General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning
Starting from the most general scalar-tensor theory with second order field equations in four dimensions, we establish the unique action that will allow for the existence of a consistent self-tuning mechanism on FLRW backgrounds, and show how it can be understood as a combination of just four base L...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
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American Physical Society
2012
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42138/ |
| _version_ | 1848796428875333632 |
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| author | Charmousis, Christos Copeland, Edmund J. Padilla, Antonio Saffin, Paul M. |
| author_facet | Charmousis, Christos Copeland, Edmund J. Padilla, Antonio Saffin, Paul M. |
| author_sort | Charmousis, Christos |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Starting from the most general scalar-tensor theory with second order field equations in four dimensions, we establish the unique action that will allow for the existence of a consistent self-tuning mechanism on FLRW backgrounds, and show how it can be understood as a combination of just four base Lagrangians with an intriguing geometric structure dependent on the Ricci scalar, the Einstein tensor, the double dual of the Riemann tensor and the Gauss-Bonnet combination. Spacetime curvature can be screened from the net cosmological constant at any given moment because we allow the scalar field to break Poincar\'e invariance on the self-tuning vacua, thereby evading the Weinberg no-go theorem. We show how the four arbitrary functions of the scalar field combine in an elegant way opening up the possibility of obtaining non-trivial cosmological solutions. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:47:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-42138 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:47:50Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-421382020-05-04T16:32:08Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42138/ General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning Charmousis, Christos Copeland, Edmund J. Padilla, Antonio Saffin, Paul M. Starting from the most general scalar-tensor theory with second order field equations in four dimensions, we establish the unique action that will allow for the existence of a consistent self-tuning mechanism on FLRW backgrounds, and show how it can be understood as a combination of just four base Lagrangians with an intriguing geometric structure dependent on the Ricci scalar, the Einstein tensor, the double dual of the Riemann tensor and the Gauss-Bonnet combination. Spacetime curvature can be screened from the net cosmological constant at any given moment because we allow the scalar field to break Poincar\'e invariance on the self-tuning vacua, thereby evading the Weinberg no-go theorem. We show how the four arbitrary functions of the scalar field combine in an elegant way opening up the possibility of obtaining non-trivial cosmological solutions. American Physical Society 2012-01-30 Article PeerReviewed Charmousis, Christos, Copeland, Edmund J., Padilla, Antonio and Saffin, Paul M. (2012) General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning. Physical Review Letters, 108 (5). 051101/1-051101/. ISSN 1079-7114 https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.051101 doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.051101 doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.051101 |
| spellingShingle | Charmousis, Christos Copeland, Edmund J. Padilla, Antonio Saffin, Paul M. General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title | General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title_full | General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title_fullStr | General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title_full_unstemmed | General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title_short | General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| title_sort | general second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42138/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42138/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42138/ |