We constrain the viable models of Horndeski gravity, written in its equivalent Generalised Galileon version, by resorting to the Witten positive energy theorem. We find that the free function $G_3(ϕ, X)$ in the Lagrangian is constrained to be a function solely of the scalar field, $G_3(ϕ)$, and relations among the free functions are found. Other criterion for stability are also analysed, such as the attractiveness of gravity, the Dolgov-Kawasacki instability and the energy conditions. Some applications for Cosmology are discussed
In this paper we address the issue of finding braneworld solutions in a five-dimensional Horndeski gravity and the mechanism of gravity localization into the brane via ``almost massless modes'' for suitable values of the Horndeski parameters. We compute the corrections to the Newtonian potential and discuss the limit where four-dimensional gravity is recovered.
In this paper, we investigate the AC charge transport in the holographic Horndeski gravity and identify a metal-semiconductor like transition that is driven by the Horndeski coupling. Moreover, we fit our numeric data by the Drude formula in slow relaxation cases.
We present a recent result on the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) limit of Horndeski's gravity theory and its consistency with solar system observations.
We consider Einstein-Horndeski-Maxwell gravity, together with a cosmological constant and multiple Horndeski axions. We construct charged AdS planar black holes in general dimensions where the Horndeski anxions span over the planar directions. We analyse the thermodynamics and obtain the black hole volumes. We show that the reverse isoperimetric inequality can be violated, implying that these black holes can store information more efficiently than the Schwarzschild black hole.
Horndeski gravity is a popular contender for a phenomenological model of dynamical dark energy, and as such subject to observational constraints. In this work, we ask whether Horndeski gravity can be more than a phenomenological model and instead become a fundamental theory, which extends towards high energy scales and includes quantum effects. We find that within the asymptotic-safety paradigm, an ultraviolet completion of a simple class of models of Horndeski gravity is achievable, but places strong constraints on the couplings of the theory. These constraints are not compatible with dynamic…
We extend to the Horndeski realm the irreversible thermodynamics description of gravity previously studied in "first generation" scalar-tensor theories. We identify a subclass of Horndeski theories as an out-of--equilibrium state, while general relativity corresponds to an equilibrium state. In this context, we identify an effective heat current, "temperature of gravity", and shear viscosity in the space of theories. The identification is accomplished by recasting the field equations as effective Einstein equations with an effective dissipative fluid, with Einstein gravity as the equilibrium s…
We generate new spherical and time-dependent solutions of viable Horndeski gravity by disforming a solution of the Einstein equations with scalar field source and positive cosmological constant. They describe dynamical objects embedded in asymptotically FLRW spacetimes and contain apparent horizons and a finite radius singularity that evolve in time in peculiar ways apparently not encountered before in Einstein and "old" scalar-tensor gravity.
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 work, we present the effect of a probe string on the complexity of a black hole according to the CA (Complexity equals action) conjecture on Horndeski's gravity. In our system, we consider a particle moving on the boundary of black hole spacetime in ($2+1$)-dimensions. To obtain a dual description, we need to insertion a fundamental string on the bulk spacetime. The effect of this string is given by the Nambu-Goto term. For the Nambu-Goto term, we can analyze the time development of this system, which is affected by the parameters of Horndeski's gravity. In our case, we show some inter…
It has been observed that for black holes in certain family of Horndeski gravity theories Wald's entropy formula does not lead to the correct first law for black hole thermodynamics. For this family of Horndeski theories speeds of propagation of gravitons and photons are in general different and gravitons move on an effective metric different than the one seen by photons. We show that the temperature of the black hole should be modified from surface gravity over $2π$ to include effects of this effective metric. The modified temperature, with the entropy unambiguously computed by the solution p…
Extremal cosmological black holes are analysed in the framework of the most general second order scalar-tensor theory, the~so-called Horndeski gravity. Such~extremal black holes are a particular case of Schwarzschild-De Sitter black holes that arises when the black hole horizon and the cosmological one coincide. Such~metric is induced by a particular value of the effective cosmological constant and is known as Nariai spacetime. The~existence of this type of solutions is studied when considering the Horndeski Lagrangian and its stability is analysed, where the so-called anti-evaporation regime …
We investigate black brane solutions in asymptotically Lifshitz spacetime in 3+1-dimensional Horndeski gravity, which admit a critical exponent fixed at $z=1/2$. The cosmological constant depends on $z$ as $Λ=-(1+2z)/L^{2}$. We compute the shear viscosity in the 2+1-dimensional dual boundary field theory via holographic correspondence. We investigate the violation of the bound for viscosity to entropy density ratio of $η/s\geq1/(4π)$ at $z=1/2$.
