HL Theory Research Articles

Stable singularity-free cosmological solutions in nonprojectable Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

We find stable singularity-free cosmological solutions in non-flat Friedmann-Lema\^{i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) spacetime in the context of Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz (HL) theory. Although we encounter the negative squared effective masses of the scalar perturbations in the original HL theory, the behaviors can be remedied by relaxing the projectability condition. In our analysis, the effects from the background dynamics are taken into account as well as the sign of the coefficients in the quadratic action for perturbations. More specifically, we give further classification of the gradient stability/instability into five types. These types are defined in terms of the effective squared masses of perturbations $\mathcal{M}^2$, the effective friction coefficients in perturbation equations $\mathcal{H}$ and these magnitude relations $|\mathcal{M}^2|/\mathcal{H}^2$. Furthermore, we indicate that oscillating solutions possibly show a kind of resonance especially in open FLRW spacetime. We find that the higher order spatial curvature terms with Lifshitz scaling $z=3$ are significant to suppress the instabilities due to the background dynamics.

Stability of singularity-free cosmological solutions in Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

We study stability of singularity-free cosmological solutions with positive cosmological constant based on projectable Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz (HL) theory. In HL theory, the isotropic and homogeneous cosmological solutions with bounce can be realized if spacial curvature is non-zero. By performing perturbation analysis around non-flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) spacetime, we derive a quadratic action and discuss the stability, i.e, ghost and tachyon-free conditions. Although the squared effective mass of scalar perturbation must be negative in infrared regime, we can avoid tachyon instability by considering strong Hubble friction. Additionally, we estimate the backreaction from the perturbations on background geometry, especially, against anisotropic perturbation in closed FLRW spacetime. It turns out that certain types of bouncing solution may be spoiled even if all perturbation modes are stable.

Cosmology in(1+1)-dimensional Hořava-Lifshitz theory of gravity

The $(1+1)$-dimensional Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe filled with a perfect fluid with equation of state $p=\omega \rho$ is analyzed through the view of Ho\v rava-Lifshitz (HL) theory of gravity. In this theory, the anisotropic scaling of space and time breaks Lorentz invariance of General Relativity (GR) in such a way that the gravitational action is no longer a topological invariant and the theory becomes dynamical. With the introduction of a perfect fluid through Schutz formalism, it is shown that the resulting dynamical theory is very similar to the two-dimensional Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) model, where a dilatonic degree of freedom is introduced to force a dynamical theory. However, in HL theory, the introduction of a dilaton field is not necessary.

Post-Newtonian approximations in the Hořava-Lifshitz gravity with extra U(1) symmetry

In this paper, we first propose a universal coupling between the gravity and matter in the framework of the Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz theory of gravity with an extra U(1) symmetry for both the projectable and non-projectable cases. Then, using this universal coupling we study the post-Newtonian approximations and obtain the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) parameters in terms of the coupling constants of the theory. Contrary to the previous works in which only two PPN parameters were calculated, we obtain {\it all} PPN parameters. We then, for the first time in either projectable or non-projectable case, find that all the solar system tests carried out so far are satisfied in a large region of the parameters space. In particular, the same results obtained in general relativity can be easily realized here. A remarkable feature is that the solar system tests impose no constraint on the parameter $\lambda$ appearing in the kinetic part of the action. As a result, the solar system tests, when combined with the condition for avoidance of strong coupling, do not lead to an upper bound on the energy scale $M_{*}$ that suppresses higher dimensional operators in the theory. This is in sharp contrast to other versions of the HL theory.

Stationary Axisymmetric and Slowly Rotating Spacetimes in Hořava-Lifshitz Gravity

Stationary, axisymmetric, and slowly rotating vacuum spacetimes in the Hořava-Lifshitz (HL) gravity are studied, and it is shown that, for any given spherical static vacuum solution of the HL theory (of any model, including the ones with an additional U(1) symmetry), there always exists a corresponding slowly rotating, stationary, and axisymmetric vacuum solution, which reduces to the former, when the rotation is switched off. The rotation is universal and only implicitly depends on the models of the HL theory and their coupling constants through the spherical seed solution. As a result, all asymptotically flat slowly rotating vacuum solutions are asymptotically identical to the slowly rotating Kerr solution. This is in contrast to the claim of Barausse and Sotiriou [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 181101 (2012)], in which slowly rotating black holes were reported (incorrectly) not to exist in the infrared limit of the nonprojectable HL theory.

Hořava-Lifshitz theory as a fermionic aether in Ashtekar gravity

We show how Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz (HL) theory appears naturally in the Ashtekar formulation of relativity if one postulates the existence of a fermionic field playing the role of aether. The spatial currents associated with this field must be switched off for the equivalence to work. Therefore the field supplies the preferred frame associated with breaking refoliation (time diffeomorphism) invariance, but obviously the symmetry is only spontaneously broken if the field is dynamic. When Dirac fermions couple to the gravitational field via the Ashtekar variables, the low energy limit of HL gravity, recast in the language of Ashtekar variables, naturally emerges (provided the spatial fermion current identically vanishes). HL gravity can therefore be interpreted as a time-like current, or a Fermi aether, that fills space-time, with the Immirzi parameter, a chiral fermionic coupling, and the fermionic charge density fixing the value of the parameter $\lambda$ determining HL theory. This reinterpretation sheds light on some features of HL theory, namely its good convergence properties.

