Search

We study the fluctuations in the brightness temperature of 21-cm signal $\delta T_{21}$ at the dark ages ($z\sim100$) with a dark matter candidate in Inter Doublet Model (IDM). We then explore the effects of different fractions of IDM dark matter on $\delta T_{21}$ signal. The IDM dark matter masses are chosen in few tens of GeV region as well as in the high mass region beyond 500 GeV. It has been observed that the $\delta T_{21}$ signal is more sensitive in the dark matter mass range of $70 - 80$ GeV. A lower bound on annihilation cross-section for this dark matter is also obtained analyzing the $\delta T_{21}$ signal. This is found to lie within the range $6.5 \times 10^{-29} \,\, \rm{cm^3 / sec} \leq \langle\sigma v\rangle \leq 4.88\times 10^{-26}\,\, \rm{cm^ 3 / sec}$ for the IDM dark matter mass range $10 \, {\rm GeV} \leq m_{\chi}\leq 990 \,{\rm GeV} $., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, comments and suggestions are welcome

The spectral energy distribution (SED) sequence for type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) is modeled by an artificial neural network. The SN Ia luminosity is characterized as a function of phase, wavelength, a color parameter and a decline rate parameter. After training and testing the neural network, the SED sequence could give both the spectrum with wavelength range from 3000\AA~to 8000\AA~ and the light curve with phase from 20 days before to 50 days after the maximum luminosity for the supernovae with different colors and decline rates. Therefore, we call this the Artificial Neural Network Spectral Light Curve Template (ANNSLCT) model. We retrain the Joint Light-curve Analysis (JLA) supernova sample by using the ANNSLCT model and obtain the parameters for each supernova to make a constraint on the cosmological $\Lambda$CDM model. We find that the best fitting values of these parameters are almost the same as those from the JLA sample trained with the Spectral Adaptive Lightcurve Template 2 (SALT2) model. So we believe that the ANNSLCT model could be used to analyze a large number of SN Ia multi-color light curves measured in the current and future observational projects., Comment: 8 pages two columns, 17 figures

In the first part of this note, we observe that a non-Riemannian piece in the affine connection (a "dark connection") leads to an algebraically determined, conserved, symmetric 2-tensor in the Einstein field equations that is a natural dark matter candidate. The only other effect it has, is through its coupling to standard model fermions via covariant derivatives. If the local dark matter density is the result of a background classical dark connection, these Yukawa-like mass corrections are minuscule ($\sim 10^{-31}$ eV for terrestrial fermions) and {\em none} of the tests of general relativity or the equivalence principle are affected. In the second part of the note, we give dynamics to the dark connection and show how it can be re-interpreted in terms of conventional dark matter particles. The simplest way to do this is to treat it as a composite field involving scalars or vectors. The (pseudo-)scalar model naturally has a perturbative shift-symmetry and leads to versions of the Fuzzy Dark Matter (FDM) scenario that has recently become popular (eg., arXiv:1610.08297) as an alternative to WIMPs. A vector model with a ${\cal Z}_2$-parity falls into the Planckian Interacting Dark Matter (PIDM) paradigm, introduced in arXiv:1511.03278. It is possible to construct versions of these theories that yield the correct relic density, fit with inflation, and are falsifiable in the next round of CMB experiments. Our work is an explicit demonstration that the meaningful distinction is not between gravity modification and dark matter, but between theories with extra fields and those without., Comment: 5-ish pages

Primordial cosmological perturbations are the seeds that were cultivated by inflation and the succeeding dynamical processes, eventually leading to the current Universe. In this work, we investigate the behavior of the gauge-invariant scalar and tensor perturbations under the general extended disformal transformation, namely, $g_{\mu\nu} \rightarrow A(X,Y,Z)g_{\mu\nu} + \Phi_\mu\Phi_\nu$, where $X \equiv -\tfrac{1}{2}\phi^{;\mu}\phi_{;\mu}, Y \equiv \phi^{;\mu}X_{;\mu}, Z \equiv X^{;\mu}X_{;\mu} $ and $\Phi_\mu \equiv C\phi_{;\mu} + DX_{;\mu}$, with $C$ and $D$ being a general functional of $(\phi,X,Y,Z)$. We find that the tensor perturbation is invariant under this transformation. On the other hand, the scalar curvature perturbation receives a correction due the conformal term only; it is independent of the disformal term at least up to linear order. Within the framework of the full Horndeski theory, the correction terms turn out to depend linearly on the gauge-invariant comoving density perturbation and the first time-derivative thereof. In the superhorizon limit, all these correction terms vanish, leaving only the original scalar curvature perturbation. In other words, it is invariant under the general extended disformal transformation in the superhorizon limit, in the context of full Horndeski theory. Our work encompasses a chain of research studies on the transformation or invariance of the primordial cosmological perturbations, generalizing their results under our general extended disformal transformation., Comment: 17 pages, one table, added appendix B for the full expression for the transformed hatted X, Y, and Z; improved discussion of the invertibility of the general extended disformal transformation