We review and discuss some recent progress in Lovelock and Horndeski theories modifying Einstein's General Relativity. Using as our guide the uniqueness properties of these modified gravity theories we then discuss how Kaluza-Klein reduction of Lovelock theory can lead to effective scalar-tensor actions including several important terms of Horndeski theory. We show how this can be put to practical use by mapping analytic black hole solutions of one theory to the other. We then elaborate on the subset of Horndeski theory that has self-tuning properties and review a generic method giving scalar-…
The vector-tensor Horndeski theory is supplemented by a real, massless scalar field non-minimally coupled to the Horndeski interaction term. The generic dyonic Reissner-Nordstrom solutions characterized by electric and magnetic charges, acquire an instability and bifurcate into electromagnetically charged solutions presenting an horizon and a cloud of scalar hairs at specific values of the non-minimal coupling constant. These hairy black holes are studied in terms of the physical parameters of the model and the critical phenomena limiting their domain of existence are discussed.
We study holographic conformal anomalies and the corresponding $a$-theorem for Einstein gravity extended with Horndeski terms that involve up to and including linear curvature tensors. We focus on our discussion in $D=5$ bulk dimensions. For the generic Horndeski coupling, the $a$-charge is the same as that in Einstein gravity, but the inclusion of the Horndeski term violates the $a$-theorem. However, there exists a critical point of the Horndeski coupling, for which the theory admits nearly AdS spacetimes with non-vanishing Horndeski scalar. The full AdS isometry is broken down by the logarit…
We study the nature of constraints and the Hamiltonian structure in a scalar-tensor theory of gravity recently proposed by Gleyzes, Langlois, Piazza and Vernizzi (GLPV). For the simple case with A_5 = 0, namely when the canonical momenta conjugate to the spatial metric are linear in the extrinsic curvature, we prove that the number of physical degrees of freedom is three at fully nonlinear level, as claimed by GLPV. Therefore, while this theory extends Horndeski's scalar-tensor gravity theory, it is protected against additional degrees of freedom.
In this work we have investigated various properties of a spinning gyroscope in the context of Horndeski theories. In particular, we have focused on two specific situations --- (a) when the gyroscope follows a geodesic trajectory and (b) when it is endowed with an acceleration. In both these cases, besides developing the basic formalism, we have also applied the same to understand the motion of a spinning gyroscope in various static and spherically symmetric spacetimes pertaining to Horndeski theories. Starting with the Schwarzschild de-Sitter spacetime as a warm up exercise, we have presented…
Recently, a no inner (Cauchy) horizon theorem for static black holes with non-trivial scalar hairs has been proved in Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theories. In this paper, we extend the theorem to the static black holes in Einstein-Maxwell-Horndeski theories. We study the black hole interior geometry for some exact solutions and find that the spacetime has a (space-like) curvature singularity where the black hole mass gets an extremum and the Hawking temperature vanishes. We discuss further extensions of the theorem, including general Horndeski theories from disformal transformations.
We have discovered a new type of scalarized charged black holes in a surprisingly simple system: an Einstein-Maxwell-Klein-Gordon field theory where the three fields couple non-minimally through a Horndeski vector-tensor term. In addition to hairy charged black holes, this system exhibits Horndeski-Reissner-Nordstrom solutions and ordinary Reissner-Nordstrom ones which bifurcate to the scalarized solutions. There exist also vector-tensor black hole solutions which possess central curvature singularities although their metric components are finite there, and also solutions with naked singularit…
In this work, we study gravity duals of conformal field theories with boundaries known as AdS/BCFT correspondence, put forward by Takayanagi [1], within a scalar-tensor theory, as proposed by Horndeski in 4D [2]. We consider the case of 3D gravity dual to 2D BCFT, take a Gibbons-Hawking surface term modified by Horndeski's theory and find the corresponding 3D (BTZ) black hole solutions. We analyze the effects of Horndeski's gravity on the profile of the extra boundary for the black hole by using an approximate analytic solution. Performing a holographic renormalization, we have calculated the …
We consider disformal transformations in a subclass of Horndeski theory in which a scalar field is kinetically coupled to the Einstein tensor. We apply a disformal transformation on a seed hairy black hole solution of this theory and we show that there is a transition of a black hole to a wormhole. We also show that the null energy condition is violated in the wormhole configuration and we study the stability of the wormhole solution by calculating the time evolution of scalar perturbations in this geometry.
