Theory Of Gravity Research Articles

Making sense of ghosts

Ghosts have been a stumbling block in the development of a UV complete quantum field theory for gravity. We discuss how difficulties associated with ghosts are overcome in the context of 0+1d QFT. Obtaining a probability interpretation is the key issue, and for this we discuss how an appropriate inner product can be constructed to define a sensible Born rule. Ghost theories are intrinsically unitary and perturbatively stable. They can also display nonperburbative stability even when the corresponding normal theory does not. The spectra and propagators are numerically obtained at both weak and strong coupling. Normalizable wave functions are obtained for the energy eigenstates and they show a violation of normal parity. We discuss connections to PT-symmetric quantum mechanics.

Pauli–Villars and the ultraviolet completion of Einstein gravity

Through use of the Pauli–Villars regulator procedure, we construct a second- plus fourth-order derivative theory of gravity that serves as an ultraviolet completion of standard second-order derivative quantum Einstein gravity that is ghost-free, unitary and power-counting renormalizable.

2D BAO vs. 3D BAO: Solving the Hubble Tension with Bimetric Cosmology

Ordinary 3D Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) data are model-dependent, requiring the assumption of a cosmological model to calculate comoving distances during data reduction. Throughout the present-day literature, the assumed model is ΛCDM. However, it has been pointed out in several recent works that this assumption can be inadequate when analyzing alternative cosmologies, potentially biasing the Hubble constant (H0) low, thus contributing to the Hubble tension. To address this issue, 3D BAO data can be replaced with 2D BAO data, which are only weakly model-dependent. The impact of using 2D BAO data, in combination with alternative cosmological models beyond ΛCDM, has been explored for several phenomenological models, showing a promising reduction in the Hubble tension. In this work, we accommodate these models in the theoretically robust framework of bimetric gravity. This is a modified theory of gravity that exhibits a transition from a (possibly) negative cosmological constant in the early universe to a positive one in the late universe. By combining 2D BAO data with cosmic microwave background and type Ia supernovae data, we find that the inverse distance ladder in this theory yields a Hubble constant of H0=(71.0±0.9)km/s/Mpc, consistent with the SH0ES local distance ladder measurement of H0=(73.0±1.0)km/s/Mpc. Replacing 2D BAO with 3D BAO results in H0=(68.6±0.5)km/s/Mpc from the inverse distance ladder. We conclude that the choice of BAO data significantly impacts the Hubble tension, with ordinary 3D BAO data exacerbating the tension, while 2D BAO data provide results consistent with the local distance ladder.

QPOs from charged particles around magnetized black holes in braneworlds

Quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) are a powerful tool for testing gravity theories, probing gravitational and electromagnetic field properties, and obtaining constraints on the black hole and field parameters. This work considers charged particle dynamics near uniformly magnetized black holes in braneworlds. First, we obtain the solution of the Maxwell equation for magnetic fields and calculate the radial and angular magnetic field components. We derive and analyze the effective potential of charged particles for circular orbits and investigate the energy and angular momentum for the circular orbits. We also analyze the combined effects of magnetic interaction and braneworlds on the charged particles’ innermost stable circular orbits (ISCOs). We calculate the angular momentum of charged particles in Keplerian orbits in the presence of an external magnetic field and braneworlds. Also, we investigate frequencies of the particle oscillations along vertical and angular directions. We applied our studies on particle oscillations to the QPO studies in the relativistic precession model. Finally, we obtain constraints on magnetic interaction and braneworld parameters together with the black hole mass and QPO orbits using Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) simulation in the four-dimensional parameter space for the QPOs observed in the microquasars XTE J1550-564, GRO J1655-40 & GRS 1915-105, and at the center of galaxies M82 and Milky Way.

Quantum nature of black hole and the superposition of fermionic field

The operational framework for the superposition of spacetime is fundamentally important in developing a comprehensive description of quantum gravity (Foo et al. in Phys Rev Lett 129:181301, 2022). As a “bottom-up” unifying theory of quantum gravity, it allows us to investigate how mass superposition of spacetime influences the performance of quantum information processing. In this paper, we study how the quantum-gravitational effects produced by the mass superposition of a black hole influence the quantum coherence of fermionic fields. It is shown that the spacetime effects associated with a classical black hole lead to inevitable decoherence. Notably, compared to classical black hole spacetime scenarios, fermionic fields near a black hole with superposed masses can retain more quantum coherence. This suggests that the quantum properties of spacetime may serve as resources to mitigate coherent degradation caused by gravitational effects. The bottom-up perspective on spacetime superposition proposed in this work serves as an indication of quantum-gravitational effects and holds significant theoretical implications.

