We consider possible violations of the equivalence principle through the exchange of a light `dilaton-like' scalar field. Using recent work on the quark-mass dependence of nuclear binding, we find that the dilaton-quark-mass coupling induces significant equivalence-principle-violating effects varying like the inverse cubic root of the atomic number - A^{-1/3}. We provide a general parameterization of the scalar couplings, but argue that two parameters are likely to dominate the equivalence-principle phenomenology. We indicate the implications of this framework for comparing the sensitivities of current and planned experimental tests of the equivalence principle.
We show that a canonical tranformation converts, up to a boundary term, a generic 2d dilaton gravity model into a bosonic string theory with a Minkowskian target space.
We investigate the behavior of generic, matter-coupled, 2D dilaton gravity theories under dilaton-dependent Weyl rescalings of the metric. We show that physical observables associated with 2D black holes, such as the mass, the temperature and the flux of Hawking radiation are invariant under the action of both Weyl transformations and dilaton reparametrizations. The field theoretical and geometrical meaning of these invariances is discussed.
In a recently proposed scenario, where the dilaton decouples while cosmologically attracted towards infinite bare string coupling, its residual interactions can be related to the amplitude of density fluctuations generated during inflation, and are large enough to be detectable through a modest improvement on present tests of free-fall universality. Provided it has significant couplings to either dark matter or dark energy, a runaway dilaton can also induce time-variations of the natural "constants" within the reach of near-future experiments.
Light scalar particles with couplings of sub-gravitational strength, which can generically be called 'dilatons', can produce violations of the equivalence principle. However, in order to understand experimental sensitivities one must know the coupling of these scalars to atomic systems. We report here on a study of the required couplings. We give a general Lagrangian with five independent dilaton parameters and calculate the "dilaton charge" of atomic systems for each of these. Two combinations are particularly important. One is due to the variations in the nuclear binding energy, with a sensi…
We re-investigate the holographic superconductor in hyperscaling violation geometry by considering the coupling between the probed Maxwell field and the background dilaton. We find that the phenomenon of superconductivity still exists, but with properties affected by such a coupling. The critical temperature decreases as the hyperscaling violation exponent is increased. The influence of the dynamical exponent on the critical temperature becomes complicated which depends on the mass of the probed scalar field and the hyperscaling violation exponent. The results of the frequency gap show a large…
We explore a version of the cosmological dilaton-fixing and decoupling mechanism in which the dilaton-dependence of the low-energy effective action is extremized for infinitely large values of the bare string coupling $g_s^2 = e^ϕ$. We study the efficiency with which the dilaton $ϕ$ runs away towards its ``fixed point'' at infinity during a primordial inflationary stage, and thereby approximately decouples from matter. The residual dilaton couplings are found to be related to the amplitude of the density fluctuations generated during inflation. For the simplest inflationary potential, $V (χ) =…
The coupling of the electromagnetic field to gravity is discussed. In the premetric axiomatic approach based on the experimentally well established conservation laws of electric charge and magnetic flux, the Maxwell equations are the same irrespective of the presence or absence of gravity. In this sense, one can say that the charge "substratum" and the flux "substratum" are not influenced by the gravitational field directly. However, the interrelation between these fundamental substrata, formalized as the {\it spacetime relation} H=H(F) between the 2-forms of the electromagnetic excitation H a…
We construct exact, time-dependent, black hole solutions of Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory with arbitrary dilaton coupling, $a$. For $a=1$ this theory arises as the four-dimensional low-energy effective description of heterotic string theory. These solutions represent electrically charged, spherically symmetric black holes emitting or absorbing charged null fluids and generalize the Vaidya and Bonnor-Vaidya solutions of general relativity and of Einstein-Maxwell theory, respectively. The $a=1$ case stands out as special, in the sense that it is the only choice of the coupling that allows for …
We present an explicit proof that a minimal model of rank-2 antisymmetric field with spontaneous Lorentz violation and a classically equivalent vector field model are also quantum equivalent, by calculating quantum effective actions of both theories. We comment on the issues encountered while checking quantum equivalence in curved spacetime.