We discuss two spherically symmetric solutions admitted by the Horndeski (or scalar tensor) theory in the context of solar system and astrophysical scenarios. One of these solutions is derived for Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, while the other originates from the coupling of the Gauss-Bonnet invariant with a scalar field. Specifically, we discuss the perihelion precession and the bending angle of light for these two different spherically symmetric spacetimes derived in references \cite{Maeda:2006hj} and \cite{Sotiriou:2014pfa} respectively. The later in particular, applies only to the black ho…
Teleparallel geometry offers a platform on which to build up theories of gravity where torsion rather than curvature mediates gravitational interaction. The teleparallel analogue of Horndeski gravity is an approach to teleparallel geometry where scalar-tensor theories are considered in this torsional framework. Being teleparallel gravity of lower order in dynamics, this turns out to be more general than metric Horndeski gravity. In other words, the class of teleparallel Horndeski gravity models is much broader than the standard metric one. In this work, we explore constraints on this wide rang…
In this paper we study the hyperbolicity of the equations of motion for the most general Horndeski theory of gravity in a generic "weak field" background. We first show that a special case of this theory, namely Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, fails to be strongly hyperbolic in any generalised harmonic gauge. We then complete the proof that the most general Horndeski theory which, for weak fields, is strongly hyperbolic in a generalised harmonic gauge is simply a "k-essence" theory coupled to Einstein gravity and that adding any more general Horndeski term will result in a weakly, but n…
We study the stability under linear odd-parity perturbations of static spherically symmetric black holes in Horndeski gravity. We derive the master equation for these perturbations and obtain the conditions of no-ghost and Laplacian instability. In order for the black hole solutions to be stable, we study their generalized "Regge-Wheeler potential". It turns out that the problem is reduced to an algebraic problem where three functions characterizing the black hole should be positive outside the horizon to prove the stability. We found that these conditions are similar to the no-ghost and Lapla…
Gravity is believed to have deep and inherent relation to thermodynamics. We study phase transition and critical behavior in the extended phase space of asymptotic anti de-Sitter (AdS) black holes in Einstein-Horndeski gravity. We demonstrate that the black hole in Einstein-Horndeski gravity undergo phase transition and P-V criticality mimicking the van der Waals gas-liquid system. The key approach in our study is to introduce a more reasonable pressure instead of previous pressure $P=-Λ/8π$ related to cosmological constant $Λ$, and this proper pressure is given insight from the asymptotical b…
The scalar particle production through a scalar field non-minimally coupled with geometry is investigated in the context of a spatially homogeneous and isotropic universe. In this paper, in order to study the evolution of particle production over time in the case of analytical solutions, we focus on a simple Horndeski theory. We first suppose that the universe is dominated by a scalar field and derive the energy conservation condition. Then from the thermodynamic point of view, the macroscopic non-conservation of the scalar field energy-momentum tensor can be explained as an irreversible produ…
We consider Einstein-Horndeski gravity with a negative bare constant as a holographic model to investigate whether a scale invariant quantum field theory can exist without the full conformal invariance. Einstein-Horndeski gravity can admit two different AdS vacua. One is conformal, and the holographic two-point functions of the boundary energy-momentum tensor are the same as the ones obtained in Einstein gravity. The other AdS vacuum, which arises at some critical point of the coupling constants, preserves the scale invariance but not the special conformal invariance due to the logarithmic rad…
The Kerr-Schild-Kundt (KSK) metrics are known to be one of the universal metrics in general relativity, which means that they solve the vacuum field equations of any gravity theory constructed from the curvature tensor and its higher-order covariant derivatives. There is yet no complete proof that these metrics are universal in the presence of matter fields such as electromagnetic and/or scalar fields. In order to get some insight into what happens when we extend the "universality theorem" to the case in which the electromagnetic field is present, as a first step, we study the KSK class of met…