We study some aspects of dynamical compactification scenario where stabilisation of extra dimensions occurs due to presence the Gauss-Bonnet term and non-zero spatial curvature. In the framework of the model under consideration there exists two-stages scenario of evolution of a Universe: on the first stage, the space evolves from a totally anisotropic state to the state with 3-dimensional (corresponding to our "real", world) expanding and $D$-dimensional contracting isotropic subspaces; on the second stage, constant curvature of extra dimensions begins to play role and provide compactification of extra dimensions. It is already known that such a scenario is realizable when constant curvature of extra dimensions is negative. Here we show that a range of coupling constants for which exponential solutions with 3-dimensional expanding and $D$-dimensional contracting isotropic subspaces are stable is located in a zone where compactification solutions with positively curved extra space are unstable, so that two-stage scenario analogous to the one described above is \emph{not} realizable. Also we study "nearly-Friedmann", regime for the case of arbitrary constant curvature of extra dimensions and describe new parametrization of the general solution for the model under consideration which provide elegant way of describing areas of existence over parameters space., 14 pages, 2 figures

We review (and extend) the analysis of general theories of all interactions (gravity included) where the mass scales are due to dimensional transmutation. Quantum consistency requires the presence of terms in the action with four derivatives of the metric. It is shown, nevertheless, how unitary is achieved and the classical Ostrogradsky instabilities can be avoided. The four-derivative terms also allow us to have a UV complete framework and a naturally small ratio between the Higgs mass and the Planck scale. Moreover, black holes of Einstein gravity with horizons smaller than a certain (microscopic) scale are replaced by horizonless ultracompact objects that are free from any singularity and have interesting phenomenological applications. We also discuss the predictions that can be compared with observations of the microwave background radiation anisotropies and find that this scenario is viable and can be tested with future data. Finally, how strong phase transitions can emerge in models of this type with approximate scale symmetry and how to test them with GW detectors is reviewed and explained., Comment: 64 pages, 5 figures, review article (invited by the International Journal of Modern Physics A); v2 is the published version

We extend our previous analysis of a model for "dark energy" based on a Weyl scaling invariant dark energy action. We reexpress all prior results in terms of proper time, using the fluctuation amplitude $\Phi$ without approximation, and derive a compact formula for the squared effective Hubble parameter. This formula involves effective dark energy and matter densities that differ from their expressions in the standard $\Lambda CDM$ cosmology. We also give new analytic results for the function $ \Phi$ and discuss their implications., Comment: Latex, 16 pages

Advances in high angular resolution astronomy make it conceivable that black hole dark matter could be detected via angular deviation effects. Assuming the dark matter in the galaxy is made of solar mass black holes, there is a non-trivial probability that a line-of-sight through the galaxy, leads to micro-arcseconds deviations, a value that has been discussed for various astronomical projects. In cosmology the effects are magnified by an increased density at early times and an opening of angles due to redshift. If the dark matter is made of primordial black holes, present at the CMB, random deflections of the CMB photons lead to a limit on the angular resolution, approximately ${3}\times 10^{-7} \sqrt{M/M_\odot}\, rad$, with $M$ the mass of the black holes. Using the resolutions of $\sim 10^{-3} rad$ demonstrated in observations of the "acoustic peaks" then implies the limit $(M/M_\odot)\lesssim 10^{7}$. While this large value seems uninteresting, improved resolutions would lead to significant limits or conceivably the discovery of primordial black holes., eight pages, no figures. v2 includes many small revisions and clarifications. A section was added to emphasize the difference between the CMB power spectrum and the CMB resolution. The long delay between first posting and publication is mainly due to the Elsevier firm losing the submission for the better part of a year

The general potential of power-law inflation is as $ V(\phi)\propto \phi^{n} $ with scalar field $\phi$. The behavior of inflation is often known as power-law expansion like $S(\eta)\propto \eta^{1+\beta}$ with $1+\beta, Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures

For a cosmological first-order electroweak phase transition, requiring no sphaleron washout of baryon number violating processes leads to a lower bound on the strength of the transition. The velocity of the boundary between the phases, the so-called bubble wall, can become ultra-relativistic if the friction due to the plasma of particles is not sufficient to retard the wall's acceleration. This bubble ``runaway'' should not occur if a successful baryon asymmetry generation due to the transition is required. Using Boedeker-Moore criterion for bubble wall runaway, within the context of an extension of the standard model of particle physics with a real gauge-single scalar field, we show that a non runaway transition requirement puts an upper bound on the strength of the first-order phase transition., v2: accepted for publication at the IJMPA

In this paper we give a physical explanation to the accelerated expansion of the Universe, alleviating the tension between the discrepancy of Hubble constant measurements. By the Euler Cauchy stress principle, we identify a controversy on the lack of consideration of the surface forces contemplated in the study of the expansion of the Universe. We distinguish a new effect that modifies the spacetime fabric by means of the energy conservation equation. The resulting dynamical equations from the proposed hypothesis are contrasted to several testable astrophysical predictions. This paper also explains why we have not found any particle or fluid responsible for dark energy and clarifies the Cosmological Coincidence Problem. These explanations are achieved without assuming the existence of exotic matter of unphysical meaning or having to modify the Einstein's Field Equations., 15 pages, 5 figures, IJMPD Accepted

In this paper, we investigate the expected constraints on the Hubble constant from the gravitational-wave standard sirens, in a cosmological-model-independent way. In the framework of the well-known Hubble law, the GW signal from each detected binary merger in the local universe ($z, 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in IJMPD

We discuss the existence of an acceleration scale in galaxies and galaxy clusters. The presence of the same acceleration scale found at very different scales and in very different astrophysical objects strongly supports the existence of a fundamental acceleration scale governing the observed gravitational physics. We also comment on the implication of such a fundamental acceleration scale on the problem of dark matter. We discuss the relevance of the fundamental acceleration for the nature of dark matter as well as for structure formation to be explored in future numerical simulations., 8 pages; This essay received an honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2020 Awards for Essays on Gravitation competition

Quasilocal definitions of stress-energy-momentum---that is, in the form of boundary densities (in lieu of local volume densities)---have proven generally very useful in formulating and applying conservation laws in general relativity. In this essay, we take a first basic look into applying these to cosmology, specifically using the Brown-York quasilocal stress-energy-momentum tensor for matter and gravity combined. We compute this tensor and present some simple results for a flat FLRW spacetime with a perfect fluid matter source., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Essay awarded Honorable Mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2020 Awards for Essays on Gravitation

In modern cosmology, the precision of the theoretical prediction is increasingly required. In cosmological $N$-body simulations, the effect of higher-order Lagrangian perturbation on the initial conditions appears in terms of statistical quantities of matter density field. We have considered the effect of third-order Lagrangian perturbation (3LPT) on the initial conditions, which can be applied to Gadget-2 code. Then, as statistical quantities, non-Gaussianity of matter density field has been compared between cases of different order perturbations for the initial conditions. Then, we demonstrate the validity of the initial conditions with second-order Lagrangian perturbation (2LPT)., Comment: 21 pages, 19 figures; ver.4. added cases of $z_{ini}=99$ and $N=512^3$; accepted for publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys. D

We have considered a spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic FLRW Universe filled with a single fluid, known as logotropic dark fluid (LDF), whose pressure evolves through a logarithmic equation of state. We use the recent Pantheon SNIa and cosmic chronometer datasets to constrain the parameters of this model, the present fraction of dark matter $\Omega_{m0}$ and the Hubble constant $H_0$. We find that the mean values of these parameters are $\Omega_{m0}=0.288\pm 0.012$ and $H_{0}=69.652\pm 1.698~{\rm km/s/Mpc}$ at the $1\sigma$ CL. We also find that the LDF model shows a smooth transition from the deceleration phase to acceleration phase of the universe in the recent past. We notice that the redshift of this transition $z_{t}=0.706\pm 0.048$ ($1\sigma$ error) and is well consistent with the present observations. Interestingly, we find that the Universe will settle down to a $\Lambda$CDM model in future and there will not be any future singularity in the LDF model. Furthermore, we notice that there is no significant difference between the LDF and $\Lambda$CDM models at the present epoch, but the difference (at the percent level) between these models is found as the redshift increases. We have also studied the generalized second law of thermodynamics at the dynamical apparent horizon for the LDF model with the Bekenstein and Viaggiu entropies., Comment: v2: 11 pages, 5 figures, new material and references added, Accepted for publication in IJMPD