Eikonal amplitudes on the celestial sphere

Celestial scattering amplitudes for massless particles are Mellin transforms of momentum-space scattering amplitudes with respect to the energies of the external particles, and behave as conformal correlators on the celestial sphere. However, there are few explicit cases of well-defined celestial amplitudes, particularly for gravitational theories: the mixing between low- and high-energy scales induced by the Mellin transform generically yields divergent integrals. In this paper, we argue that the most natural object to consider is the gravitational amplitude dressed by an oscillating phase arising from semi-classical effects known as eikonal exponentiation. This leads to gravitational celestial amplitudes which are analytic, apart from a set of poles at integer negative conformal dimensions, whose degree and residues we characterize. We also study the large conformal dimension limits, and provide an asymptotic series representation for these celestial eikonal amplitudes. Our investigation covers two different frameworks, related by eikonal exponentiation: 2 → 2 scattering of scalars in flat spacetime and 1 → 1 scattering of a probe scalar particle in a curved, stationary spacetime. These provide data which any putative celestial dual for Minkowski, shockwave or black hole spacetimes must reproduce. We also derive dispersion and monodromy relations for these celestial amplitudes and discuss Carrollian eikonal-probe amplitudes in curved spacetimes.

Galilean fluids from non-relativistic gravity

The 1/c-expansion of general relativity appropriately sourced by matter can be used to derive an action principle for Newtonian gravity. The gravitational part of this action is known as non-relativistic gravity (NRG). It is possible to source NRG differently and in such a way that one can construct solutions that are not described by Newtonian gravity (as they do not admit a notion of absolute time). It is possible to include a negative cosmological constant such that NRG admits a non-relativistic AdS solution. This non-relativistic AdS vacuum has Killing vectors that form the Galilean conformal algebra and a boundary that admits a conformal class of Newton-Cartan geometries. This begs the question of whether there exists an analogue of the fluid/gravity correspondence for NRG. In this paper we derive a non-relativistic AdS brane solution of NRG and confirm that it corresponds to the 1/c2-expansion of the AdS black brane geometry. We perform a Galilean boost of the non-relativistic AdS brane and derive the associated boundary energy-momentum tensor. We then show that this is the energy-momentum tensor of a massless Galilean fluid and explain how this is linked to the conformal isometries of the boundary. Along the way, we also present several new results for the theory of non-relativistic gravity itself. In particular we present a rewriting that greatly shortens and simplifies the equations of motion of the NRG action.

Euclid II. The VIS instrument

This paper presents the specification, design, and development of the Visible Camera (VIS) on the European Space Agency's mission. VIS is a large optical-band imager with a field of view of 0.54 deg$^2$ sampled at with an array of 609 Megapixels and a spatial resolution of . It will be used to survey approximately 14 000 deg$^2$ of extragalactic sky to measure the distortion of galaxies in the redshift range $z=0.1$--1.5 resulting from weak gravitational lensing, one of the two principal cosmology probes leveraged by With photometric redshifts, the distribution of dark matter can be mapped in three dimensions, and the extent to which this has changed with look-back time can be used to constrain the nature of dark energy and theories of gravity. The entire VIS focal plane will be transmitted to provide the largest images of the Universe from space to date, specified to reach AB with a signal-to-noise ratio S/N in a single broad E (r+i+z)$ band over a six-year survey. The particularly challenging aspects of the instrument are the control and calibration of observational biases, which lead to stringent performance requirements and calibration regimes. With its combination of spatial resolution, calibration knowledge, depth, and area covering most of the extra-Galactic sky, VIS will also provide a legacy data set for many other fields. This paper discusses the rationale behind the conception of VIS and describes the instrument design and development, before reporting the prelaunch performance derived from ground calibrations and brief results from the in-orbit commissioning. VIS should reach fainter than AB =25$ with $ S/N 10$ for galaxies with a full width at half maximum of in a diameter aperture over the Wide Survey, and $m_ AB for a Deep Survey that will cover more than 50 deg$^2$. The paper also describes how the instrument works with the telescope and survey, and with the science data processing, to extract the cosmological information.

Do regular quantum black holes exist?

Abstract Regular black holes do not exist in any classical theory of gravity including Einstein's general relativity. This unappealing feature owes to the appearance of a singularity in the interior of the black hole described by any classical theory. As Hawking argued, all known laws of physics must break down at the singularity. It is thus an important question whether this singularity can disappear in a quantum mechanical description of spacetime. In this Letter, we therefore quantize the black hole interior in a Kantowski-Sachs minisuperspace representation in the presence of spontaneous Klein-Gordon matter field fluctuations. This leads to a Wheeler-DeWitt equation whose solution yields the interior wave function of the black hole. The regular part of this wave function satisfies the DeWitt boundary condition in that it vanishes at the singularity. Moreover, the wave function is regular and well-behaved in the region around the singularity. These features of the wave function suggest that regular black holes do exist in quantum gravity.

