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We present the algebraic classification of the gravitational field in four-dimensional general metric-affine geometries, thus extending the current results of the literature in the particular framework of Weyl-Cartan geometry by the presence of the traceless nonmetricity tensor. This quantity switches on four of the eleven fundamental parts of the irreducible representation of the curvature tensor under the pseudo-orthogonal group, in such a way that three of them present similar algebraic types as the ones obtained in Weyl-Cartan geometry, whereas the remaining one includes thirty independent components and gives rise to a new algebraic classification. The latter is derived by means of its principal null directions and their levels of alignment, obtaining a total number of sixteen main algebraic types, which can be split into many subtypes. As an immediate application, we determine the algebraic types of the broadest family of static and spherically symmetric black hole solutions with spin, dilation and shear charges in Metric-Affine Gravity., Comment: 47 pages, 5 figures, minor changes, references added

We explore the trace (Weyl) anomaly within a general metric-affine geometry that includes both torsion and nonmetricity. Using the Heat Kernel method and Seeley's algorithm, we compute the Minakshisundaram coefficients for arbitrary spacetimes within this framework, incorporating the effects of the nonmetricity and torsion tensors for the first time. We then determine the corrections to the trace anomaly at one loop for the matter sector in theories invariant under conformal transformation, frame rescaling transformation, and projective transformation. We identify a new anomaly related to hypermomentum, arising from the dilation part mediated by the Weyl component of nonmetricity. As particular cases, we analyze the spin $0$ and spin $1/2$ cases, considering various couplings between matter and the gravitational sector. We demonstrate that invariance under the frame rescaling transformation results in an anomaly in the relationship between the hypermomentum and the stress-energy tensor. In contrast, under the projective transformation, no anomaly is present; specifically, there is no non-zero trace of the hypermomentum tensor in any of our concrete examples., Comment: 26 pages; v2: references added

We study the degrees of freedom in New General Relativity -- flat and metric compatible family of theories -- around the Minkowski background in a gauge invariant manner. First, we confirm the decoupling case, in which the theory reduces to linearized gravity plus a massless KR field. We then show that, unless they vanish, the vector modes of this theory will be ghosts. In addition, we find two new branches of the theories, which are ghost-free and propagate linearly two tensor modes and in one of the cases also a massless scalar field. This shows that while the generic theory is ill-behaved, there are three possible realizations of ghost-free cases, in contradiction to the previous literature, which states that there is only one ghost-free theory in addition to general relativity., Comment: 14 pages

We analyse the stability of the vector and axial sectors of Poincar\'e gauge theory around general backgrounds in the presence of cubic order invariants defined from the curvature and torsion tensors, showing how the latter can in fact cancel out well-known instabilities arising from the quadratic curvature invariants of the theory and accordingly help in the construction of healthy models with both curvature and torsion. For this task, we introduce the most general parity preserving cubic Lagrangian with mixing terms of the curvature and torsion tensors, and find the relations of its coefficients to avoid a pathological behaviour from the vector and axial modes of torsion. As a result, on top of the gravitational constant of General Relativity and the mass parameters of torsion, our action contains 23 additional coupling constants controlling the dynamics of this field. As in the quadratic Poincar\'e gauge theory, we show that a further restriction on the cubic part of the action allows the existence of Reissner-Nordstr\"om-like black hole solutions with dynamical torsion., Comment: 16 pages, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in PRD

In this work, we study spherically symmetric vacuum solutions in 1-parameter New General Relativity (NGR), a specific theory in teleparallel gravity which is constructed from the three possible quadratic scalars obtained from torsion with arbitrary coefficients satisfying the requirements for the absence of ghosts. In this class of modified theories of gravity, the observable effects of gravity result from the torsion rather than the curvature of the spacetime. Unlike in GR, where the fundamental quantity is the metric from which the Levi-Civita connection is derived, in teleparallel theories of gravity the fundamental variable is the tetrad, from which one constructs the metric and the teleparallel connection. We consider the most general tetrad for spherical symmetry and we derive the corresponding field equations. Under adequate assumptions, we find three different branches of vacuum solutions and discuss their associated phenomenology. In particular, we analyze the photon sphere, the classical tests of GR such as the light deflection, the Shapiro delay, and the perihelion shift, and also the Komar mass, while providing a detailed comparison with their Schwarzschild spacetime counterparts. Finally, we analyze how the observational imprints from accretion disks and shadows are affected in comparison with their GR counterparts, and conclude that the free parameters of the model might induce additional attractive or repulsive effects to the propagation of photons, depending on their values., Comment: 17 pages, several figures, journal version