In the same way as the energy density associated with the tensor modes of the geometry modifies the evolution of the curvature perturbations, the scalar modes may also indirectly affect the cosmic backgrounds of relic gravitons by inducing higher-order corrections that are only superficially gauge-invariant. This spurious gauge-invariance gets manifest when the effective anisotropic stresses, computed in different coordinate systems, are preliminarily expressed in a form that only depends on the curvature inhomogeneities defined on comoving orthogonal hypersurfaces and on their corresponding time derivatives. Using this observation we demonstrate in general terms that the higher-order contributions derived in diverse coordinate systems coincide when the wavelengths are smaller than the sound horizon defining the evolution of the curvature inhomogeneities but they lead to sharply different results in the opposite limit. A similar drawback arises when the energy density of the relic gravitons is derived from competing energy-momentum pseudo-tensors and should be consistently taken into account in the related phenomenological discussions., Comment: 9 pages

Einstein's General Relativity (GR) is possibly one of the greatest intellectual achievements ever conceived by the human mind. In fact, over the last century, GR has proven to be an extremely successful theory, with a well established experimental footing. However, the discovery of the late-time cosmic acceleration, which represents a new imbalance in the governing gravitational field equations, has forced theorists and experimentalists to question whether GR is the correct relativistic theory of gravitation, and has spurred much research in modified gravity, where extensions of the Hilbert-Einstein action describe the gravitational field. In this review, we perform a detailed theoretical and phenomenological analysis of two largely explored extensions of $f(R)$ gravity, namely: (i) the hybrid metric-Palatini theory; (ii) and modified gravity with curvature-matter couplings. Relative to the former, it has been established that both metric and Palatini versions of $f(R)$ gravity possess interesting features but also manifest severe drawbacks. A hybrid combination, containing elements from both of these formalisms, turns out to be very successful in accounting for the observed phenomenology and avoids some drawbacks of the original approaches. Relative to the curvature-matter coupling theories, these offer interesting extensions of $f(R)$ gravity, where the explicit nonminimal couplings between an arbitrary function of the scalar curvature $R$ and the Lagrangian density of matter, induces a non-vanishing covariant derivative of the energy-momentum tensor. We extensively explore both theories in a plethora of applications, namely, the weak-field limit, galactic and extragalactic dynamics, cosmology, stellar-type compact objects, irreversible matter creation processes and the quantum cosmology of a specific curvature-matter coupling theory., Comment: 68 pages; invited review paper to appear in IJMPD (abstract in metadata shortened)

We study wide-angle correlations in the galaxy power spectrum in redshift space, including all general relativistic effects and the Kaiser Rocket effect in general relativity. We find that the Kaiser Rocket effect becomes important on large scales and at high redshifts, and leads to new contributions in wide-angle correlations. We believe this effect might be very important for future large volume surveys., Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures. Matches published version

We consider a dark matter halo (DMH) of a spherical galaxy as a Bose-Einstein condensate of the ultra-light axions interacting with the baryonic matter. In the mean-field limit, we have derived the integro-differential equation of the Hartree-Fock type for the spherically symmetrical wave function of the DMH component. This equation includes two independent dimensionless parameters: (i) \b{eta}- the ratio of baryon and axion total mases and (ii) {\xi}- the ratio of characteristic baryon and axion spatial parameters. We extended our dissipation algorithm for studying numerically the ground state of the axion halo in the gravitational field produced by the baryonic component. We calculated the characteristic size, Xc, of DMH as a function of \b{eta} and {\xi} and obtained an analytical approximation for Xc., Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures

We study the possibility of reheating the universe in its early stages through the evaporation of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) that are formed due to the collapse of the inhomogeneities that were generated during inflation. By using the current results of the baryon-photon ratio obtained from BBN and CMB observations, we impose constraints on the spectral index of perturbations on those small scales that cannot be estimated through CMB anisotropy and CMB distortions. The masses of the PBHs constrained in this study lie in the range of $10^{9}$ and $10^{11}$g, which corresponds to those PBHs whose maximal evaporation took place during the redshifts $10^{6} < z < 10^{9}$. It is shown that the upper bound on the scalar spectral index, $ n_{s}$ can be constrained for a given threshold value, $ ��_{\rm th}$, of the curvature perturbations for PBHs formation. Using Planck results for cosmological parameters we obtained $n_{s} < 1.309 $ for $ ��_{\rm th} =0.7 $ and $ n_{s} < 1.334 $ for $ ��_{\rm th} = 1.2 $ respectively. The density fraction that has contributed to the formation of Primordial Black Holes has also been estimated., 6 pages, 5 figures, comments are welcome

We investigate the cosmological dynamics of nonlocally corrected gravity involving a function of the inverse d'Alembertian acting on the Gauss-Bonnet term. Casting the dynamical equations in local form, we derive the reconstruction procedure. We find conditions on the model parameters that are sufficient for the existence of de Sitter solutions and obtain these solutions explicitly., Comment: 5 pages

