Related papers: Unimodular-like times, evolution and Brans-Dicke G…
Unimodular relativity is a theory of gravity and space-time with a fixed absolute space-time volume element, the modulus, which we suppose is proportional to the number of microscopic modules in that volume element. In general relativity an…
We extend the idea of unimodular gravity to the modified $f(R,T)$ theories. A new class of cosmological solutions, that the unimodular constraint on the metric imposes on the $f(R,T)$ theories, are studied. This extension is done in both…
The Dirac oscillator is a relativistic quantum system, characterized by its linearity in both position and momentum. Moreover, considering $(1{+}1)$ and $(2{+}1)$ dimensions, the system can be mapped onto the Jaynes-Cummings and…
Last year I talked at this meeting about a possible time dependence of the QCD coupling constant $\alpha_s$. This year I shall look into the problem once more, without fully repeating the arguments given last year. Astrophysical indications…
Unimodular Gravity is one of the oldest geometric gravity theory alternative to General Relativity. Essentially, it is based on the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian with an additional constraint on the determinant of the metric. It can be…
Global time is a gauge or relational choice of time variable in canonical gravity. Local time is the time used in a flat patch of spacetime. We compare the dynamics of a scalar field with respect to choices of global time and Minkowski…
Unimodular gravity addresses the old cosmological constant (CC) problem, explaining why such constant is not at least as large as the largest particle mass scale, but classically it is indistinguishable from ordinary gravity. Conversely,…
We investigate the behaviour of exact closed bouncing Friedmann universes in theories with varying constants. We show that the simplest BSBM varying-alpha theory leads to a bouncing universe. The value of alpha increases monotonically,…
Evolution of primordial fluctuations in a Brans-Dicke type scalar-tensor gravity theory is comprehensively investigated. The harmonic attractor model, in which the scalar field has its harmonic effective potential in the Einstein conformal…
We use the quantum unimodular theory of gravity to relate the value of the cosmological constant, $\Lambda$, and the energy scale for the emergence of cosmological classicality. The fact that $\Lambda$ and unimodular time are complementary…
If the fine structure constant $\alpha =e^2/(\hbar c)$ were to change, then a number of interpretations would be possible, attributing this change either to variations in the electron charge, the dielectric constant of the vacuum, the speed…
We analyse the fate of density perturbation in the Brans-Dicke Theory, giving a general classification of the solutions of the perturbed equations when the scale factor of the background evolves as a power law. We study with details the…
Inspired by some recent works of Lovelock Brans-Dicke gravity and mimetic gravity, cosmology solutions in extensions of these two modified gravities are investigated. A non-local term is added to the Lovelock Brans-Dicke action and…
In recent years several ideas for experimental searches of effects induced by quantum properties of space-time have been discussed. Some of these ideas concern the role in quantum spacetime of the ordinary Lorentz symmetry of classical flat…
The Hamiltonian formalism of the generalized unimodular gravity theory, which was recently suggested as a model of dark energy, is shown to be a complicated example of constrained dynamical system. The set of its canonical constraints has a…
We continue our analysis of a quantum cosmology model describing a flat Friedmann--Lema\^itre--Robertson--Walker universe filled with a (free) massless scalar field and an arbitrary perfect fluid. For positive energy density in the scalar…
We study the quantum dynamics of de Sitter space formulated as a minisuperspace model with flat spatial hypersurfaces in unimodular gravity, both in the Wheeler-DeWitt approach and in loop quantum cosmology (LQC). Time evolution is defined…
Beginning with the principle that a closed mechanical composite system is timeless, time can be defined by the regular changes in a suitable position coordinate (clock) in the observing part, when one part of the closed composite observes…
The Brans-Dicke action is one of the most natural extensions of the Einstein-Hilbert action. It is based on the introduction of a fundamental scalar field that effectively incorporates a dynamics to the gravitational coupling $G$. In spite…
Astrophysical indications that the fine structure constant has undergone a small time variation during the cosmological evolution are discussed within the framework of the standard model of the electroweak and strong interactions and of…