We discuss Newtonian and the post-Newtonian limits of Fourth Order Gravity Theories pointing out, in details, their resemblances and differences with respect to General Relativity. Particular emphasis is placed on the exact solutions and methods used to obtain them.
The Big Bang initial singularity problem can be solved by means of bouncing solutions. In the context of extended theories of gravity, we will look for covariant effective actions whose field equations contain up to fourth-order derivatives of the metric tensor. In finding such bouncing solutions, we will make use of an order reduction technique based on a perturbative approach. Reducing the order of the field equations to second-order, we are able to find solutions which are perturbatively close to General Relativity. We will build the covariant effective actions of the resulting order reduce…
We study a class of almost scale-invariant modified gravity theories, using a particular form of $f(R, G) = αR^2 + βG \log G$ where $R$ and $G$ are the Ricci and Gauss-Bonnet scalars, respectively and $α$, $β$ are arbitrary constants. We derive the Einstein-like field equations to first order in cosmological perturbation theory in longitudinal gauge.
Einstein field equations are second-order differential equations. In this paper, we propose a new gravity theory with pure fourth-order field equations, which we call 4G for brevity. We discuss the applications of 4G in cosmology, gravitational waves, and local gravitational systems. 4G predicts the scale factor $a\propto t^{4/3}$ for the matter-dominated universe, and $a\propto t$ for the radiation-dominated universe. The former can explain the late-time acceleration without suffering from the coincidence and fine-tuning problems, while the latter can solve the horizon problem. 4G is a massle…
We consider the fourth-order differential theory of gravitation to treat the problem of singularity avoidance: studying the short-distance behaviour in the case of black-holes and the big-bang we are going to see a way to attack the issue from a general perspective.
Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) is a theory which renders the Big Bang initial singularity into a quantum bounce, by means of short range repulsive quantum effects at the Planck scale. In this work, we are interested in reproducing the effective Friedmann equation of LQC, by considering a generic $f(R,P,Q)$ theory of gravity, where $R=g^{μν}R_{μν}$ is the Ricci scalar, $P=R_{μν}R^{μν}$, and $Q=R_{αβμν}R^{αβμν}$ is the Kretschmann scalar. An order reduction technique allows us to work in $f(R,P,Q)$ theories which are perturbatively close to General Relativity, and to deduce a modified Friedmann eq…
A fourth-order theory of gravity is considered which in terms of dynamics has the same degrees of freedom and number of constraints as those of scalar-tensor theories. In addition it admits a canonical point-like Lagrangian description. We study the critical points of the theory and we show that it can describe the matter epoch of the universe and that two accelerated phases can be recovered one of which describes a de Sitter universe. Finally for some models exact solutions are presented.
The existence of black holes is a central prediction of general relativity and thus serves as a basic consistency test for modified theories of gravity. In spherical symmetry, only two classes of dynamic solutions are compatible with the formation of an apparent horizon in finite time of a distant observer. Moreover, the formation of black holes follows a unique scenario involving both types of solutions. To be compatible with their existence, any self-consistent theory of modified gravity must satisfy several constraints. We derive properties of the modified gravity terms of f(R) and generic …
We review the history of the ghost problem in quantum field theory from the Pauli-Villars regulator theory to currently popular fourth-order derivative quantum gravity theories. While these theories all appear to have unitarity-violating ghost states with negative norm, we show that in fact these ghost states only appear because the theories are being formulated in the wrong Hilbert space. In these theories the Hamiltonians are not Hermitian but instead possess an antilinear symmetry. Consequently, one cannot use inner products that are built out of states and their Hermitian conjugates. Rathe…
Fourth order gravity: equations, history, and applications to cosmology
由拉格朗日量L(R)导出的场方程将在特殊情况下得到求解。如果L是曲率标量的非线性函数,则这些方程在度量中是四阶的。在引言中,我们介绍了这些方程的历史开始的文件H。Weyl于1918年首次将它们作为爱因斯坦理论的替代品进行讨论。在第三部分中,我们详细介绍了宇宙无毛定理,即,在四阶引力L = R + R^2的情况下,宇宙演化的暴胀阶段是如何变成一个瞬态吸引子的细节。最后,将简要介绍比克内尔定理,即从四阶引力到标量张量理论的共形关系。
We calculate the characteristics of the "black hole shadow" for a rotating, neutral black hole in fourth-order conformal Weyl gravity. It is shown that the morphology is not significantly affected by the underlying framework, except for very large masses. Conformal gravity black hole shadows would also significantly differ from their general relativistic counterparts if the values of the main conformal gravity parameters, $γ$ and $κ$, were increased by several orders of magnitude. Such increased values for $γ$ and $κ$ are currently ruled out by gravitational phenomenology. Therefore, it is unl…
In this paper, we explore classes of irrotational-fluid cosmological models in the context of f(R)-gravity in an attempt to put some theoretical and mathematical restrictions on the form of the f(R) gravitational Lagrangian. In particular, we investigate the consistency of linearised dust models for shear-free cases as well as in the limiting cases when either the gravito-magnetic or gravito-elecric components of the Weyl tensor vanish. We also discuss the existence and consistency of classes of non-expanding irrotational spacetimes in f(R)-gravity.
We have earlier proposed a fourth order gravity model as a possible explanation for late time cosmic acceleration, and for flattened galaxy rotation curves. The model has a free length parameter whose value depends on the scale of the system under study (e.g. the whole Universe, a galaxy, or a compact binary pulsar). In the present work, we investigate the constraints imposed on the free model parameter by Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar data: periastron advance; and emission of gravitational waves and consequent period decay. It is shown that the model is consistent with these observations, provid…
We present an analysis of the classic wormhole geometries based on conformal Weyl gravity, rather than standard general relativity. The main characteristics of the resulting traversable wormholes remain the same as in the seminal study by Morris and Thorne, namely, that effective super-luminal motion is a viable consequence of the metric. Improving on previous work on the subject, we show that for particular choices of the shape and redshift functions the wormhole metric in the context of conformal gravity does not violate the main energy conditions at or near the wormhole throat. Some exotic …