Class Of Scalar-tensor Theories Research Articles

Bayesian test of Brans–Dicke theories with planetary ephemerides: Investigating the strong equivalence principle

Aims. We are testing the Brans–Dicke class of scalar tensor theories with planetary ephemerides. Methods. In this work, we apply our recently proposed Bayesian methodology to the Brans–Dicke case, with an emphasis on the issue of the strong equivalence principle (SEP). Results. We use an MCMC approach coupled to full, consistent planetary ephemeris construction (from point-mass body integration to observational fit) and compare the posterior distributions obtained with and without the introduction of potential violations of the SEP. Conclusions. We observe a shift in the confidence levels of the posteriors obtained. We interpret this shift as marginal evidence that the effect of violation of the SEP can no longer be assumed to be negligible in planetary ephemerides with the current data. We also notably report that the constraint on the Brans–Dicke parameter with planetary ephemerides is getting closer to the figure reported from the Cassini spacecraft alone, and also to the constraints from pulsars. We anticipate that data from future spacecraft missions, such as BepiColombo, will significantly enhance the constraints based on planetary ephemerides.

The rise of the primordial tensor spectrum from an early scalar-tensor epoch

Primordial gravitational waves (PGW) produced during inflation span a large range of frequencies, carrying information on the dynamics of the primordial universe. During an early scalar-tensor dominated epoch, the amplitude of the PGW spectrum can be enhanced over a wide range of frequencies. To study this phenomenon, we focus on a class of scalar-tensor theories, well motivated by high energy theories of dark energy and dark matter, where the scalar is conformally and disformally coupled to matter during the early cosmological evolution. For a conformally dominated epoch, the PGW spectrum has a flat step-like shape. More interestingly, a disformally dominated epoch is characterised by a peaked spectrum with a broken power-law profile, with slopes depending on the scalar-tensor theory considered.We introduce a graphical tool, called broken power-law sensitivity curve, as a convenient visual indicator for understanding whether a given broken power-law profile can be detected by GW experiments. We then analyse the GW spectra for a variety of representative conformal and disformal models, discussing their detectability prospects with the Einstein Telescope (ET), Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO), and Big Bang Observer (BBO).

No Evidence of Kinetic Screening in Simulations of Merging Binary Neutron Stars beyond General Relativity.

We have conducted fully relativistic simulations in a class of scalar-tensor theories with derivative self-interactions and screening of local scales. By using high-resolution shock-capturing methods and a nonvanishing shift vector, we have managed to avoid issues plaguing similar attempts in the past. We have first confirmed recent results by ourselves in spherical symmetry, obtained with an approximate approach and pointing at a partial breakdown of the screening in black-hole collapse. Then, we considered the late inspiral and merger of binary neutron stars. We found that screening tends to suppress the (subdominant) dipole scalar emission, but not the (dominant) quadrupole scalar mode. Our results point at quadrupole scalar signals as large as (or even larger than) in Fierz-Jordan-Brans-Dicke theories with the same conformal coupling, for strong-coupling scales in the MeV range that we can simulate.

Neutron stars in massive scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity: Spherical structure and time-independent perturbations

The class of scalar-tensor theories with the scalar field coupling to the Gauss-Bonnet invariant has drawn great interest since solutions of spontaneous scalarization were found for black holes in these theories. We contribute to the existing literature a detailed study of the spontaneously scalarized neutron stars (NSs) in a typical theory where the coupling function of the scalar field takes the quadratic form and the scalar field is massive. The investigation here includes the spherical solutions of the NSs as well as their perturbative properties, namely the tidal deformability and the moment of inertia, treated in a unified and extendable way under the framework of spherical decomposition. We find that while the mass, the radius, and the moment of inertia of the spontaneously scalarized NSs show very moderate deviations from those of the NSs in general relativity (GR), the tidal deformability exhibits significant differences between the solutions in GR and the solutions of spontaneous scalarization for certain values of the parameters in the scalar-Gauss-Bonnet theory. As a result, the celebrated universal relation between the moment of inertia and the tidal deformability of neutron stars breaks down. With the mass and the tidal deformability of NSs attainable in the gravitational waves from binary NS mergers, the radius measurable using the X-ray satellites, and the moment of inertia accessible via the high-precision pulsar timing techniques, future multi-messenger observations can be contrasted with the theoretical results and provide us necessary information for building up theories beyond GR.