The SRG/eROSITA All-Sky Survey. Constraints on f(R) gravity from cluster abundances

The evolution of the cluster mass function traces the growth of the linear density perturbations and can be utilized to constrain the parameters of cosmological and alternative gravity models. In this context, we present new constraints on potential deviations from general relativity by investigating the Hu-Sawicki parametrization of the $f(R)$ gravity with the first Spectrum Roentgen Gamma (SRG)/ All-Sky Survey ( cluster catalog in the western Galactic hemisphere in combination with the overlapping Dark Energy Survey Year-3, KiloDegree Survey, and Hyper Suprime-Cam data for weak lensing mass calibration. For the first time, we present constraints obtained from cluster abundances only. When we consider massless neutrinos, we find a strict upper limit of $ f_ R0 | < -4.31$ at a 95<!PCT!> confidence level. Massive neutrinos suppress structure growth at small scales, and thus have the opposite effect of $f(R)$ gravity. We consequently investigate the joint fit of the mass of the neutrinos with the modified gravity parameter. We obtain $ f_ R0 | < -4.08$ jointly with $ m_ eV $ at a 95<!PCT!> confidence level, which is tighter than the limits in the literature utilizing cluster counts only. At $ f_ R0 |= - 6$, the number of clusters is not significantly changed by the theory. Consequently, we do not find any statistical deviation from general relativity in the study of eRASS1 cluster abundance. Deeper surveys with eROSITA, increasing the number of detected clusters, will further improve constraints on $ |f_ R0 |$ and investigate alternative gravity theories.

NEC violation in [formula omitted] gravity in the context of a non-canonical theory via modified Raychaudhuri equation

In this work, we develop the Raychaudhuri equation in f(R̄,T̄) gravity in the setting of a non-canonical theory, namely K-essence theory. We solve the modified Raychaudhuri equation for the additive form of f(R̄,T̄), which is f1(R̄)+f2(T̄). For this solution, we employ two different scale factors to give two types of f(R̄,T̄) solutions. The ongoing debate between Fisher et al. and Harko et al. in 2020 regarding the additive form of f(R̄,T̄) may provide a resolution within the modified f(R̄,T̄) gravity theory. By conducting a viability test and analyzing energy conditions, we have determined that in the first scenario, the null energy condition (NEC) is violated between two regions where the NEC is satisfied. Additionally, we have observed that this violation of the NEC exhibits a symmetric property during the phase transition. These observations indicate that bouncing events may occur as a result of the symmetrical violation of the NEC during the expansion of the universe. Moreover, this model indicates that resonant-type quantum tunneling may take place during the period when the NEC is violated. The findings of NEC violation through the power law of scale factor may have empirical relevance in contemporary observations. In the second scenario, our model indicates that the strong energy condition is violated, but the NEC and weak energy conditions are satisfied. The effective energy density decreases and is positive, while the effective pressure and equation of state parameters are negative. This suggests that the universe is expanding with acceleration and is dominated by dark energy.

Non-interacting String and Holographic Dark Energy Cosmological Models in f(R) Theory of Gravitation

Non-interacting String and Holographic Dark Energy Cosmological Models in f(R) Theory of Gravitation

Probing the speed of scalar induced gravitational waves from observations

The propagation speed of gravitational waves is a fundamental issue in gravitational theory. According to general relativity, gravitational waves propagate at the speed of light. However, alternative theories of gravity propose modifications to general relativity, including variations in the speed of gravitational waves. In this paper, we investigate scalar-induced gravitational waves that propagate at speeds different from the speed of light. First, we analytically calculate the power spectrum of scalar induced gravitational waves based on the speed and spectrum of primordial curvature perturbations. We then explore several scalar power spectra, deriving corresponding fractional energy densities, including monochromatic spectrum, scale-invariant spectrum, and power-law spectrum. Finally, we constrain scalar-induced gravitational waves and evaluate the signatures of their speed from the combination of CMB+BAO and gravitational wave observations. Our numerical results clearly illustrate the influence of the speed of scalar-induced gravitational waves.