We formulate cosmological perturbation theory around the spatially curved FLRW background in the context of metric-affine gauge theory of gravity which includes torsion and nonmetricity. Performing scalar-vector-tensor decomposition of the spatial perturbations, we find that the theory displays a rich perturbation spectrum with helicities 0, 1, 2 and 3, on top of the usual scalar, vector and tensor metric perturbations arising from Riemannian geometry. Accordingly, the theory provides a diverse phenomenology, e.g. the helicity-2 modes of the torsion and/or nonmetricity tensors source helicity-2 metric tensor perturbation at the linear level leading to the production of gravitational waves. As an immediate application, we study linear perturbation of the nonmetricity helicity-3 modes for a general parity-preserving action of metric-affine gravity which includes quadratic terms in curvature, torsion, and nonmetricity. We then find the conditions to avoid possible instabilities in the helicity-3 modes of the spin-3 field., Comment: Matches published version in PRD. 23+20 pages, 5 appendices

With the recent release of the black hole image of Sgr A* alongside the earlier image of M87*, one can achieve an in-depth understanding of gravitational physics at the horizon scale. According to the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, the observed image is consistent with the expected appearance of a Kerr black hole. In the present work, we consider Kerr-Newman black holes in Weyl-Cartan theory as a supermassive black hole (BH) and evaluate the parameters of the model with shadow size estimates done by the observations of M87* and Sgr A* from EHT. Such a study can be a possible way to distinguish Weyl-Cartan theory from general relativity and ensure the validity of the idea. Besides, we calculate the energy emission rate for the corresponding BH and discuss how the model's parameters affect the emission of particles around the black hole. With this investigation, we are able to examine the time evolution and lifetime of the black hole in such a theory of gravity., Comment: 28 pages, 12 figures, 5 tables, Accepted for publication in Phys. Dark Universe

General Teleparallel theories assume that curvature is vanishing in which case gravity can be solely represented by torsion and/or nonmetricity. Using differential form language, we express the Riemannian Gauss-Bonnet invariant concisely in terms of two General Teleparallel Gauss-Bonnet invariants, a bulk and a boundary one. Both terms are boundary terms in four dimensions. We also find that the split is not unique and present two possible alternatives. In the absence of nonmetricity our expressions coincide with the well-known Metric Teleparallel Gauss-Bonnet invariants for one of the splits. Next, we focus on the description where only nonmetricity is present and show some examples in different spacetimes. We finish our discussion by formulating novel modified Symmetric Teleparallel theories constructed with our new scalars., Comment: 23 pages

We investigate the propagating degrees of freedom of $f(Q)$-gravity in a $4$-dimensional space-time under the imposition of the coincident gauge by performing the Dirac-Bergmann analysis. In this work, we start with a top-down reconstruction of the metric-affine gauge theory of gravity based only on the concept of a vector bundle. Then, the so-called geometrical trinity of gravity is introduced and the role of the coincident GR is clarified. After that, we reveal relationships between the boundary terms in the variational principle and the symplectic structure of the theory in order to confirm the validity of the analysis for our studied theories. Then, as examples, we revisit the analysis of GR and its $f(\lc{R})$-extensions. Finally, after reviewing the Dirac-Bergmann analysis of the coincident GR and that of $f(T)$-gravity, we perform the analysis of coincident $f(Q)$-gravity. Under the imposition of appropriate spatial boundary conditions, we find that, as a generic case, the theory has five primary, three secondary, and two tertiary constraint densities and all these constraint densities are classified into second-class constraint density; the number six is the propagating degrees of freedom of the theory and there are no longer any remaining gauge degrees of freedom. We also discuss the condition of providing seven pDoF as a generic case. The violation of diffeomorphism invariance of coincident $f(Q)$-gravity make it possible to emerge such several sectors., Comment: 26 pages. v2: Added references and footnotes, revised overall, for submission. 26 pages. v3: Added new Sec. V-A and references, revised overall. 31 pages. v4: Published in EPJC (Single column version)

We examine the teleparallel formulation of non-minimally coupled scalar Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. In the teleparallel formulation, gravity is described by torsion instead of curvature, causing the usual Gauss-Bonnet invariant expressed through curvature to decay into two separate invariants built from torsion. Consequently, the teleparallel formulation permits broader possibilities for non-minimal couplings between spacetime geometry and the scalar field. In our teleparallel theory, there are two different branches of equations in spherical symmetry depending on how one solves the antisymmetric part of the field equations, leading to a real and a complex tetrad. We first show that the real tetrad seems to be incompatible with the regularity of the equations at the event horizon, which is a symptom that scalarized black hole solutions beyond the Riemannian Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory might not exist. Therefore, we concentrate our study on the complex tetrad. This leads to the emergence of scalarized black hole solutions, where the torsion acts as the scalar field source. Extending our previous work, we study monomial non-minimal couplings of degrees one and two, which are intensively studied in conventional, curvature-based, scalar Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. We discover that the inclusion of torsion can potentially alter the stability of the resulting scalarized black holes. Specifically, our findings indicate that for a quadratic coupling, which is entirely unstable in the pure curvature formulation, the solutions induced by torsion may exhibit stability within certain regions of the parameter space. In a limiting case, we were also able to find black holes with a strong scalar field close to the horizon but with a vanishing scalar charge., Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures. Matches published version in PRD