We give two new analytical solutions to the low-energy string theory action that violate the weak cosmic censorship conjecture. They are classical charged solutions to the Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory in four dimensions that come in two types. The first represents one single naked singularity whose asymptotic region is flat. Its mass respects the positive mass theorem. The absence of horizons allows us to probe quantum aspects of gravity by direct observation of these singularities. The second represents singularities that come in pairs that "seem to create their own spacetime", and the reg…
The cosmic no hair conjecture is tested in the spherically symmetric Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton~(EMD) system with a positive cosmological constant $Λ$. Firstly, we analytically show that once gravitational collapse occurs in the massless dilaton case, the system of field equations breaks down inevitably in outer communicating regions or at the boundary provided that a future null infinity ${\cal I}^+$ exists. Next we find numerically the static black hole solutions in the massive dilaton case and investigate their properties for comparison with the massless case. It is shown that their Abbott-De…
We discuss the derivation of the trace anomaly using a non-local effective action at one loop. This provides a simple and instructive form and emphasizes infrared physics. We then use this example to explore several of the properties of non-local actions, including displaying the action for the full non-local energy-momentum tensor. As an application, we show that the long-distance corrections at one loop lead to quantum violations of some classical consequences of the equivalence principle, for example producing a frequency dependence of the gravitational bending of light.
We study solutions to Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton gravity with a constant magnetic flux which describe, in the holographic AdS/CFT framework, field theories characterized by a dynamical critical exponent and a hyperscaling violation exponent. Such solutions are known to be IR-incomplete due to the presence of a running dilaton, which drives the theory towards strong coupling in the IR, where quantum corrections become important. After introducing generic corrections, in this note we examine the conditions for the emergence of an AdS_2 x R^2 region close to the horizon, which provides an IR-comple…
The existence of a light or massive scalar field with a coupling to matter weaker than gravitational strength is a possible source of violation of the weak equivalence principle. We use the first results on the Eötvös parameter by the MICROSCOPE experiment to set new constraints on such scalar fields. For a massive scalar field of mass smaller than $10^{-12}$ eV (i.e. range larger than a few $10^5$ m) we improve existing constraints by one order of magnitude to $|α|<10^{-11}$ if the scalar field couples to the baryon number and to $|α|<10^{-12}$ if the scalar field couples to the difference be…
One of the clear predictions of string theory is the presence of a dynamical scalar partner of the spin-2 graviton, known as the dilaton. This will violate the Einstein Equivalence Principle, leading to a plethora of possibly observable consequences which is a cosmological context include dynamical dark energy and spacetime variations of nature's fundamental constants. The runaway dilaton scenario of Damour, Piazza and Veneziano is a particularly interesting class of string theory inspired models which can in principle reconcile a massless dilaton with experimental data. Here we use the latest…
We review the possible violation of the Equivalence Principle at finite temperature T in the framework of curvature based Extended Theories of Gravity. Specifically, we first show how it is possible to derive Equivalence Principle violation from Quantum Field Theory at non-vanishing T. Subsequently, we exhibit how this result can be precisely recovered by following an alternative path that envisages the employment of generalized Einstein equations with a temperature-dependent energy-momentum tensor. Finally, we adopt the latter formalism in the context of some Extended Gravity models to quanti…
We study the equivalence principle and its violations by quantum effects in scalar-tensor theories that admit a conformal frame in which matter only couples to the spacetime metric. These theories possess Ward identities that guarantee the validity of the weak equivalence principle to all orders in the matter coupling constants. These Ward identities originate from a broken Weyl symmetry under which the scalar field transforms by a shift, and from the symmetry required to couple a massless spin two particle to matter (diffeomorphism invariance). But the same identities also predict violations …
We consider the dilaton in the strong string coupling limit and elaborate on the original idea of Damour and Polyakov whereby the dilaton coupling to matter has a minimum with a vanishing value at finite field-value. Combining this type of coupling with an exponential potential, the effective potential of the dilaton becomes matter density dependent. We study the background cosmology, showing that the dilaton can play the role of dark energy. We also analyse the constraints imposed by the absence of violation of the equivalence principle. Imposing these constraints and assuming that the dilato…
We study the holographic "complexity=action'" (CA) and "complexity=volume" (CV) proposals in Einstein-dilaton gravity in all spacetime dimensions. We analytically construct an infinite family of black hole solutions and use CA and CV proposals to investigate the time evolution of the complexity. Using the CA proposal, we find dimensional dependent violation of the Lloyd bound in early as well as in late times. Moreover, depending on the parameters of the theory, the bound violation relative to the conformal field theory result can be tailored in the early times as well. In contrast to the CA p…
We study the experimental constraints on theories, where the equivalence principle is violated by dilaton-exchange contributions to the usual graviton-exchange gravity. We point out that in this case it is not possible to have any CPT violation and hence there is no constraint from the CPT violating measurements in the $K-$system. The most stringent bound is obtained from the $K_L - K_S$ mass difference. In contrast, neither neutrino oscillation experiments nor neutrinoless double beta decay imply significant constraints.