Hybrid Metric-Palatini Gravity: Regular Stringlike Configurations

We discuss static, cylindrically symmetric vacuum solutions of hybrid metric-Palatini gravity (HMPG), a recently proposed theory that has been shown to successfully pass the local observational tests and produce a certain progress in cosmology. We use HMPG in its well-known scalar-tensor representation. The latter coincides with general relativity containing, as a source of gravity, a conformally coupled scalar field ϕ and a self-interaction potential V(ϕ). The ϕ field can be canonical or phantom, and, accordingly, the theory splits into canonical and phantom sectors. We seek solitonic (stringlike) vacuum solutions of HMPG, that is, completely regular solutions with Minkowski metric far from the symmetry axis, with a possible angular deficit. A transition of the theory to the Einstein conformal frame is used as a tool, and many of the results apply to the general Bergmann-Wagoner-Nordtvedt class of scalar-tensor theories as well as f(R) theories of gravity. One of these results is a one-to-one correspondence between stringlike solutions in the Einstein and Jordan frames if the conformal factor that connects them is everywhere regular. An algorithm for the construction of stringlike solutions in HMPG and scalar-tensor theories is suggested, and some examples of such solutions are obtained and discussed.

Horndeski under the quantum loupe

With recent constraints on the propagation speed of gravitational waves, the class of scalar-tensor theories has significantly been reduced. We consider one of the surviving models still relevant for cosmology and investigate its radiative stability. The model contains operators with explicit breaking of the Galileon symmetry and we study whether they harm the re-organization of the effective field theory. Within the regime of validity we establish a non-renormalization theorem and show explicitly that the quantum corrections, to one-loop, do not detune the classical Lagrangian generating suppressed counterterms. This is striking since the non-renormalization theorem is established in the presence of a genuine Galileon symmetry breaking term.

Fifth forces and discrete symmetry breaking

Modifications of general relativity often involve coupling additional scalar fields to the Ricci scalar, leading to scalar-tensor theories of Brans-Dicke type. If the additional scalar fields are light, they can give rise to long-range fifth forces, which are subject to stringent constraints from local tests of gravity. In this talk, we show that Yukawa-like fifth forces only arise for the Standard Model (SM) due to a mass mixing of the additional scalar with the Higgs field, and we emphasise the pivotal role played by discrete and continuous symmetry breaking. Quite remarkably, if one assumes that sufficiently light, non-minimally coupled scalar fields exist in nature, the non-observation of fifth forces has the potential to tell us about the structure of the SM Higgs sector and the origin of its symmetry breaking. Moreover, with these observations, we argue that certain classes of scalar-tensor theories are, up to and including their dimension-four operators, equivalent to Higgs-portal theories. In this way, ultra-light dark matter models may also exhibit fifth-force phenomenology, and we consider the impact on the dynamics of disk galaxies as an example.

On the formation of “supermassive” neutron stars and dynamical transition to spontaneous scalarization