We present a complete algebraic classification for the curvature tensor in Weyl-Cartan geometry, by applying methods of eigenvalues and principal null directions on its irreducible decomposition under the group of global Lorentz transformations, thus providing a full invariant characterisation of all the possible algebraic types of the torsion and nonmetricity field strength tensors in Weyl-Cartan space-times. As an application, we show that in the framework of Metric-Affine Gravity the field strength tensors of a dynamical torsion field cannot be doubly aligned with the principal null directions of the Riemannian Weyl tensor in scalar-flat, slowly rotating, stationary and axisymmetric space-times., Comment: 22 pages, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in PRD Mathematica file as supplemental material available at https://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/2996064

In this paper, we find new scalarized black holes by coupling a scalar field with the Gauss-Bonnet invariant in Teleparallel gravity. The Teleparallel formulation of this theory uses torsion instead of curvature to describe the gravitational interaction and it turns out that, in this language, the usual Gauss-Bonnet term in four dimensions, decays in two distinct boundary terms, the Teleparallel Gauss-Bonnet invariants. Both can be coupled individually, or in any combination to a scalar field, to obtain a Teleparallel Gauss-Bonnet extension of the Teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. The theory we study contains the familiar Riemannian Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity theory as a particular limit and offers a natural extension, in which scalarization is triggered by torsion and with new interesting phenomenology. We demonstrate numerically the existence of asymptotically flat scalarized black hole solutions and show that, depending on the choice of coupling of the boundary terms, they can have a distinct behaviour compared to the ones known from the usual Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet case. More specifically, non-monotonicity of the metric functions and the scalar field can be present, a feature that was not observed until now for static scalarized black hole solutions., Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures. Matches published version in PRD

Horndeski gravity is the most general scalar-tensor theory with one scalar field leading to second-order Euler-Lagrange field equations for the metric and scalar field, and it is based on Riemannian geometry. In this paper, we formulate an analogue version of Horndeski gravity in a symmetric teleparallel geometry which assumes that both the curvature (general) and torsion are vanishing and gravity is only related to nonmetricity. Our setup requires that the Euler-Lagrange equations for not only metric and scalar field but also connection should be at most second order. We find that the theory can be always recast as a sum of the Riemannian Horndeski theory and new terms that are purely teleparallel. Due to the nature of nonmetricity, there are many more possible ways of constructing second-order theories of gravity. In this regard, up to some assumptions, we find the most general $k$-essence extension of Symmetric Teleparallel Horndeski gravity. We also formulate a novel theory containing higher-order derivatives acting on nonmetricity while still respecting the second-order conditions, which can be recast as an extension of Kinetic Gravity Braiding. We finish our study by presenting the FLRW cosmological equations for our model., Comment: 35 pages. Matches published version in PRD

In the framework of Metric-Affine Gravity, the existing correspondence between the Einstein tensor and the energy-momentum tensor of matter provided by General Relativity is extended towards a post-Riemannian description in terms of the torsion and nonmetricity fields, which are sourced by the spin, dilation and shear currents of matter. In this work, we focus on the dynamical role of the traceless part of the nonmetricity tensor and its intrinsic connection with shears, defining a model which encloses a new black hole solution endowed with shear charges. We show that the extension in the presence of dynamical torsion and Weyl vector leads to the broadest family of static and spherically symmetric black hole solutions with spin, dilation and shear charges in Metric-Affine Gravity so far., Comment: 21 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in JCAP

The main goal of this paper is to investigate one of the important astrophysical systems, namely Thick accretion disks, in the background of the spherically symmetric solution in Born-Infeld teleparallel gravity to examine observable predictions of the theory in the vicinity of black holes. Thus, the properties of the non-self-gravitating equilibrium surfaces characterising the Thick accretion disks model are studied. In addition, we find an observational bound on the parameter of the model as $\lambda\gtrsim 140$. We show this analytical accretion disk model for different values of $\lambda$ and compare the result with the corresponding Schwarzschild solution in the general theory of relativity.