We find that the Abell Cluster A586 exhibits evidence of the interaction between dark matter and dark energy and argue that this interaction suggests evidence of violation of the Equivalence Principle. This violation is found in the context of two different models of dark energy-dark matter interaction.
Dark matter or violations of the Einstein equivalence principle influence the motion of atoms, their internal states as well as electromagnetic fields, thus causing a signature in the signal of atomic detectors. To model such new physics, we introduce dilaton fields and study the modified propagation of light used to manipulate atoms in light-pulse atom interferometers. Their interference signal is dominated by the matter's coupling to gravity and the dilaton. Even though the electromagnetic field contributes to the phase, no additional dilaton-dependent effect can be observed. However, the li…
The theory of scalar gravity proposed by Nordström, and refined by Einstein and Fokker, provides a striking analogy to general relativity. In its modern form, scalar gravity appears as the low-energy effective field theory of the spontaneous breaking of conformal symmetry within a CFT, and is AdS/CFT dual to the original Randall-Sundrum I model, but without a UV brane. Scalar gravity faithfully exhibits several qualitative features of the cosmological constant problem of standard gravity coupled to quantum matter, and the Weinberg no-go theorem can be extended to this case as well. Remarkably,…
We obtain two types of Yang-Mills-dilaton black hole solutions in both Lifshitz and hyperscaling violation spacetimes. We must consider at least three Yang-Mills gauge fields that interact with a scalar field and either $SO(n)$ or $SO(n-1,1)$ gauge symmetry groups, where $n+1$ denotes the dimension of the spacetime. They lead to the spherical and hyperbolic solutions. The obtained solutions in the hyperscaling violation spacetime fall into two categories for $z\neq n-3-\frac{n-5}{n-1}θ$ and $z= n-3-\frac{n-5}{n-1}θ$, where $θ=0$ represents the Lifshitz spacetime. In order to have a real asympt…
We calculate the shear viscosity of field theories with gravity duals of Gauss-Bonnet gravity with a non-trivial dilaton using AdS/CFT. We find that the dilaton filed has a non-trivial contribution to the ratio of shear viscosity over entropy density and after imposing causal constraint for the boundary field theory, the new lower bound $4/25π$, obtained from pure Gauss-Bonnet gravity, may have a small violation.
We show that the Abell Cluster A586 exhibits evidence of the interaction between dark matter and dark energy and argue that this interaction implies a violation of the Equivalence Principle. This violation is found in the context of two different models of dark energy-dark matter interaction. We also argue, based on the spherical symmetry of the Abell Cluster A586 that skewness is not the most general quantity to test the Equivalence Principle.
We analyze possible violations of the Equivalence Principle in scalar-tensor gravity at finite temperature $T.$ Before we present an approach where the Equivalence Principle violation is achieved within the framework of Quantum Field Theory. After, we rely on an alternative approach first proposed by Gasperini, which leads to the same outcome obtained in the framework of Quantum Field Theory (one-loop corrections) at finite $T$. Finally, we exhibit the application of the above formalism both to a generic diagonal metric, cast in spherical coordinates, and to the Brans-Dicke theory. In the last…
Bekenstein has shown that violation of Weak Equivalence Principle is strongly supressed in his model of charge variation. In this paper, it is shown that nuclear magnetic energy is large enough to produce observable effects in Eotvos experiments.
The symmetry of the theory of relativity under diffeomorphisms strongly depends on the equivalence principle. Violation of Equivalence Principle (VEP) can be tested by looking for deviations from the standard framework of neutrino oscillations. In recent works, it has been shown that strong constraints on the VEP parameter space can be placed by means of the atmospheric neutrinos observed by the IceCube neutrino telescope. In this paper, we focus on the KM3NeT neutrino telescope and perform a forecast analysis to assess its capacity to probe VEP. Most importantly, we examine the crucial role p…
The joint realm of quantum mechanics and the general-relativistic description of gravitation is becoming increasingly accessible to terrestrial experiments and observations. In this essay we study the emerging indications of the violation of equivalence principle (VEP). While the solar neutrino anomaly may find its natural explanation in a VEP, the statistically significant discrepancy observed in the gravitationally induced phases of neutron interferometry seems to be the first indication of a VEP. However, such a view would seem immediately challenged by the atomic interferometry results. Th…
The non-abelian Einstein-Born-Infeld-Dilaton theory, which rules the dynamics of tensor-scalar gravitation coupled to a $su(2)$-valued gauge field ruled by Born-Infeld lagrangian, is studied in a cosmological framework. The microscopic energy exchange between the gauge field and the dilaton which results from a non-universality of the coupling to gravity modifies the usual behaviour of tensor-scalar theories coupled to matter fluids. General cosmological evolutions are derived for different couplings to gravitation and a comparison to universal coupling is highlighted. Evidences of cosmic acce…
We report a joint test of local Lorentz invariance and the Einstein equivalence principle for electrons, using long-term measurements of the transition frequency between two nearly degenerate states of atomic dysprosium. We present many-body calculations which demonstrate that the energy splitting of these states is particularly sensitive to violations of both special and general relativity. We limit Lorentz violation for electrons at the level of $10^{-17}$, matching or improving the best laboratory and astrophysical limits by up to a factor of 10, and improve bounds on gravitational redshift…
The effective field theory of dark energy is generalized to incorporate dark matter, which is modelled using a complex scalar field with a global $U(1)$ symmetry. The dark matter model used here has similarities to models of ultralight axion. Generic interaction terms in the dark matter sector violate the weak equivalence principle. The degree to which such violations can occur is constrained using a number of recent analyses and forecasts in cosmology.
