Related papers: Boundary terms in cosmology
The concept of deformation of Riemannian geometry is reviewed, with applications to gravitation and cosmology. Starting with an analysis of the cosmological constant problem, it is shown that space-times are deformable in the sense of local…
Our current understanding of the Universe depends on the interplay of several distinct "matter" components, which interact mainly through gravity, and electromagnetic radiation. The nature of the different components, and possible…
The Mann-Marolf surface term is a specific candidate for the "reference background term" that is to be subtracted from the Gibbons-Hawking surface term in order make the total gravitational action of asymptotically flat spacetimes finite.…
The Hartle-Hawking no-boundary proposal describes the quantum creation of the universe. To have a non-negligible probability to obtain a classical expanding universe, eternal inflation is required, which is severely constrained by Swampland…
One method to overcome the notorious problem of time in the quantisation of gravity is the identification of a physically preferred time parameter, a promising candidate being so-called `York time'. The dynamical equations for matter and…
We consider the no-boundary proposal for homogeneous isotropic closed universes with a cosmological constant and a scalar field with a quadratic potential. In the semi-classical limit, it predicts classical behavior at late times if the…
A complete model of the universe needs at least three parts: (1) a complete set of physical variables and dynamical laws for them, (2) the correct solution of the dynamical laws, and (3) the connection with conscious experience. In quantum…
Based on Eddington affine variational principle on a locally product manifold, we derive the separate Einstein space described by its Ricci tensor. The derived field equations split into two field equations of motion that describe two…
Two different ways of generalizing Einstein's general theory of relativity with a cosmological constant to Brans-Dicke type scalar-tensor theories are investigated in the linearized field approximation. In the first case a cosmological…
We provide a well-defined variational principle for 3-dimensional flat space Einstein gravity by adding one half of the Gibbons-Hawking-York boundary term to the bulk action. We check the 0-point function, recovering consistency with…
There is mounting observational evidence that the expansion of our Universe is undergoing a late-time acceleration. Among many proposals to describe this phenomenon, the cosmological constant seems to be the simplest and the most natural…
Einstein-Hilbert action is supplemented by Gauss-Bonnet squared term, its phase-space structure is constructed and canonical quantization is performed. Resolution of a contradiction that emerges in the process, requires the presence of…
The standard formulation of the cosmological constant problem is based on one critical assumption---the spacetime is homogeneous and isotropic, which is true only on cosmological scales. However, this problem is caused by extremely small…
Observations indicate that our universe is characterized by a late-time accelerating phase, possibly driven by a cosmological constant $\Lambda$, with the dimensionless parameter $\Lambda L_P^2 \simeq 10^{-122}$, where $L_P = (G \hbar…
A five dimensional braneworld cosmological model in general scalar-tensor action comprises of various Horndeski Lagrangian is considered. The Friedmann equations in the case of the strongly and weakly coupled $\mathcal{L}_5$ Horndeski…
The cosmological scale factor $a(t)$ of the flat-space Robertson-Walker geometry is examined from a Hamiltonian perspective wherein $a(t)$ is interpreted as an independent dynamical coordinate and the curvature density $\sqrt {- g(a)}…
We show that the description of the space-time of general relativity as a diagonal four dimensional submanifold immersed in an eight dimensional hypercomplex manifold, in torsionless case, leads to a geometrical origin of the cosmological…
We make the cosmological constant, {\Lambda}, into a field and restrict the variations of the action with respect to it by causality. This creates an additional Einstein constraint equation. It restricts the solutions of the standard…
At the level of the Planck scale, the spacetime metric has to be considered a quantum variable. Conformal quantum fluctuations of the metric tensor are studied here. They lead to an extra term in the Einstein equations which can be…
Deriving the Einstein field equations (EFE) with matter fluid from the action principle is not straightforward, because mass conservation must be added as an additional constraint to make rest-frame mass density variable in reaction to…