In symmetric teleparallel gravities, where the independent connection is characterized by nonmetricity while curvature and torsion are zero, it is possible to find a coordinate system whereby the connection vanishes globally and covariant derivatives reduce to partial derivatives -- the coincident gauge. In this paper we derive general transformation rules into the coincident gauge for spacetime configurations where the both the metric and connection are static and spherically symmetric, and write out the respective form of the coincident gauge metrics. Taking different options in fixing the freedom in the connection allowed by the symmetry and the field equations, the Schwarzschild metric in the coincident gauge can take for instance the Cartesian, Kerr-Schild, and diagonal (isotropic-like) forms, while the BBMB black hole metric in symmetric teleparallel scalar-tensor theory a certain diagonal form fits the coincident gauge requirements but the Cartesian and Kerr-Schild forms do not. Different connections imply different value for the boundary term which could in principle be physically relevant, but simple arguments about the coincident gauge do not seem to be sufficient to fix the connection uniquely. As a byproduct of the investigation we also point out that only a particular subset of static spherically symmetric connections has vanishing nonmetricity in the Minkowski limit., Comment: 24 pages, version submitted to EPJC

Symmetric teleparallel gravity is constructed with a nonzero nonmetricity tensor while both torsion and curvature are vanishing. In this framework, we find exact scalarised spherically symmetric static solutions in scalar-tensor theories built with a nonminimal coupling between the nonmetricity scalar and a scalar field. It turns out that the Bocharova-Bronnikov-Melnikov-Bekenstein solution has a symmetric teleparallel analogue (in addition to the recently found metric teleparallel analogue), while some other of these solutions describe scalarised black hole configurations that are not known in the Riemannian or metric teleparallel scalar-tensor case. To aid the analysis we also derive no-hair theorems for the theory. Since the symmetric teleparallel scalar-tensor models also include $f(Q)$ gravity, we shortly discuss this case and further prove a theorem which says that by imposing that the metric functions are the reciprocal of each other ($g_{rr}=1/g_{tt}$), the $f(Q)$ gravity theory reduces to the symmetric teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (plus a cosmological constant), and the metric takes the (Anti)de-Sitter-Schwarzschild form., Comment: Matches published version in JCAP. 24 pages, 1 figure

We use observational data from the S2 star orbiting around the Galactic Center to constrain a black hole solution of extended teleparallel gravity models. Subsequently, we construct the shadow images of Sgr A$^{\star}$ black hole. In particular, we constrain the parameter $\alpha=1/\lambda$ which appears in the Born-Infeld $f(T)$ model. In the strong gravity regime we find that the shadow radius increases with the increase of the parameter $\alpha$. Specifically, from the S2 star observations, we find within 1$\sigma$ that the parameter must lie between $0 \leq \alpha/M^2 \leq 6 \times 10^{-4}$. Consequently, we used the best fit parameters to model the shadow images of Sgr A$^{\star}$ black hole and then using the Gauss-Bonnet theorem we analysed the deflection angle for leading order expansions of the parameter $\alpha$. It is found that within the parameter range, these observables are very close to the Schwarzschild case. Furthermore, using the best fit parameters for the Born-Infeld $f(T)$ model we show the angular diameter is consistent with recent observations for the Sgr A$^{\star}$ black hole angular diameter $(51.8 \pm 2.3) \mu$arcsec and difficult to be distinguished from the GR. For the deflection angle of light, in leading order terms, we find that the deflection angle expressed in the ADM mass coincides with the GR, but the ADM mass in the Born-Infeld $f(T)$ gravity increases with the increase of $\alpha$ and the overall deflection angle is expected to me greater in $f(T)$ gravity. As a consequence of this fact, we have shown that the electromagnetic intensity observed in shadow images is smaller compared to GR., Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in The European Physical Journal C

The study of cosmological perturbation theory in $f(T)$ gravity is a topic of great interest in teleparallel gravity since this is one of the simplest generalizations of the theory that modifies the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. In this work, we explore the possibility of a non-flat FLRW background solution and perform perturbations for positively as well as negatively curved spatial geometries, together with a comparison to the flat case. We determine the generalized behaviour of the perturbative modes for this non-flat FLRW setting for arbitrary $f(T)$ models, when the most general homogeneous and isotropic background tetrads are used. We also identify propagating modes in this setup, and relate this with the case of a flat cosmology., Comment: 21 pagers, no figures

Black holes play a crucial role in the understanding of the gravitational interaction. Through the direct observation of the shadow of a black hole by the event horizon telescope and the detection of gravitational waves of merging black holes we now start to have direct access to their properties and behaviour, which means the properties and behaviour of gravity. This further raised the demand for models to compare with those observations. In this respect, an important question regarding black holes properties is to know if they can support "hairs". While this is famously forbidden in general relativity, in particular for scalar fields, by the so-called no-hair theorems, hairy black holes have been shown to exist in several class of scalar-tensor theories of gravity. In this article we investigate the existence of scalarized black holes in scalar-torsion theories of gravity. On one hand, we find exact solutions for certain choices of couplings between a scalar field and the torsion tensor of a teleparallel connection and certain scalar field potentials, and thus proof the existence of scalarized black holes in these theories. On the other hand, we show that it is possible to establish no-scalar-hair theorems similar to what is known in general relativity for other choices of these functions., Comment: 20 pages. Matches published version in JCAP