It is well known that neutron stars can undergo a phase transition under a certain class of Scalar Tensor Theories of gravity (STT's) where a new order parameter, the scalar charge, appears within the star. This is the well known phenomenon of spontaneous scalarization (SC) discovered by Damour and Esposito-Farèse in 1993. Under such mechanism neutron stars can afford in principle a maximum mass larger than in general relativity (GR) for a given equation of state without taking into account additional observational constraints (e.g. binary systems). This opens the possibility that neutron stars might be formed with masses as large as ∼2M⊙ without the need of stiff, or more exotic, equations of state for the nuclear matter. Thus, STT's through SC may account for compact objects with large masses observed recently in the sky in the form of pulsars (PSR J0348+0432 with M=2.01M±0.04⊙ observed in 2013, PSR J1614-2230 with M=1.97±0.04M⊙ observed in 2010 or J0740+6620 M=2.14−0.09+0.10M⊙ observed in 2019). However, we argue that even if that was possible such maximum mass models within STT cannot be formed solely from the dynamic transition of an initial “isolated” unscalarized neutron star whose mass cannot exceed the maximum mass in GR. This is because SC, being an energetic-preferred configuration, produces a final static star with a mass lower that the initial one with a fixed baryon mass. The mass difference between the initial and final configurations is radiated away in the form of a scalar-field. Thus, maximum mass models of scalarized neutron stars, if present in nature, must have formed by a different process, perhaps of cosmological origin or by the subsequent accretion of additional scalar charge and mass.

Spinning black holes for generalized scalar-tensor theories in three dimensions

We consider a general class of scalar tensor theories in three dimensions whose action contains up to second-order derivatives of the scalar field with coupling functions that only depend on the standard kinetic term of the scalar field, thus ensuring the invariance under the constant shift of the scalar field. For this model, we show that the field equations for a stationary metric ansatz together with a purely radial scalar field can be fully integrated. The kinetic term of the scalar field solution is shown to satisfy an algebraic relation depending only on the coupling functions, and hence is constant while the metric solution is nothing but the BTZ metric with an effective cosmological constant fixed in terms of the coupling functions. As a direct consequence the thermodynamics of the solution is shown to be identical to the BTZ one with an effective cosmological constant, despite the presence of a scalar field. Finally, the expression of the semi-classical entropy of this solution is also confirmed through a generalized Cardy-like formula involving the mass of the scalar soliton obtained from the black hole by means of a double Wick rotation.

New class of hybrid metric-Palatini scalar-tensor theories of gravity

A class of scalar-tensor theories (STT) including a non-metricity that unifies metric, Palatini and hybrid metric-Palatini gravitational actions with non-minimal interaction is proposed and investigated from the point of view of their consistency with generalized conformal transformations. It is shown that every such theory can be represented on-shell by a purely metric STT possessing the same solutions for a metric and a scalar field. A set of generalized invariants is also proposed. This extends the formalism previously introduced in [1]. We then apply the formalism to Starobinsky model, write down the Friedmann equations for three possible cases: metric, Palatini and hybrid metric-Palatini, and compare some inflationary observables.

Generalized Brans-Dicke theories in light of evolving dark energy

The expansion history of the Universe reconstructed from a combination of recent data indicates a preference for a changing Dark Energy (DE) density. Moreover, the DE density appears to be increasing with cosmic time, with its equation of state being below -1 on average, and possibly crossing the so-called phantom divide. Scalar-tensor theories, in which the scalar field mediates a force between matter particles, offer a natural framework in which the effective DE equation of state can be less than -1 and cross the phantom barrier. We consider the generalized Brans-Dicke (GBD) class of scalar-tensor theories and reconstruct their Lagrangian given the effective DE density extracted from recent data. Then, given the reconstructed Lagrangian, we solve for the linear perturbations and investigate the characteristic signatures of these reconstructed GBD in the cosmological observables, such as the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy, the galaxy number counts, and their cross-correlations. In particular, we demonstrate that the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect probed by the cross-correlation of CMB with the matter distribution can rule out scalar-tensor theories as the explanation of the observed DE dynamics independently from the laboratory and solar system fifth force constraints.

Minimally modified gravity: a Hamiltonian construction

Minimally modified gravity theories are modifications of general relativity with two local gravitational degrees of freedom in four dimensions. Their construction relies on the breaking of 4D diffeomorphism invariance keeping however the symmetry under 3D diffeomorphisms. Here, we construct these theories from the Hamiltonian point of view. We start with the phase space of general relativity in the ADM formalism. Then, we find the conditions that the Hamiltonian must satisfy for the theory to propagate (up to) two local gravitational degrees of freedom with the assumptions that the lapse and the shift are not dynamical, and that the theory remains invariant under 3D diffeomorphisms. This construction enables us to recover the well-known “cuscuton” class of scalar-tensor theories in the unitary gauge. We also exhibit a new class of interesting theories, that we dub f(ℋ) theories, where the usual Hamiltonian constraint ℋ of general relativity is replaced by f(ℋ) where f is an arbitrary function.