It is shown that the concept of "negative mass" introduced by Farnes (2018) to describe the dark sector within a unifying theory with the negative cosmological constant contradicts both the essence of the General Relativity and the available observational data. A viable model with modified weak-field General Relativity is mentioned., Comment: "Mod. Phys. Lett. A, in press"

Extensions of the gravity theory in order to obtain traceless field equations have been widely considered in the literature. The leading example of such class of theories is the unimodular gravity, but there are other possibilities like the mimetic gravity and the Rastall gravity with a coupling parameter $\lambda = 1/2$. The unimodular gravity proposal is a very interesting approach in other to address the cosmological constant problem. When coupled to matter such theories may imply that the energy-momentum tensor is not divergence free anymore. In this paper, a unimodular type theory will be developed by evading the conservation $T^{\mu\nu}_{\, ; \mu}=0$. The cosmological consequences of the later, both at background as well as for scalar and tensor perturbations, are explored. Possible further extensions of this approach are discussed as well as its connection with the traditional unimodular gravity., Comment: Title changed. Matches version published in IJMPD

It is said that there are no accidents or coincidences in physics. Within the minimal standard model combined with general relativity we point out that there are three exceptionally-long lifetimes which are consistent with being equal, and hence that there are two unexplained coincidences., 6 pages LaTeX

Generally the Brans-Dicke theory reduces to General Relativity in the limit $\omega\rightarrow\infty$ if the scalar field goes as $\phi\propto1/\omega$. However, it is also known that there are examples with $\phi\propto1/\sqrt{\omega}$ that does not tend to GR. We discuss another case: a homogeneous and isotropic universe filled with stiff matter. The power of time dependence of these solutions do not depend on $\omega$, and there is no General Relativity limit even though we have $\phi\propto1/\omega$. A perturbative analysis of this exotic case is carried out., Comment: Reviewed version. Submitted to IJMPD

In the context of Clifford functional integral formalism, we revisit the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio-type dynamical symmetry breaking model and examine the properties of the dynamically generated composite bosons. Given that the model with 4-fermion interactions is nonrenormalizable in the traditional sense, the aim is to gain insight into the divergent integrals without resorting to explicit regularization. We impose a restriction on the linearly divergent primitive integrals, thus resolving the long-standing issue of momentum routing ambiguity associated with fermion-antifermion condensations. The removal of the ambiguity paves the way for the possible calculation of the true ratio of Higgs boson mass to top quark mass in the top condensation model. In this paper, we also investigate the negative vacuum energy resulted from dynamical symmetry breaking and its cosmological implications. In the framework of modified Einstein-Cartan gravity, it is demonstrated that the late-time acceleration is driven by a novel way of embedding the Hubble parameter into the Friedmann equation via an interpolation function, whereas the dynamically generated negative cosmological constant only plays a minor role for the current epoch. Two cosmic scenarios are proposed, with one of which suggesting that the universe may have been evolving from an everlasting coasting state towards the accelerating era characterized by the deceleration parameter approaching -0.5 at low redshift. One inevitable outcome of the modified Friedmannian cosmology is that the directly measured local Hubble parameter should in general be larger than the Hubble parameter calibrated from the conventional Friedmann equation. This Hubble tension becomes more pronounced when the Hubble parameter is comparable or less than a characteristic Hubble scale., 30 pages

In order to explain the current acceleration of the Universe, the fine tuning problem of the cosmological constant $\Lambda$ and the cosmic coincidence problem, different alternative models have been proposed in the literature. We use the most recent observational data from CMB (Planck 2018 final data release) and LSS (SDSS, WiggleZ, VIPERS) to constrain dynamical dark energy (DE) models. The CMB shift parameter, which traditionally has been used to determine the main cosmological parameters of the standard model $\Lambda CDM$ is employed in addition to data from redshift-space distortions through the growth parameter $A(z)=f(z)\sigma_{8}(z)$ to constrain the mass variance $\sigma_{8}$. BAO data is also used to study the history of the cosmological expansion and the main properties of DE. From the evolution of $q(z)$ we found a slowdown of acceleration behaviour at low redshifts, and by using the Akaike and Bayesian Information Criterion (AIC, BIC) we discriminate different models those that are better suited to the observational data, finding that the interactive dark energy (IDE) model is the most favoured by observational data, including information from SNIa and Hz. The analysis shows that the IDE model is followed closely by EDE and $\Lambda CDM$ models, which in some cases fit better the observational data with individual probes., Comment: 31 pages, 10 figures, 12 tables, Matches the version published in IJMPD. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1711.09291 by other authors