We construct Pleba\'nski-Demia\'nski stationary and axisymmetric solutions with two expanding and double principal null directions in the framework of Metric-Affine gauge theory of gravity. Starting from the new improved form of the metric with vanishing cosmological constant recently achieved by Podolsk\'y and Vr\'atn\'y, we extend this form in the presence of a cosmological constant and derive the conditions under which the physical sources of the torsion and nonmetricity tensors provide dynamical contributions preserving it in Weyl-Cartan geometry. The resulting black hole configurations are characterised by the mass, orbital angular momentum, acceleration, NUT parameter, cosmological constant and electromagnetic charges of the Riemannian sector of the theory, as well as by the spin and dilation charges of the torsion and nonmetricity fields. The former is subject to a constraint representing a decoupling limit with the parameters responsible of axial symmetry, beyond which the geometry of the space-time is expected to be corrected., Comment: 18 pages, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in JCAP

Several novel approaches have been proposed to resolve the problem of time by relating it to change. We argue using quantum information theory that the Hamiltonian constraint in quantum gravity cannot probe change, so it cannot be used to obtain a meaningful notion of time. This is due to the absence of quantum Fisher information with respect to the quantum Hamiltonian of a time-reparametization invariant system. We also observe that the inability of this Hamiltonian to probe change can be related to its inability to discriminate between states of such a system. However, if the time-reparametization symmetry is spontaneously broken due to the formation of quantum cosmological time crystals, these problems can be resolved, and it is possible for time to emerge in quantum gravity., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure

Spherically symmetric solutions of theories of gravity built one fundamental class of solutions to describe compact objects like black holes and stars. Moreover, they serve as starting point for the search of more realistic axially symmetric solutions which are capable to describe rotating compact objects. Theories of gravity that do not possess spherically symmetric solutions which meet all observational constraints are easily falsified. In this article, we discuss classes of exact and perturbative spherically symmetric solutions in $f(T,B)$-gravity. The perturbative solutions add to the ones which have already been found in the literature, while the exact solutions are presented here for the first time. Moreover, we present general methods and strategies, like generalized Bianchi identities, to find spherically solutions in modified teleparallel theories of gravity., Comment: Matches published version in JCAP. 29 pages, 1 figure

We present new rotating vacuum configurations endowed with both dynamical torsion and nonmetricity fields in the framework of Metric-Affine gauge theory of gravity. For this task, we consider scalar-flat Weyl-Cartan geometries and obtain an axisymmetric Kerr-Newman solution in the decoupling limit between the orbital and the spin angular momentum. The corresponding Kerr-Newman-de Sitter solution is also compatible with a cosmological constant and additional electromagnetic fields., Comment: 13 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in JCAP

Teleparallel gravity has significantly increased in popularity in recent decades, bringing attention to Einstein's other theory of gravity. In this Review, we relate this form of geometry to the broader metric-affine approach to forming gravitational theories where we describe a systematic way of constructing consistent teleparallel theories that respect certain physical conditions such as local Lorentz invariance. We first use teleparallel gravity to formulate a teleparallel equivalent of general relativity which is dynamically equivalent to general relativity but which may have different behaviors for other scenarios, such as quantum gravity. After setting this foundation, we describe the plethora of modified teleparallel theories of gravity that have been proposed in the literature. In the second part of the Review, we first survey works in teleparallel astrophysics literature where we focus on the open questions in this regime of physics. We then discuss the cosmological consequences for the various formulations of teleparallel gravity. We do this at background level by exploring works using various approaches ranging from dynamical systems to Noether symmetries, and more. Naturally, we then discuss perturbation theory, firstly by giving a concise approach in which this can be applied in teleparallel gravity theories and then apply it to a number of important theories in the literature. Finally, we examine works in observational and precision cosmology across the plethora of proposal theories. This is done using some of the latest observations and is used to tackle cosmological tensions which may be alleviated in teleparallel cosmology. We also introduce a number of recent works in the application of machine learning to gravity, we do this through deep learning and Gaussian processes, together with discussions about other approaches in the literature., Comment: 391 pages, 55 figures