This paper is concerned with the construction and analysis of boson stars in the context of nonminimal derivative coupling theories. In particular we embed our model in the biscalar extension of Horndeski gravity, considering a scalar field theory displaying a nonminimally coupled kinetic term given by the Einstein tensor. We focus on the case where the potential is given by a mass term only, and when a six order self-interaction is included. In the latter case we consider specific couplings in the self-interacting terms in such a way that our self-interaction is given by a positive definite p…
We consider the newly proposed Bahamonde-Dialektopoulos-Levi Said (BDLS) theory, that is the Horndeski analog in the teleparallel framework and thus contains a non-minimally coupled scalar field, including higher order derivatives, that leads however to second order field equations both for the tetrad and the scalar field. This theory was mostly constructed to revive those models that were severely constrained in the scalar-tensor version of the theory from the GW170817, but includes also much richer phenomenology because of the nature of the torsion tensor. For this theory we determine the pa…
In obtaining exact solutions in gravitational theories containing arbitrary model functions, such as Horndeski gravity, one usually starts by prescribing the model functions of the theory and then goes on to solving their corresponding field equations. In this paper, we explore the extent to which the reverse procedure can be useful, whereby one starts with desired solutions and then determines the models that support them. Working within the phenomenologically interesting cubic and shift-symmetric sector of Horndeski gravity, we develop a method for obtaining exact static and spherically-symm…
We study a "classical" bouncing scenario in beyond Horndeski theory. We give an example of spatially flat bouncing solution that is non-singular and stable throughout the whole evolution. The model is arranged in such a way that the scalar field driving the cosmological evolution initially behaves like full-fledged beyond Horndeski, whereas at late times it becomes a massless scalar field minimally coupled to gravity.
We consider a generic scalar-tensor theory involving a shift-symmetric scalar field and minimally coupled matter fields. We prove that the Noether current associated with shift-symmetry vanishes in regular, spherically symmetric and static spacetimes. We use this fact to prove the absence of scalar hair for spherically symmetric and static stars in Horndeski and beyond theories. We carefully detail the validity of this no-hair theorem.
Horndeski gravity holds a special position as the most general extension of Einstein's theory of general relativity with a single scalar degree of freedom and second-order field equations. Because of these features, Horndeski gravity is an attractive phenomenological playground to investigate the consequences of modifications of general relativity in cosmology and astrophysics. We present a review of the progress made so far in the study of compact objects (black holes and neutron stars) within Horndeski gravity. In particular, we review our recent work on slowly rotating black holes and prese…
Adopting Noether point symmetries, we classify and integrate dynamical systems coming from Horndeski cosmologies. The method is particularly effective both to select the form of Horndeski models and to derive exact cosmological solutions. Starting from the Lagrangians selected by the Noether symmetries, it is possible to derive several modified theories of gravity like $f(R)$ gravity, Brans-Dicke gravity, string inspired gravity and so on. In any case, exact solutions are found out.
We study the superradiance effect in a class of scalar-tensor Horndeski theory. We first study the dynamics of a massive charged scalar wave scattered off the horizon of a Reissner-Nordström black hole which except its canonical coupling to gravity it is also coupled kinetically to curvature. We find that a trapping potential is formed outside the horizon of a Reissner-Nordström black hole, due to this coupling, and as the strength of the new coupling is increased, the scattered wave is superradiantly amplified, resulting to the instability of the Reissner-Nordström spacetime. We then consider…
We study spherically symmetric solutions with a scalar field in the shift-symmetric subclass of the Horndeski theory. Constructing an effective energy-momentum tensor of the scalar field based on the two-fluid model, we decompose the scalar field into two components: dark matter and dark energy.We find the dark-matter fluid is pressure-less, and its distribution of energy density obeys the inverse-square law. We show the scalar field dark matter can explain the galaxy rotation curve and discuss the time evolution of the dark matter in the cosmic background.
In this paper, we investigate a class of Horndeski scalar-tensor theory of gravity for warm inflation. We present some models where the early-time acceleration is realized in the weak and in the strong dissipation regime. Cosmological perturbations are analyzed.
