Related papers: Sequestering the Standard Model Vacuum Energy
First, we describe the construction of a new type of gravity-matter models based on the formalism of non-Riemannian space-time volume forms - alternative generally covariant integration measure densities (volume elements) defined in terms…
A new formulation of relativistic quantum mechanics is presented and applied to a free, massive, and spin zero elementary particle in the Minkowski spacetime. The reformulation requires that time and space, as well as the timelike and…
The general thermodynamic analysis of the quantum vacuum, which is based on our knowledge of the vacua in condensed-matter systems, is consistent with the Einstein earlier view on the cosmological constant. In the equilibrium Universes the…
We first review the cosmological constant problem, and then mention a conjecture of Feynman according to which the general relativistic theory of gravity should be reformulated in such a way that energy does not couple to gravity. We point…
Recently the global variation of the Planck mass in the General Relativistic Einstein-Hilbert action was proposed as a self-tuning mechanism of the cosmological constant preventing vacuum energy from freely gravitating. We show that this…
We study the dynamics and predictions of a new emergent-universe model recently derived within Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity and based on the so-called statistical regularization scheme. These effective geometries show a dynamical transition…
We review the evidence for recently accelerating cosmological expansion or "dark energy", either a negative pressure constituent in General Relativity (Dark Energy) or modified gravity (Dark Gravity), without any Dark Energy constituent. If…
An expanding universe is not expected to have a static vacuum energy density. The so-called cosmological constant $\Lambda$ should be an approximation, certainly a good one for a fraction of a Hubble time, but it is most likely a temporary…
A new covariant generalization of Einstein's general relativity is developed which allows the existence of a term proportional to $T_{\alpha\beta}T^{\alpha\beta}$ in the action functional of the theory ($T_{\alpha\beta}$ is the…
With this note we want to point out that already in the early days of cosmology it was understood that negative pressure could eliminate gravitational singularities in a natural way e.g. E.B. Gliner, Sov. Phys. JETP 22(1966)378 and M.A.…
We propose a new scenario where dark matter belongs to a secluded sector coupled to the Standard Model through energy--momentum tensors. Our model is motivated by constructions where gravity {\it emerges} from a hidden sector, the graviton…
The aim of this paper is to show, that the 'oscillating universe' is a viable alternative to inflation. We remind that this model provides a natural solution to the flatness or entropy and to the horizon problem of standard cosmology. We…
We consider General Relativity with matter and radiation, one of these fluids being coupled to vacuum. We find that Universe dynamics starts by an inflation phase if the coupled fluid has a negative energy density at early time. Then, there…
We demonstrate that there exists a large class of action functionals of the scalar curvature and of the Gauss-Bonnet invariant which are able to relax dynamically a large cosmological constant (CC), whatever it be its starting value in the…
We consider a non singular origin for the Universe starting from an Einstein static Universe, the so called "emergent universe" scenario, in the framework of a theory which uses two volume elements $\sqrt{-{g}}d^{4}x$ and $\Phi d^{4}x$,…
It has been recently shown that, under some general conditions, it is always possible to find a fourth order gravity theory capable of reproducing the same dynamics of a given dark energy model. Here, we discuss this approach for a dark…
Standard General Relativity assumes that, in the absence of classical matter sources, spacetime is empty. This chapter considers and analyses the new behaviours of the gravitational field that appear when one substitutes this emptiness by a…
We consider general curvature-invariant modifications of the Einstein-Hilbert action that become important only in regions of extremely low space-time curvature. We investigate the far future evolution of the universe in such models,…
Cosmological observations strongly suggest the presence of dark energy which comprises the majority of the current energy density of the universe. The equation of state relating the pressure and energy density of this dark energy, p = w…
General Relativity is an extremely successful theory, at least for weak gravitational fields, however, it breaks down at very high energies, such as in correspondence of the initial singularity. Quantum Gravity is expected to provide more…