Gravitational waves (GWs) have opened a new window on fundamental physics in a number of important ways. The next generation of GW detectors may reveal more information about the polarization structure of GWs. Additionally, there is growing interest in theories of gravity beyond GR. One such theory which remains viable within the context of recent measurements of the speed of propagation of GWs is the teleparallel analogue of Horndeski gravity. In this work, we explore the polarization structure of this newly proposed formulation of Horndeski theory. In curvature-based gravity, Horndeski theory is almost synonymous with extensions to GR since it spans a large portion of these possible extensions. We perform this calculation by taking perturbations about a Minkowski background and consider which mode propagates. The result is that the polarization structure depends on the choice of model parameters in the teleparallel Horndeski Lagrangian with a maximum of seven propagating degrees of freedom. While the curvature-based Horndeski results follows as a particular limit within this setup, we find a much richer structure of both massive and massless cases which produce scalar--vector--tensor propagating degrees of freedom. We also find that the GW polarization that emerges from the teleparallel analogue of Horndeski gravity results in analogous massive and massless modes which take on at most four polarizations in the massless sector and two scalar ones in the massive sector. In none of the cases do we find vector polarizations.

General Relativity and the $\Lambda$CDM framework are currently the standard lore and constitute the concordance paradigm. Nevertheless, long-standing open theoretical issues, as well as possible new observational ones arising from the explosive development of cosmology the last two decades, offer the motivation and lead a large amount of research to be devoted in constructing various extensions and modifications. All extended theories and scenarios are first examined under the light of theoretical consistency, and then are applied to various geometrical backgrounds, such as the cosmological and the spherical symmetric ones. Their predictions at both the background and perturbation levels, and concerning cosmology at early, intermediate and late times, are then confronted with the huge amount of observational data that astrophysics and cosmology are able to offer recently. Theories, scenarios and models that successfully and efficiently pass the above steps are classified as viable and are candidates for the description of Nature. This work is a Review of the recent developments in the fields of gravity and cosmology, presenting the state of the art, high-lighting the open problems, and outlining the directions of future research. Its realization was performed in the framework of the COST European Action ``Cosmology and Astrophysics Network for Theoretical Advances and Training Actions''., Comment: 543 pages

We derive the main classical gravitational tests for a recently found vacuum solution with spin and dilation charges in the framework of Metric-Affine gauge theory of gravity. Using the results of the perihelion precession of the star S2 by the GRAVITY collaboration and the gravitational redshift of Sirius B white dwarf we constrain the corrections provided by the torsion and nonmetricity fields for these effects., Comment: 16 pages; Matches published version in EPJC

Axially symmetric spacetimes play an important role in the relativistic description of rotating astrophysical objects like black holes, stars, etc. In gravitational theories that venture beyond the usual Riemannian geometry by allowing independent connection components, the notion of symmetry concerns, not just the metric, but also the connection. As discovered recently, in teleparallel geometries, axial symmetry can be realised in two branches, while only one of these has a continuous spherically symmetric limit. In the current paper, we consider a very generic $f(T,B,\phi,X)$ family of teleparallel gravities, whose action depends on the torsion scalar $T$ and the boundary term $B$, as well as a scalar field $\phi$ with its kinetic term $X$. As the field equations can be decomposed into symmetric and antisymmetric (spin connection) parts, we thoroughly analyse the antisymmetric equations and look for solutions of axial spacetimes which could be used as ans\"atze to tackle the symmetric part of the field equations. In particular, we find solutions corresponding to a generalisation of the Taub-NUT metric, and the slowly rotating Kerr spacetime. Since this work also concerns a wider issue of how to determine the spin connection in teleparallel gravity, we also show that the method of "turning off gravity" proposed in the literature, does not always produce a solution to the antisymmetric equations., Comment: 26 pages, 1 figure. Matches published version in PRD

Teleparallel theories of gravity are described in terms of the tetrad of a metric and a flat connection with torsion. In this paper, we study spherical symmetry in a modified teleparallel theory of gravity which is based on an arbitrary function of the five possible scalars constructed from the irreducible parts of torsion. This theory is a generalisation of the so-called New General Relativity theory. We find that only two scalars are different to zero in spherical symmetry and we solve the corresponding field equations analytically for conformal Teleparallel gravity, and then perturbatively around Schwarzschild geometry for the general perturbative theory around GR. Finally, we compute phenomenological effects from the perturbed solutions such as the photon sphere, perihelion shift, Shapiro delay, and the light deflection. We find their correspondent correction to the standard GR contribution and their dependence on the three model parameters., Comment: 17 pages; v2 has some new additions matching the published version

Teleparallel gravity offers a new avenue in which to construct gravitational models beyond general relativity. While teleparallel gravity can be framed in a way to be dynamically equivalent to general relativity, its modifications are mostly not equivalent to the traditional route to modified gravity. $f(T,B)$ gravity is one such gravitational theory where the second and fourth order contributions to the field equations are decoupled. In this work, we explore the all important cosmological perturbations of this new framework of gravity. We derive the gravitational propagation equation, its vector perturbation stability conditions, and its scalar perturbations. Together with the matter perturbations, we derive the effective gravitational constant in this framework, and find an interesting branching behaviour that depends on the particular gravitational models being probed. We close with a discussion on the relation of these results with other gravitational theories., Comment: 21 pages