The Horndeski theories are extended into the Lovelock gravity theory. When the canonical scalar field is uniquely kinetically coupled to the Lovelock tensors, it is named after Lovelock scalar field. The Lovelock scalar field model is a subclass of the new Horndeski theories. A most attractive feature of the Lovelock scalar field is its equation of motion is second order. So it is free of ghosts. We study the cosmology of Lovelock scalar field in the background of $7$ dimensional spacetime and present a class of cosmic solutions. These solutions reveal the physics of the scalar field is rather…
It was found recently that the anisotropies in the homogeneous Bianchi I cosmology considered within the context of a specific Horndeski theory are damped near the initial singularity instead of being amplified. In this work we extend the analysis of this phenomenon to cover the whole of the Horndeski family. We find that the phenomenon is absent in the K-essence and/or Kinetic Gravity Braiding theories, where the anisotropies grow as one approaches the singularity. The anisotropies are damped at early times only in more general Horndeski models whose Lagrangian includes terms quadratic and cu…
The Einstein-Hilbert action with a cosmological constant is the most general local four-dimensional action leading to second-order derivative equations of motion that are symmetric and divergence free. In higher dimensions, additional terms can appear. We investigate a generalised metric decomposition involving a scalar degree of freedom to express the higher-dimensional action as an effective four-dimensional scalar-tensor theory. From the higher-dimensional Ricci scalar alone and a subclass of our metric ansatz, we recover the subset of Horndeski theories with luminal speed of gravitational …
We present an overview of recent developments in the numerical solution of Horndeski gravity theories, which are the class of all scalar-tensor theories of gravity that have second order equations of motion. We review several methods that have been used to establish well-posed initial value problems for these theories, and discuss well-posed formulations of the constraint equations. We also discuss global aspects of exact, strongly coupled solutions to some of Horndeski gravity theories: the formation of shocks, the loss of hyperbolicity, and the formation of naked curvature singularities. Fin…
We discuss the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) limit of Horndeski's theory of gravity, also known under the name generalized G-inflation or $\text{G}^2$-inflation, which is the most general scalar-tensor theory of gravity with at most second order field equations in four dimensions. We derive conditions on the action for the validity of the post-Newtonian limit. For the most general class of theories consistent with these conditions we calculate the PPN parameters $γ(r)$ and $β(r)$, which in general depend on the interaction distance $r$ between the gravitating mass and the test mass. For a…
We propose a procedure for the $D\rightarrow 4$ limit of Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity that leads to a well defined action principle in four dimensions. Our construction is based on compactifying $D$-dimensional EGB gravity on a $(D-4)$-dimensional maximally symmetric space followed by redefining the Gauss-Bonnet coupling $α\rightarrow \fracα{D-4}$. The resulting model is a special scalar-tensor theory that belongs to the family of Horndeski gravity. Static black hole solutions in the scalar-tensor theory are investigated. Interestingly, the metric profile is independent of the curvature…
Horndeski's theory of gravity is the most general scalar-tensor theory with a single scalar whose equations of motion contain at most second-order derivatives. A subsector of Horndeski's theory known as "Fab Four" gravity allows for dynamical self-tuning of the quantum vacuum energy, and therefore it has received particular attention in cosmology as a possible alternative to the $Λ$CDM model. Here we study compact stars in Fab Four gravity, which includes as special cases general relativity ("George"), Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet gravity ("Ringo"), theories with a nonminimal coupling with th…
The four laws of black hole mechanics have been put forward for a long time. However, the zeroth law, which states that the surface gravity of a stationary black hole is a constant on the event horizon, still lacks universal proof in various modified gravitational theories. In this paper, we study the zeroth law {in a special Horndeski gravity}, which is an interesting gravitational theory with a nonminimally coupled scalar field. After assuming that {the nonminimally coupled scalar field has the same symmetries with the spacetime,} the minimally coupled matter fields satisfy the dominant ener…
We present all scalar-tensor Lagrangians that are cubic in second derivatives of a scalar field, and that are degenerate, hence avoiding Ostrogradsky instabilities. Thanks to the existence of constraints, they propagate no more than three degrees of freedom, despite having higher order equations of motion. We also determine the viable combinations of previously identified quadratic degenerate Lagrangians and the newly established cubic ones. Finally, we study whether the new theories are connected to known scalar-tensor theories such as Horndeski and beyond Horndeski, through conformal or disf…