It is pointed out that string-loop effects may generate matter couplings for the dilaton allowing this scalar partner of the tensorial graviton to stay massless while contributing to macroscopic gravity in a way naturally compatible with existing experimental data. Under a certain assumption of universality of the dilaton coupling functions (possibly realized through a discrete symmetry such as S-duality), the cosmological evolution drives the dilaton towards values where it decouples from matter. At the present cosmological epoch, the coupling to matter of the dilaton should be very small, bu…
We explore the interplay between the equivalence principle and a generalization of the Heisenberg uncertainty relations known as extended uncertainty principle, that comprises the effects of spacetime curvature at large distances. Specifically, we observe that, when the modified uncertainty relations hold, the weak formulation of the equivalence principle is violated, since the inertial mass of quantum systems becomes position-dependent whilst the gravitational mass is left untouched. To obtain the above result, spinor and scalar fields are separately analyzed by considering the non-relativist…
The Lorentz invariance and Einstein equivalence principle violating effects in the narrow 7.8 eV transition in 229Th nucleus may be 100 000 times larger than in atoms. This transition may be investigated using high precision laser spectroscopy methods, has a very small width, and suppressed systematic effects. Similar values of the effects are expected in 73 eV 235U nuclear transition which is coming within the reach of the laser spectroscopy. Mossbauer transitions give another possibility.
I describe a unique, 20-year-long timing program for the binary pulsar B0655+64, the stalwart control experiment for measurements of gravitational radiation damping in relativistic neutron-star binaries. Observed limits on evolution of the B0655+64 orbit provide new bounds on the existence of dipolar gravitational radiation, and hence on violation of the Strong Equivalence Principle.
A quantum correction to the Brans-Dicke theory due to interactions among matter fields is calculated, resulting in violation of WEP, hence giving a constraint on the parameter $ω$ far more stringent than accepted so far. The tentative estimate gives the lower bounds $\gsim 10^{6}$ and $\gsim 10^{8}$ for the assumed force-range $\gsim 1$m and $\gsim 1$AU, respectively.
Massive gravity, galileon and braneworld models that modify gravity to explain cosmic acceleration utilize the nonlinear field interactions of the Vainshtein mechanism to screen fifth forces in high density regimes. These source-dependent interactions cause apparent equivalence principle violations. In the weakly-screened regime violations can be especially prominent since the fifth forces are at near full strength. Since they can also be calculated perturbatively, we derive analytic solutions for illustrative cases: the motion of massive objects in compensated shells and voids and infall towa…
Universality of motion under gravity, the equivalence principle, is violated for quantum particles. Here, we study time it takes for a quantum particle to scatter from the gravitational potential, and show that the scattering time, formulated here using the opportune Bohmian formulation, acts as an indicator of the equivalence principle violation. The scattering times of wavepackets are distinctive enough to distinguish between the Bohmian and Copenhagen interpretations. The scattering time of mono-energetic stationary states, formulated here as a modification of the Bohmian time by probabilit…
String theory suggests the existence of gravitational-strength scalar fields ("dilaton" and "moduli") whose couplings to matter violate the equivalence principle. This provides a new motivation for high-precision clock experiments, as well as a generic theoretical framework for analyzing their significance.