We study the likelihood which relative minima of random polynomial potentials support the slow-roll conditions for inflation. Consistent with renormalizability and boundedness, the coefficients that appear in the potential are chosen to be order one with respect to the energy scale at which inflation transpires. Investigation of the single field case illustrates a window in which the potentials satisfy the slow-roll conditions. When there are two scalar fields, we find that the probability depends on the choice of distribution for the coefficients. A uniform distribution yields a $0.05\%$ probability of finding a suitable minimum in the random potential whereas a maximum entropy distribution yields a $0.1\%$ probability., 33 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, LaTeX, v3: matching version appearing in publication

Scalar fields have played an important role in the development of the fundamental theories of physics as well as in other branches of physics such as gravitation and cosmology. For a long time these escaped detection until 2012 year when the Higgs boson was observed for the first time. Since then alternatives to the general theory of relativity like the Brans-Dicke theory, scalar-tensor theories of gravity and their higher derivative generalizations -- collectively known as Horndeski theories -- have acquired renewed interest. In the present review we discuss on several selected topics regarding these theories, mainly from the theoretical perspective but with due mention of the observational aspect. Among the topics covered in this review we pay special attention to the following: 1) the asymptotic dynamics of cosmological models based in the Brans-Dicke, scalar-tensor and Horndeski theories, 2) inflationary models, extended quintessence and the Galileons, with emphasis in causality and stability issues, 3) the chameleon and Vainshtein screening mechanisms that may allow the elusive scalar field to evade the tight observational constraints implied by the solar system experiments, 4) the conformal frames conundrum with a brief discussion on the disformal transformations and 5) the role of Weyl symmetry and scale invariance in the gravitation theories. The review is aimed at specialists as well as at non-specialists in the subject, including postgraduate students., 181 pages, 5 figures, Invited review published by the International Journal of Modern Physics D. This version matches the one published by the Journal

Cosmological observations over past couple of decades favor our universe with a tiny positive cosmological constant. Presence of cosmological constant not only imposes theoretical challenges in gravitational wave physics, it has also observational relevance. Inclusion of cosmological constant in linearized theory of gravitational waves modifies the power radiated quadrupole formula. There are two types of observations which can be impacted by the modified quadrupole formula. One is the orbital decay of an inspiraling binary and other is the modification of the waveform at the detector. Modelling a compact binary system in an elliptic orbit on de Sitter background we obtain energy and angular momentum radiation due to emission of gravitational waves. We also investigate evolution of orbital parameters under back reaction and its impact on orbital decay rate. In the limit to circular orbit our result matches to that obtained in ref. [26]., Version accepted for publication in IJMPD. Angular momentum loss and evolution of orbital parameters are added. 24 pages, 2 figures

Brans-Dicke (BD) cosmology is reconsidered from an approach in which the model can be formulated in $\Lambda$CDM form, but at the expense of replacing the rigid cosmological constant $\Lambda$ with a dynamical quasivacuum component which depends on a small parameter $\epsilon$. The product of $\epsilon$ times the BD-parameter $\omega_{\rm BD}$ becomes exactly determined in terms of the ordinary cosmological parameters. The GR limit is recovered for $\omega_{\rm BD}\to\infty$ when $\epsilon\to 0$. We solve the background cosmology of the model as well as the perturbations equations. When fitted to the cosmological data, we find that the BD-cosmology, transcribed in such an effective GR form, appears to be competitive with the $\Lambda$CDM and emulates the running vacuum model., Comment: Version accepted for publication in Mod. Phys. Lett. A

Some problems of spontaneous and gravitational baryogenesis are discussed. Gravity modification due to the curvature dependent term in gravitational baryogensis scenario is considered. It is shown that the interaction of baryonic fields with the curvature scalar leads to strong instability of the gravitational equations of motion and as a result to noticeable distortion of the standard cosmology., 10 pages. Invited talk presented at the Conference on Particles and Cosmology, 5 to 9 March 2018, NTU, Singapore

Screened modified gravity theories evade the solar system tests that have proved prohibitive for classical alternative gravity theories. In many cases, they do not fit into the PPN formalism. The environmental dependence of the screening has motivated a concerted effort to find new and novel probes of gravity using objects that are well-studied but have hitherto not been used to test gravity. Astrophysical objects---stars, galaxies, clusters---have proved competitive tools for this purpose since they occupy the partially-screened regime between solar system and the Hubble flow. In this article we review the current astrophysical tests of screened modified gravity theories., Published as part of the IJMPD special issue "Modified Gravity: Progresses and Outlook of Theories, Numerical Techniques and Observational Tests" edited by Baojiu Li and Kazuya Koyama