Nonlinear studies of modifications to general relativity: Comparing different approaches

Studying the dynamical, nonlinear regime of modified theories of gravity remains a theoretical challenge that limits our ability to test general relativity. Here we consider two generally applicable, but approximate, methods for treating modifications to full general relativity that have been used to study binary black hole mergers and other phenomena in this regime, and compare solutions obtained by them to those from solving the full equations of motion. The first method evolves corrections to general relativity order by order in a perturbative expansion, while the second method introduces extra dynamical fields in such a way that strong hyperbolicity is recovered. We use shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity as a benchmark theory to illustrate the differences between these methods for several spacetimes of physical interest. We study the formation of scalar hair about initially nonspinning black holes, the collision of black holes with scalar charge, and the inspiral and merger of binary black holes. By directly comparing predictions, we assess the extent to which those from the approximate treatments can be meaningfully confronted with gravitational wave observations. We find that the order-by-order approach cannot faithfully track the solutions when the corrections to general relativity are non-negligible. The second approach, however, can provide consistent solutions, provided the timescale over which the dynamical fields are driven to their target values is made short compared to the physical timescales. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Landau vs Einstein: mathematics represents the universe

The modern theory of gravity is the Einstein space theory, which is described by mathematical methods of tensor analysis of Riemannian geometry. Einstein built on this basis one of the most successful and amazing theories. Complexity theories often lead to the extraction of foundations and, as is customary in theory, to obtaining meaningless results. Now the entire intellectual power of numerous researchers is directed at alternative theories, often based on erroneous ideas about Einstein's theory. An example of this is the catastrophic error in the definition of the coordinate transformation in the top manual on theoretical physics by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz.

Boundary terms and on-shell action in Ricci-based gravity theories: The Hamiltonian formulation

Boundary terms and on-shell action in Ricci-based gravity theories: The Hamiltonian formulation

Imprints of Barrow–Tsallis cosmology in primordial gravitational waves

Both the Barrow and Tsallis δ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\delta $$\\end{document} entropies are one-parameter generalizations of the black-hole entropy, with the same microcanonical functional form. The ensuing deformation is quantified by a dimensionless parameter Δ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Delta $$\\end{document}, which in the case of Barrow entropy represents the anomalous dimension caused by quantum fluctuations over the horizon surface, while in Tsallis’ case, it describes the deviation of the holographic scaling from extensivity. Here, we utilize the gravity-thermodynamics conjecture with the Barrow–Tsallis entropy to investigate the implications of the related modified Friedmann equations on the spectrum of primordial gravitational waves. We show that, with the experimental sensitivity of the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, such as the Big Bang Observer, it will be possible to discriminate deviations from the Λ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Lambda $$\\end{document}CDM model up to Δ≲O(10-3)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Delta \\lesssim \\mathcal {O}(10^{-3})$$\\end{document}. In this limit, Barrow–Tsallis entropy reduces to a logarithmic correction to holographic scaling, which is nearly universally predicted by both entanglement entropy calculations in the UV regime and by several candidate theories of quantum gravity. Hence, our considerations and results are expected to have general validity in the quantum gravity framework.

Foliation-Generating Observers Under Lorentz Transformations

In this work, we revise the concept of foliation and related aspects that are crucial when formulating the Hamiltonian evolution for various theories beyond General Relativity. In particular, we show the relation between the kinematic characteristics of timelike congruences (observers) and the existence of foliations orthogonal to them. We then explore how local Lorentz transformations acting on observers affect the existence of transversal foliations, provide examples, and discuss the implications of these results for the 3+1 formulation of tetrad modified theories of gravity.

Constraints on Covariant Horava-Lifshitz Gravity from precision measurement of planetary gravitomagnetic field

Abstract As a generalization of Einstein’s theory, Horava-Lifshitz has attracted significant interests due to its healthy ultraviolet behavior. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the Horava-Lifshitz corrections on the gravitomagnetic field. We propose a new planetary gravitomagnetic field measurement method with the help of the space-based laser interferometry, which is further used to constrain the Horava-Lifshitz parameters. Our analysis shows that the high-precision laser gradiometers can indeed limit the parameters in Horava-Lifshitz gravity and improve the results by one or two orders when compared with the existing theories. Our novel method provides insights into constraining the parameters in the modified gravitational theory, which facilitates a deeper understanding of this complex framework and paving the way for potential technological advancements in the field.

Quark Stars in $f(R,T)$ Gravity: Mass-to-Radius Profiles and Observational Data

Abstract In this paper, we explore the $f(R,T)$ gravity theory, which introduces a coupling between matter and curvature, through the simplest linear functional form $f(R,T)= R + 2\beta T$. We derive the modified Einstein field equations and conservation equations for this theory. We then apply this framework to study the structural properties of quark stars (QSs) composed of interacting quark matter, considering perturbative QCD corrections and color superconductivity. By solving the modified Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations, we investigate the mass-radius relation, stability criteria, and energy conditions of QSs. Our results indicate that the $f(R,T)$ gravity significantly influences the properties of QSs, leading to deviations from General Relativity. The analysis shows consistency with recent observational data, suggesting that the modified gravity framework could provide viable models for the study of compact stars.