Modified dispersion relations in Hořava–Lifshitz gravity and Finsler brane models

We study possible links between quantum gravity phenomenology encoding Lorentz violations as nonlinear dispersions, the Einstein–Finsler gravity models, EFG, and nonholonomic (non-integrable) deformations to Hořava–Lifshitz, HL, and/or Einstein’s general relativity, GR, theories. EFG and its scaling anisotropic versions formulated as Hořava–Finsler models, HF, are constructed as covariant metric compatible theories on (co) tangent bundle to Lorentz manifolds and respective anisotropic deformations. Such theories are integrable in general form and can be quantized following standard methods of deformation quantization, A-brane formalism and/or (perturbatively) as a nonholonomic gauge like model with bi-connection structure. There are natural warping/trapping mechanisms, defined by the maximal velocity of light and locally anisotropic gravitational interactions in a (pseudo) Finsler bulk spacetime, to four dimensional (pseudo) Riemannian spacetimes. In this approach, the HL theory and scenarios of recovering GR at large distances are generated by imposing nonholonomic constraints on the dynamics of HF, or EFG, fields.

Crystallization and spherulitic growth kinetics of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate blends

AbstractThe macroscopic and microscopic melt‐crystallization kinetics of poly(trimethylene terphthalate) (PTT)/polycarbonate (PC) blends have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and optical microscopy (OM). The results are analyzed in terms of the Avrami equation and the Hoffman–Lauritzen crystallization theory (HL model). Blending with PC did not change the crystallization mechanism of PTT, but reduced the crystallization rate compared with that of neat PTT at the same crystallization temperature. The crystallization rate decreased with increasing crystallization temperature. The spherulitic morphology of PTT was influenced apparently by the crystallization temperature and by the addition of PC. X‐ray diffraction shows no change in the unit cell dimension of PTT was observed after blending. Through the HL theory, the classical regime II→III transition was detected for the neat PTT and the blends. The nucleation parameter (Kg), the fold‐surface free energy (σe), and the work of chain folding (q) were calculated. Blending with PC decreased all the aforementioned parameters compared with those of neat PTT. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers

Cosmological perturbations in Horava-Lifshitz theory without detailed balance

In the Horava-Lifshitz theory of quantum gravity, two conditions -- detailed balance and projectability -- are usually assumed. The breaking of projectability simplifies the theory, but it leads to serious problems with the theory. The breaking of detailed balance leads to a more complicated form of the theory, but it appears to resolve some of the problems. Sotiriou, Visser and Weinfurtner formulated the most general theory of Horava-Lifshitz type without detailed balance. We compute the linear scalar perturbations of the FRW model in this form of HL theory. We show that the higher-order curvature terms in the action lead to a gravitational effective anisotropic stress on small scales. Specializing to a Minkowski background, we study the spin-0 scalar mode of the graviton, using a gauge-invariant analysis, and find that it is stable in both the infrared and ultraviolet regimes for $0 \le \xi \le 2/3$. However, in this parameter range the scalar mode is a ghost.

Crystallization and melting of polyethylene copolymers: Differential scanning calorimetry and atomic force microscopy studies

AbstractThe Hoffman–Lauritzen theory of secondary, surface nucleation and growth was primarily relied upon for about 40 years after its introduction in about 1960 to rationalize the crystallization of flexible chain polymers into lamellar crystals. However, in about 1998, Strobl and coworkers introduced a different model for crystallization, based on the stage‐wise formation of lamellae. Two major components of this model were as follows: (1) the concept of the formation of a mesomorphic melt as a precursor to crystallization and (2) the control of the melting temperature range of lamellar crystals of homogeneous polyolefin copolymers by an inner degree of order or perfection rather than on the crystal thickness. The first concept is in disagreement with the HL theory and the second with the Gibbs‐Thomson theory, which associates melting temperature with lamella thickness. In the present study, differential scanning calorimetry and atomic force microscopy were successfully employed to monitor thein situquiescent crystallization of polyethylene homopolymer and copolymer. In the present study, evidence was not found to support the concept of lamellae with equal thickness melting over a broad temperature range. Some evidence was found that might be interpreted to support the concept of a mesomorphic melt as a precursor to crystallization. At present, the model promoted by Strobl and coworkers appears to be at an uncertain stage at which strong proof or disproof are not available. However, this alternative model has injected a new vitality into the study of crystallization of flexible chain polymers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2369–2388, 2006

Recent developments in macroscopic quantum electrodynamics

We review two recent developments in constructive macroscopic quantum electrodynamics. These concern the derivation of the large-scale dynamical properties of plasma and laser models from their underlying quantum structures. In the case of the plasma model, consisting of a non-relativistic system of electrons coupled to a quantised electromagnetic field, we show that the macroscopic dynamics is governed by classical Vlasov-Maxwell equations and supports transitions from deterministic to stochastic flows. In the case of the laser model, which is a new version of that of Hepp and Lieb [8], recast within the framework of quantum dynamical semigroups, we obtain a generalisation of the HL theory and show that it supports optically chaotic phases, as well as the usual quiescent and coherent ones.