We argue that, when a theory of gravity and matter is endowed with (classical) conformal symmetry, the fine tuning required to obtain the cosmological constant at its observed value can be significantly reduced. Once tuned, the cosmological constant is stable under a change of the scale at which it is measured., 8 pages, this essay received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation, v2: references updated, matches published version

Torsion is a geometrical object, required by quantum mechanics in curved spacetime, which may naturally solve fundamental problems of general theory of relativity and cosmology. The black-hole cosmology, resulting from torsion, could be a scenario uniting the ideas of the big bounce and inflation, which were the subject of a recent debate of renowned cosmologists., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; published version. This essay received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation

Supernovae observations strongly support the presence of a cosmological constant, but its value, which we will call apparent, is normally determined assuming that the universe can be accurately described by a homogeneous model. Even in the presence of a cosmological constant we cannot exclude nevertheless the presence of a small local inhomogeneity which could affect the apparent value of the cosmological constant. Neglecting the presence of the inhomogeneity can in fact introduce a systematic misinterpretation of cosmological data, leading to the distinction between an apparent and the true value of the cosmological constant. But is such a difference distinguishable? Recently we set out to model the local inhomogeneity with a {\Lambda}LTB solution and computed the relation between the apparent and the true value of the cosmological constant. In this essay we reproduce the essence of our model with the emphasis on its physical implications., Comment: Some parts need to be revised

We discuss whether black holes could persist in a universe which recollapses and then bounces into a new expansion phase. Whether the bounce is of classical or quantum gravitational origin, such cosmological models are of great current interest. In particular, we investigate the mass range in which black holes might survive a bounce and ways of differentiating observationally between black holes formed just after and just before the last bounce. We also discuss the consequences of the universe going through a sequence of dimensional changes as it passes through a bounce., 8 pages, 1 figure

We propose a connection between global physics and local galactic dynamics via quantum gravity. The salient features of cold dark matter (CDM) and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) are combined into a unified scheme by introducing the concept of MONDian dark matter which behaves like CDM at cluster and cosmological scales but emulates MOND at the galactic scale., This paper has been awarded the Fifth Prize in the 2011 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation

We make the cosmological constant, {\Lambda}, into a field and restrict the variations of the action with respect to it by causality. This creates an additional Einstein constraint equation. It restricts the solutions of the standard Einstein equations and is the requirement that the cosmological wave function possess a classical limit. When applied to the Friedmann metric it requires that the cosmological constant measured today, t_{U}, be {\Lambda} ~ t_{U}^(-2) ~ 10^(-122), as observed. This is the classical value of {\Lambda} that dominates the wave function of the universe. Our new field equation determines {\Lambda} in terms of other astronomically measurable quantities. Specifically, it predicts that the spatial curvature parameter of the universe is {\Omega}_{k0} \equiv -k/a_(0)^(2)H^2= -0.0055, which will be tested by Planck Satellite data. Our theory also creates a new picture of self-consistent quantum cosmological history., Comment: 6 pages. This article received Third Prize in the 2011 Gravity Research Foundation Awards for Essays on Gravitation

Brane-world models where observers are trapped within the thickness of a 3-brane offer novel perspectives on gravitation and cosmology. In this essay, I would argue that the problem of a late epoch acceleration of the universe is well explained in the framework of a 4-dimensional de Sitter universe embedded in a 5-dimensional de Sitter spacetime. While a 5D anti de Sitter space background is important for studying conformal field theories -- for its role in the AdS/CFT correspondence -- the existence of a 5-dimensional de Sitter space is crucial for finding an effective 4D Newton constant that remains finite and a normalizable zero-mode graviton wave function., Comment: 8 pages, latex (Essay received Honourable mention in Gravity Research Foundation essay competition 2011)

Infrared gravitons are continually produced during inflation. Like all particles, their contribution to the vacuum energy comes not only from their bare kinetic energy but also from the interactions they have with other gravitons. These interactions can be substantial -- despite the particles being highly infrared -- because they occur over the enormous spatial volume of the universe. Furthermore, the interactions grow with time evolution because more and more such gravitons come into causal contact with one another. Since gravity is universally attractive, these interactions can act to slow and eventually stop accelerated expansion., Comment: 6 pages