Evading Derrick’s theorem in curved space: Static metastable spherical domain wall

A recent analysis by one of the authors\cite{Perivolaropoulos:2018cgr} has pointed out that Derrick's theorem can be evaded in curved space. Here we extend that analysis by demonstrating the existence of a static metastable solution in a wide class of metrics that include a Schwarzschild-Rindler-AntideSitter spacetime (Grumiller metric) defined as $ds^2= f(r) dt^2 - f(r)^{-1} dr^2 - r^2 (d\theta^2 +\sin^2\theta d\phi^2)$ with $f(r)=1-\frac{2Gm}{r}+2br-\frac{\Lambda}{3} r^2$ ($\Lambda<0\; b<0$). This metric emerges generically as a spherically symmetric vacuum solution in a class of scalar-tensor theories\cite{Grumiller:2010bz} as well as in Weyl conformal gravity\cite{Mannheim:1988dj}. It also emerges in General Relativity (GR) in the presence of a cosmological constant and a proper spherically symmetric perfect fluid. We demonstrate that this metric supports a static spherically symmetric metastable soliton scalar field solution that corresponds to a spherical domain wall. We derive the static solution numerically and identify a range of parameters $m, b, \Lambda$ of the metric for which the spherical wall is metastable. Our result is supported by both a minimization of the scalar field energy functional with proper boundary conditions and by a numerical simulation of the scalar field evolution. The metastable solution is very well approximated as $\phi(r) = Tanh\left[q (r-r_0)\right]$ where $r_0$ is the radius of the metastable wall that depends on the parameters of the metric and $q$ determines the width of the wall. We also find the gravitational effects of the thin spherical wall solution and its backreaction on the background metric that allows its formation. We show that this backreaction does not hinder the metastability of the solution even though it can change the range of parameters that correspond to metastability.

Constraining scalar-tensor gravity models by S2 star orbits around the galactic center

The aim of our investigation is to derive a particular theory among the class of scalar-tensor(ST) theories of gravity, and then to test it by studying kinematics and dynamics of S-stars around a supermassive black hole (BH) at Galactic Center (GC). We also discuss the Newtonian limit of this class of ST theories of gravity, as well as its parameters. We compare the observed orbit of S2 star with our simulated orbit which we obtained theoretically with the derived ST potential and constrained parameters. Using the obtained best-fit parameters we calculated orbital precession of S2 star in ST gravity and found that it has the same direction as in General Relativity (GR) but causes much larger pericenter shift.

Large-scale structure phenomenology of viable Horndeski theories

Phenomenological functions $\Sigma$ and $\mu$, also known as $G_{\rm light}/G$ and $G_{\rm matter}/G$, are commonly used to parameterize modifications of the growth of large-scale structure in alternative theories of gravity. We study the values these functions can take in Horndeski theories, i.e. the class of scalar-tensor theories with second order equations of motion. We restrict our attention to models that are in a broad agreement with tests of gravity and the observed cosmic expansion history. In particular, we require the speed of gravity to be equal to the speed of light today, as required by the recent detection of gravitational waves and electromagnetic emission from a binary neutron star merger. We examine the correlations between the values of $\Sigma$ and $\mu$ analytically within the quasi-static approximation, and numerically, by sampling the space of allowed solutions. We confirm that the conjecture made in [Pogosian:2016pwr], that $(\Sigma-1)(\mu -1) \ge 0$ in viable Horndeski theories, holds very well. Along with that, we check the validity of the quasi-static approximation within different corners of Horndeski theory. Our results show that, even with the tight bound on the present day speed of gravitational waves, there is room within Horndeski theories for non-trivial signatures of modified gravity at the level of linear perturbations.

