d) and N_{DF}(d) for metric-compatible and quadratic in curvature (or quadratic in curvature and in torsion) gravity. We show that in the entire set of the metric-compatible quadratic gravity in d >= 4 dimensions the 2-nd order Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory has the smallest numbers S_E(d) and N_{DF}(d), i.e., this quadratic theory of gravity has the stro…
We obtain a new kind of $F(^{(4)}\!R,φ)$ modified gravity theory as an effective four-dimensional (4D) theory derived from $f(^{(5)}\!R)$ gravity in five dimensions (5D). This new theory exhibits a different matter coupling than the one in BBHL theory. We show that the field equations of the Wesson's induced matter theory and of some braneworld scenarios can be obtained as maximally symmetric solutions of the $f(^{(5)}\!R)$ theory. We found criteria for the Goldov-Kawasaki instabilities for both the $f(^{(5)}\!R)$ and the $F(^{(4)}\!R,φ)$ theories. We demonstrate that under certain conditions …
We study the thermodynamics of modified black holes proposed in the context of gravity's rainbow. A notion of intrinsic temperature and entropy for these black holes is introduced. In particular for a specific class of modified Schwarzschild solutions, their temperature and entropy are obtained and compared with those previously obtained from modified dispersion relations in deformed special relativity. It turns out that the results of these two different strategies coincide, and this may be viewed as a support for the proposal of deformed equivalence principle.
Inspired by some recent works of Lovelock Brans-Dicke gravity and mimetic gravity, cosmology solutions in extensions of these two modified gravities are investigated. A non-local term is added to the Lovelock Brans-Dicke action and Gauss-Bonnet terms to the mimetic action,correspondingly. De Sitter and power scale factor solutions are then obtained in both theories. They can provide natural new approaches to a more accurate description of the unverse evolution.
We comment on a recent paper by Deng et al. (Phys. Rev. D 79, 044014 (2009), arXiv:0901.3730) in which the Eddington-Robertson parameters for our modified gravity theory (MOG) are derived. We show by explicit calculation that the role of the vector field $ϕ_μ$ cannot be ignored in this derivation.
We provide a cosmological test of modified gravity with two tensorial degrees of freedom and no extra propagating scalar mode. The theory of gravity we consider admits a cosmological model that is indistinguishable from the $Λ$CDM model at the level of the background evolution. The model has a single modified-gravity parameter $β$, the effect of which can be seen in linear perturbations, though no extra scalar mode is propagating. Using the Boltzmann code modified to incorporate the present model, we derive the constraints $-0.047 < β< -0.028$ at 68$\%$ confidence from Planck CMB data. Since o…
A general formalism to find the density profile of a slowly rotating stellar object in modified gravity is presented. We derive a generic Lane-Emden equation and its analytical solution for a wide class of modified theories of gravity.
We propose further conformal parametrizations for initial data in some modified Einstein gravity theories. Some of them give rise to conformally covariant systems.
We show that the recent claim that the 2+1 dimensional Ashtekar formulation for General Relativity has a finite number of physical degrees of freedom is not correct.
We discuss the physical interpretation of the gravity mediated entanglement effect. We show how to read it in terms of quantum reference systems. We pinpoint the single gravitational degree of freedom mediating the entanglement. We clarify why the distinction between longitudinal and transverse degrees of freedom is irrelevant for the interpretation of the results. We discuss the relation between the LOCC theorem and the interpretation of the effect, its different relevance for, respectively, the quantum gravity and quantum information communities, and the reason for the excitement raised by t…
We investigate the Hamiltonian formulation of $f(T)$ gravity and find that there are five degrees of freedom. The six first class constraints corresponding to the local Lorentz transformation in Teleparallel gravity become second class constraints in $f(T)$ gravity, which leads to the appearance of three extra degrees of freedom and the violation of the local Lorentz invariance in $f(T)$ gravity. In general, there are $D-1$ extra degrees of freedom for $f(T)$ gravity in $D$ dimensions, and this implies that the extra degrees of freedom correspond to one massive vector field or one massless vec…