In this paper, we study different Solar System tests in a modified Teleparallel gravity theory based on an arbitrary function $f(T,B)$ which depends on the scalar torsion $T$ and the boundary term $B$. To do this, we first find new perturbed spherically symmetric solutions around Schwarzschild for different power-law forms of the arbitrary Lagrangian. Then, for each model we calculated the photon sphere, perihelion shift, deflection of light, Cassini experiment, Shapiro delay and the gravitational redshift. Finally, we confront these computations with different known experiments from these Solar System tests to put different bounds on the mentioned models. We then conclude that $f(T,B)$ is compatible with these Solar System experiments with a wide range of parameters which are relevant for cosmology., Comment: 25 pages, matches the final version published in JCAP

We propose a gravitational model which allows the independent dynamical behaviour of the torsion and nonmetricity fields to be displayed in the framework of Metric-Affine gauge theory of gravity. For this task, we derive a new exact black hole solution referred to this model which extends the role of torsion of the main well-known exact solutions based on Weyl-Cartan geometry and constitutes the first known isolated gravitational system characterized by a metric tensor with independent spin and dilation charges., Comment: 15 pages, 0 figures, minor changes, references added. It matches the version published in JCAP

In this paper, we analyze the inflationary cosmology using string field theory. This is done by using the zero level contribution from string field theory, which is a non-local tachyonic action. We will use the non-local Friedmann equations for this model based on string field theory, and calculate the slow-roll parameters for this model. We will then explicitly obtain the scalar and tensorial power spectrum, their related indices, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio for this model. Finally, we use cosmological data from Planck 2013 to 2018 to constrain the free parameters in this model and find that string field theory is compatible with them., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; it has been accepted in Nuclear Physics B (NPB)

We will use Fisher information to properly analyze the quantum weak equivalence principle. We argue that gravitational waves will be partially reflected by superconductors. This will occur as the violation of the weak equivalence principle in Cooper pairs is larger than the surrounding ionic lattice. Such reflections of virtual gravitational waves by superconductors can produce a gravitational Casimir effect, which may be detected using currently available technology., Comment: Essay received an honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation Essay Competition 2020. 9 pages, 3 figures. Matches published version in IJMPD

The present paper represents an attempt for a very generic string inspired theory of gravitation, based on a stringy action in the teleparallel gravity which includes a specific functional which depends on the scalar field and its kinetic energy, as well as the torsion and boundary terms, embedding also possible effects from the teleparallel Gauss--Bonnet invariants. We focus our study on FLRW cosmology. After we deduce the cosmological equations for the associated generic theory of gravitation, we focus on string inspired couplings which are studied by considering different analytical techniques. The first analytical technique is based on the linear stability theory, by introducing proper dimensionless variables which enables us to study the structure of the phase space and the associated physical effects. In this case, we have obtained different cosmological solutions which correspond to matter and dark energy dominated solutions, achieving a possible transition between matter and dark energy dominated epochs. For each type of cosmological solutions, we have discussed the corresponding physical features, attaining viable constraints for the coupling constants due to dynamical effects. The dynamical study of the physical features included also a numerical analysis by fine--tuning the initial conditions deep into the matter era, obtaining possible trajectories for the effective equation of state for specific coupling functions., Comment: 18 pages. Matches published version in NPB

We consider the newly proposed Bahamonde-Dialektopoulos-Levi Said (BDLS) theory, that is the Horndeski analog in the teleparallel framework and thus contains a non-minimally coupled scalar field, including higher order derivatives, that leads however to second order field equations both for the tetrad and the scalar field. This theory was mostly constructed to revive those models that were severely constrained in the scalar-tensor version of the theory from the GW170817, but includes also much richer phenomenology because of the nature of the torsion tensor. For this theory we determine the parametrized post-Newtonian limit, calculate the full set of post-Newtonian parameters and highlight some special cases., Comment: LaTeX, 22 pages, no figures; version accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravity

It is broadly known that Lie point symmetries and their subcase, Noether symmetries, can be used as a geometric criterion to select alternative theories of gravity. Here, we use Noether symmetries as a selection criterion to distinguish those models of $f(R,G)$ theory, with $R$ and $G$ being the Ricci and the Gauss-Bonnet scalars respectively, that are invariant under point transformations in a spherically symmetric background. In total, we find ten different forms of $f$ that present symmetries and calculate their invariant quantities, i.e Noether vector fields. Furthermore, we use these Noether symmetries to find exact spherically symmetric solutions in some of the models of $f(R,G)$ theory., Comment: 17 pages. Accepted for Publication in Symmetries in the special issue "Noether's symmetry approach in gravity and cosmology"

