Related papers: Shining Light on Modifications of Gravity
We study the degrees of freedom of the metric in a general class of higher derivative gravity models, which are interesting in the context of quantum gravity as they are (super)renormalizable. First, we linearize the theory for a flat…
Scalar-tensor theories have a long history as possible phenomenological alternatives to General Relativity, but are known to potentially produce deviations from the (strong) equivalence principle in systems involving self-gravitating…
We find a connection between relativistic Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) theories and (scalar) mimetic gravity. We first demonstrate that any relativistic MOND model featuring a unit-timelike vector field, such as TeVeS or…
We present a framework for discussing the cosmology of dark energy and dark matter based on two scalar degrees of freedom. An effective field theory of cosmological perturbations is employed. A unitary gauge choice renders the dark energy…
We solve the general problem of mixing of electromagnetic and scalar or pseudoscalar fields coupled by axion-type interactions ${\cal L}_{int} =g_{\phi} \phi \epsilon_{\mu \nu \a \b}F^{\mu \nu}F^{\a \b} $. The problem depends on several…
String effective theories contain a dilaton scalar field which couples to gravity, matter and radiation. In general, particle masses will have different dilaton couplings. We can always choose a conformal frame in which baryons have…
We study a theory in which the electromagnetic field is disformally coupled to a scalar field, in addition to a usual non-minimal electromagnetic coupling. We show that disformal couplings modify the expression for the fine-structure…
Recently, it was shown that the quantum effects of the matter, could be used to determine the conformal degree of freedom of the space-time metric. So both gravity and quantum are geometrical features. Gravity determines the causal…
Within the scheme of modified gravity, an exponential Lagrangian density will be considered, and the corresponding scalar-tensor description will be addressed for both positive and negative values of the cosmological constant. For negative…
We examine general physical parameterisations for viable gravitational models in the $f(R)$ framework. This is related to the mass of an additional scalar field, called the scalaron, that is introduced by the theories. Using a simple…
We extend a previous self-tuning analysis of the most general scalar-tensor theory of gravity in four dimensions with second order field equations by considering a generalized coupling to the matter sector. Through allowing a disformal…
We take an Effective Field Theory (EFT) approach to unifying existing proposals for the origin of cosmic acceleration and its connection to cosmological observations. Building on earlier work where EFT methods were used with observations to…
In 'modified' gravity the observed acceleration of the universe is explained by changing the gravitational force law or the number of degrees of freedom in the gravitational sector. Both possibilities can be tested by measurements of…
Interactions between dark matter and dark energy, allowing both conformal and and disformal couplings, are studied in detail. We discuss the background evolution, anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background and large scale structures.…
In the framework of teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, we study a gravity theory where a scalar field beyond its minimal coupling, is also coupled with the vector torsion through a non-minimal derivative coupling. After a…
Scalar-tensor theories of gravity that embrace conformal coupling to the scalar curvature are the focal point of cosmology on discussions of inflation and late-time accelerating universe. Although there exists a stringent nucleo-synthesis…
Fundamental constants such as masses and coupling constants of elementary particles can have small temporal and spatial variations in the scalar field dark matter model. These variations entail time oscillations of other constants, such as…
That preferred-frame theory accounts for special relativity and reduces to it if the gravitation field cancels. Starting from an interpretation of gravity as a pressure force, it is based on just one scalar field. This scalar gives the…
We study the relationship between the strength of fifth forces and the origin of scale breaking in the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. We start with a light scalar field that is conformally coupled to a toy SM matter sector through…
In this paper I shall consider field theories in a space of four-dimensions which have field variables consisting of the components of a metric tensor and scalar field. The field equations of these scalar-tensor field theories will be…