We propose a novel self consistent minimal coupling principle in presence of torsion dilaton field. This principle yields a new local dilatation symmetry and predicts the interactions of torsion dilaton with the real matter and with metric. The soft violation of this symmetry yields a physical dilaton and a simple relation between Cartan scalar curvature and cosmological constant in this new model of gravity with propagating torsion. Its relation with scalar-tensor theories of gravity and a possible use of torsion dilaton in the inflation scenario is discussed. \noindent{PACS number(s): 04.50.…
We consider the effect of a long range, flavor changing tensor interaction of possible gravitational origin. Neutrino mixing experiments provide the most sensitive probe to date for such forces---testing the equivalence principle at levels below $10^{-20}$. Here we justify and generalize a formalism for describing such effects. The constraints from neutrino mixing experiments on gravitationally induced mixing are calculated. Our detailed analysis of the atmospheric neutrino data confirms a remarkable result: the atmospheric neutrino data implies the same size force as does the solar neutrino d…
String theory suggests the existence of gravitational-strength scalar fields (``dilaton'' and ``moduli'') whose couplings to matter violate the equivalence principle. This provides a new motivation for high-precision clock experiments, as well as a generic theoretical framework for analyzing their significance.
A violation of the distance-duality relation is directly linked with a temporal variation of the electromagnetic fine-structure constant. We consider a number of well-studied $f(T)$ gravity models and we revise the theoretical prediction of their corresponding induced violation of the distance-duality relationship. We further extract constraints on the involved model parameters through fine-structure constant variation data, alongside with supernovae data, and Hubble parameter measurements. Moreover, we constrain the evolution of the effective $f(T)$ gravitational constant. Finally, we compare…
We consider the hypothesis that neutrino oscillation data can be explained if the gravitational couplings of (massless or degenerate mass) neutrinos are flavour non--diagonal, in violation of the equivalence principle. We analyze the various neutrino oscillation laboratory experimental data including the recent LSND observations to constrain the relevant parameter space. We find that there is no allowed region of parameter space which can explain the existing data, implying that the LSND result cannot be explained by oscillations of degenerate-mass neutrinos due to equivalence principle violat…
We show that the Equivalence Principle (EP) is violated by Quantum Gravity (QG) effects. The predicted violations are compared to experimental observations for Gravitational Redshift, Law of Reciprocal Action and Universality of Free Fall. This allows us to derive explicit bounds for $β$ - the QG scale. In our approach, there appears a deviation in the geodesic motion of a particle. This deviation is induced by a non-commutative spacetime, consistent with a Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). GUP admits the presence of a minimum length scale, that is advocated by QG theories. Remarkably, …
We present a class of simple scalar-tensor models of gravity with one scalar field (dilaton $Φ$) and only one unknown function (cosmological potential $U(Φ)$). These models might be considered as a stringy inspired ones with broken SUSY. They have the following basic properties: 1) Positive dilaton mass, $m_Φ$, and positive cosmological constant $Λ$, define two extremely different scales. The models under consideration are consistent with the known experimental facts if $m_Φ> 10^{-3} eV$ and $Λ=Λ^{obs}\sim 10^{-56} cm^{-2}$. 2) Einstein week equivalence principle is strictly satisfied and exte…
Equivalence Principle violation in metric-affine gravity and finite-temperature effects
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare（意大利国家核物理研究所）；Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”（那不勒斯费德里科二世大学）；Scuola Superiore Meridionale（南方高等学院）；Università degli Studi di Salerno（萨莱诺大学）
Tensor-scalar theory is a wide class of alternative theory of gravitation that can be motivated by higher dimensional theories, by models of dark matter or dark ernergy. In the general case, the scalar field will couple non-universally to matter producing a violation of the equivalence principle. In this communication, we review a microscopic model of scalar/matter coupling and its observable consequences in terms of universality of free fall, of frequencies comparison and of redshifts tests. We then focus on two models: (i) a model of ultralight scalar dark matter and (ii) a model of scalariz…
We show that the weak equivalence principle (WEP) is violated for a quantum particle in a gravitational wave (GW) background, in the sense that extra mass information can be extracted in the presence of the GW. We quantify the degree of violation with the Fisher information of mass. This provides a precise characterisation of WEP violation by quantum systems in a GW, that should be useful in formalising other works that have argued for such violations heuristically.
In this essay it will be shown that Decoherence Model and Einstein Equivalence Principle are conceptually incompatible. In other words, assuming only the validity of the Weak Equivalence Principle the present work concludes that we face two possibilities: (i) if Decoherence Model provides a correct description of nature at quantum level, then there are systems which violate Local Position Invariance, or, (ii) if all the postulates behind Einstein Equivalence Principle are valid, even on quantum realm, then Decoherence Model breaks down in curved spacetimes. Finally, the present results are con…