We investigate particle production in an expanding universe under the assumption that the Lagrangian contains the Einstein term $R$ plus a modified gravity term of the form $R^\alpha$, where $\alpha$ is a constant. Dark fluid is considered as the main content of the universe and the big rip singularity appears. Quantum effects due to particle creation is analysed near the singularity and we find that for $\alpha\in ]1/2, 1[$, quantum effects are dominant and the big rip may be avoided whereas for $\alpha\in J$ the dark fluid is dominant and the singularity remains. The Cardy-Verlinde formula is also introduced and its equivalence with the total entropy of the universe is checked. It is found that this can always occur in Einstein gravity while in f(R) gravity, it holds only for $\alpha=\frac{n+1}{2n+6}$, $n$ being the space dimension, corresponding to the situation in which the big rip cannot be avoided., Comment: 22 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in International Journal of Modern Physics D (IJMPD)

We study the problem of relaxing a large cosmological constant in the astrophysical domain through a dynamical mechanism based on a modified action of gravity previously considered by us at the cosmological level. We solve the model in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter metric for large and small astrophysical scales, and address its physical interpretation by separately studying the Jordan's frame and Einstein's frame formulations of it. In particular, we determine the extremely weak strength of fifth forces in our model and show that they are virtually unobservable. Finally, we estimate the influence that the relaxation mechanism may have on pulling apart the values of the two gravitational potentials Psi and Phi of the metric, as this implies a departure of the model from General Relativity and could eventually provide an observational test of the new framework at large astrophysical scales, e.g. through gravitational lensing., 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted in Mod. Phys. Lett. A, extended discussion, references added

It is known that the presence of background magnetic field in cosmic plasma distorts the acoustic peaks in CMBR. This primarily results from different types of waves in the plasma with velocities depending on the angle between the magnetic field and the wave vector. We consider the consequences of these effects in relativistic heavy-ion collisions where very strong magnetic fields arise during early stages of the plasma evolution. We show that flow coefficients can be significantly affected by these effects when the magnetic field remains strong during early stages due to strong induced fields in the conducting plasma. In particular, the presence of magnetic field can lead to enhancement in the elliptic flow coefficient $v_2$., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We study the ellipticity of contour lines in the sky maps of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as well as other measures of elongation. The sensitivity of the elongation on the resolution of the CMB maps, which depends on the pixelization and the beam profile of the detector, is investigated. It is shown that the current experimental accuracy does not allow one to discriminate between cosmological models which differ in curvature by ΔΩ tot = 0.05. Analytical expressions are given for the case that the statistical properties of the CMB are those of two-dimensional Gaussian random fields.

We investigate the time evolution of the gravitational potential Phi for a special class of non-adiabatic Unified Dark matter Models described by scalar field lagrangians. These models predict the same background evolution as in the LambdaCDM and possess a non-vanishing speed of sound. We provide a very accurate approximation of Phi, valid after the recombination epoch, in the form of a Bessel function of the first kind. This approximation may be useful for a future deeper analysis of Unified Dark Matter scalar field models., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures

Recently a mechanism to generate mass from gravitational interaction, based on Mach principle, according to which the inertia of a body is a property of matter as well as of the background provided by the rest-of-the-universe was presented in \cite{novello} \cite{novello2}. In these papers such an idea was realized for scalar and spinor fields treating the rest-of-the-universe in its vacuum state. In the present paper, using an extended version of Mach principle, the same strategy will be applied to show how the Heisenberg-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio non-linear equation for fermions $\Psi$ arises as a consequence of the gravitational interaction of $ \Psi$ with the rest-of-the-universe.

We identify the factors responsible for the appearance of energy-density inhomogeneities in a self-gravitating fluid, and describe the evolution of those factors from an initially homogeneous distribution. It is shown that a specific combination of the Weyl tensor and/or local anisotropy of pressure and/or dissipative fluxes entails the formation of energy-density inhomogeneities. Different cases are analyzed in detail and in the particular case of dissipative fluids, the role of relaxational processes as well as non-local effects are brought out., 9 pages Revtex. Some changes in the Introduction to fit the version published in Int. J. Mod. Phys. D. Some typos corrected

We demonstrate that there does exist an equilibrium description of thermodynamics on the apparent horizon in the expanding cosmological background for a wide class of modified gravity theories with the Lagrangian density $f(R, \phi, X)$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar and $X$ is the kinetic energy of a scalar field $\phi$. This comes from a suitable definition of an energy momentum tensor of the "dark" component obeying the local energy conservation law in the Jordan frame. It is shown that the equilibrium description in terms of the horizon entropy $S$ is convenient because it takes into account the contribution of the horizon entropy $\hat{S}$ in non-equilibrium thermodynamics as well as an entropy production term., Comment: 8 pages, no figure, revised version, to be published in the Proceedings of the "2nd International Workshop on Dark Matter, Dark Energy and Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry."