Accelerating universe with time variation of G and Λ

Abstract

We study a gravitational model in which scale transformations play the key role in obtaining dynamical $G$ and $\Lambda$. We take a scale non-invariant gravitational action with a cosmological constant and a gravitational coupling constant. Then, by a scale transformation, through a dilaton field, we obtain a new action containing cosmological and gravitational coupling terms which are dynamically dependent on the dilaton field with Higgs type potential. The vacuum expectation value of this dilaton field, through spontaneous symmetry breaking on the basis of anthropic principle, determines the time variations of $G$ and $\Lambda$. The relevance of these time variations to the current acceleration of the universe, coincidence problem, Mach's cosmological coincidence and those problems of standard cosmology addressed by inflationary models, are discussed. The current acceleration of the universe is shown to be a result of phase transition from radiation toward matter dominated eras. No real coincidence problem between matter and vacuum energy densities exists in this model and this apparent coincidence together with Mach's cosmological coincidence are shown to be simple consequences of a new kind of scale factor dependence of the energy momentum density as $\rho \sim a^{-4}$. This model also provides the possibility for a super fast expansion of the scale factor at very early universe by introducing exotic type matter like cosmic strings.