Dark matter relics and the expansion rate in scalar-tensor theories

We study the impact of a modified expansion rate on the dark matter relic abundance in a class of scalar-tensor theories. The scalar-tensor theories we consider are motivated from string theory constructions, which have conformal as well as disformally coupled matter to the scalar. We investigate the effects of such a conformal coupling to the dark matter relic abundance for a wide range of initial conditions, masses and cross-sections. We find that exploiting all possible initial conditions, the annihilation cross-section required to satisfy the dark matter content can differ from the thermal average cross-section in the standard case. We also study the expansion rate in the disformal case and find that physically relevant solutions require a nontrivial relation between the conformal and disformal functions. We study the effects of the disformal coupling in an explicit example where the disformal function is quadratic.

Degenerate higher derivative theories beyond Horndeski: evading the Ostrogradski instability

Theories with higher order time derivatives generically suffer from ghost-like instabilities, known as Ostrogradski instabilities. This fate can be avoided by considering ``degenerate'' Lagrangians, whose kinetic matrix cannot be inverted, thus leading to constraints between canonical variables and a reduced number of physical degrees of freedom. In this work, we derive in a systematic way the degeneracy conditions for scalar-tensor theories that depend quadratically on second order derivatives of a scalar field. We thus obtain a classification of all degenerate theories within this class of scalar-tensor theories. The quartic Horndeski Lagrangian and its extension beyond Horndeski belong to these degenerate cases. We also identify new families of scalar-tensor theories with the property that they are degenerate despite the nondegeneracy of the purely scalar part of their Lagrangian.

Equivalence principle in scalar-tensor gravity

We present a direct confirmation of the validity of the equivalence principle for unstructured test bodies in scalar-tensor gravity. Our analysis is complementary to previous approaches and valid for a large class of scalar-tensor theories of gravitation. A covariant approach is used to derive the equations of motion in a systematic way and allows for the experimental test of scalar-tensor theories by means of extended test bodies.

Electromagnetic outflows in a class of scalar-tensor theories: Binary neutron star coalescence

As we showed in previous work, the dynamics and gravitational emission of binary neutron-star systems in certain scalar-tensor theories can differ significantly from that expected from general relativity (GR) in the coalescing stage. In this work we examine whether the characteristics of the electromagnetic counterparts to these binaries---driven by magnetosphere interactions prior to the merger event---can provide an independent way to test gravity in the most strongly dynamical stages of binary mergers. We find that the electromagnetic flux emitted by binaries in these scalar-tensor theories can show deviations from the GR prediction in particular cases. These differences are quite subtle, thus requiring delicate measurements to differentiate between GR and the type of scalar-tensor theories considered in this work using electromagnetic observations alone. However, if coupled with a gravitational-wave detection, electromagnetic measurements might provide a way to increase the confidence with which GR will be confirmed (or ruled out) by gravitational observations.

ISIS: a newN-body cosmological code with scalar fields based on RAMSES

Several extensions of the standard cosmological model include scalar fields as new degrees of freedom in the underlying gravitational theory. A particular class of these scalar field theories include screening mechanisms intended to hide the scalar field below observational limits in the solar system, but not on galactic scales, where data still gives freedom to find possible signatures of their presence. In order to make predictions to compare with observations coming from galactic and clusters scales (i.e. in the non-linear regime of cosmological evolution), cosmological N-body simulations are needed, for which codes that can solve for the scalar field must be developed. We present a new implementation of scalar-tensor theories of gravity which include screening mechanisms. The code is based in the already existing code RAMSES, to which we have added a non-linear multigrid solver that can treat a large class of scalar tensor theories of modified gravity. We present details of the implementation and the tests that we made to it. As application of the new code, we have studied the influence that two particular modified gravity theories, the symmetron and $f(R)$ gravity, have on the shape of cluster sized dark matter halos and found consistent results with previous estimations made with a static analysis.