Finding spherically symmetric exact solutions in modified gravity is usually a difficult task. In this paper we use the Noether's symmetry approach for a modified Teleparallel theory of gravity labelled as $f(T,B)$ gravity where $T$ is the scalar torsion and $B$ the boundary term. Using the Noether's theorem, we were able to find exact spherically symmetric solutions for different forms of the function $f(T,B)$ coming from the Noether's symmetries., Comment: 22 pages; Matches published version in Symmetry

Among modified theories of gravity, the teleparallel $f(T)$ gravity is an intensively discussed modelin the literature. The best way to investigate its viabilityis to derive observable predictions which yield evidence or constraints for the model, when compared with actual observations. In this paper we derive the photon sphere and the perihelion shift for weak $f(T)$ perturbations of general relativity. We consistently calculate first order teleparallel perturbations of Schwarzschild and Minkowski spacetime geometry, with which we improve and extend existing results in the literature., Comment: 10 pages

Horndeski gravity was highly constrained from the recent gravitational wave observations by the LIGO Collaboration down to $|c_{g}/c-1|\gtrsim 10^{-15}$. In this Letter we study the tensorial perturbations in a flat cosmological background for an analogue version of Horndenki gravity which is based in Teleparallel Gravity constructed from a flat manifold with a nonvanishing torsion tensor. It is found that in this approach, one can construct a more general Horndeski theory satisfying $c_T=c_g/c=1$ without eliminating the coupling functions $G_5(\phi,X)$ and $G_4(\phi,X)$ that were highly constrained in standard Horndeski theory. Hence, in the Teleparallel approach one is able to restore these terms, creating an interesting way to revive Horndeski gravity., Comment: 12 pages, 0 figures

In this work we have investigated the dynamics of a recent modification to the general theory of relativity, the energy-momentum squared gravity model $f(R,\mathbf{T^2})$, where $R$ represents the scalar curvature and $\mathbf{T^2}$ the square of the energy-momentum tensor. By using dynamical system analysis for various types of gravity functions $f(R,\mathbf{T^2})$, we have studied the structure of the phase space and the physical implications of the energy-momentum squared coupling. In the first case of functional where $f(R,\mathbf{T^2})=f_0 R^n(\mathbf{T^2})^m$, with $f_0$ constant, we have shown that the phase space structure has a reduced complexity, with a high sensitivity to the values of the $m$ and $n$ parameters. Depending on the values of the $m$ and $n$ parameters, the model exhibits various cosmological epochs, corresponding to matter eras, solutions associated with an accelerated expansion, or decelerated periods. The second model studied corresponds to the $f(R,\mathbf{T^2})=\alpha R^n+\beta\mathbf{(T^2)}^m$ form with $\alpha, \beta$ constant parameters. In this case, a richer phase space structure is obtained which can recover different cosmological scenarios, associated to matter eras, de--Sitter solutions, and dark energy epochs. Hence, this model represents an interesting cosmological model which can explain the current evolution of the Universe and the emergence of the accelerated expansion as a geometrical consequence., Comment: Some small changes. Accepted for publication in Physical Review D. 16 pages, 9 figures

The Einstein equations, apart from being the classical field equations of General Relativity, are also the classical field equations of two other theories of gravity. As the experimental tests of General Relativity are done using the Einstein equations, we do not really know, if gravity is the curvature of a torsionless spacetime, or torsion of a curvatureless spacetime, or if it occurs due to the non-metricity of a curvatureless and torsionless spacetime. However, as the classical actions of all these theories differ from each other by boundary terms, and the Casimir effect is a boundary effect, we propose that a novel gravitational Casimir effect between superconductors can be used to test which of these theories actually describe gravity., Comment: Essay received an honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation Essay Competition 2019. 7 pages

Horndeski gravity is the most general scalar tensor theory, with a single scalar field, leading to second order field equations and after the GW170817 it has been severely constrained. In this paper, we study the analogue of Horndeski's theory in the teleparallel gravity framework were gravity is mediated through torsion instead of curvature. We show that, even though, many terms are the same as in the curvature case, we have much richer phenomenology in the teleparallel setting because of the nature of the torsion tensor. Moreover, Teleparallel Horndenski contains the standard Horndenski gravity as a subcase and also contains many modified Teleparallel theories considered in the past, such as $f(T)$ gravity or Teleparallel Dark energy. Thus, due to the appearing of a new term in the Lagrangian, this theory can explain dark energy without a cosmological constant, may describe a crossing of the phantom barrier, explain inflation and also solve the tension for $H_0$, making it a good candidate for a correct modified theory of gravity., Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure

In this paper we propose a new dark energy model in the teleparallel alternative of general relativity, by considering a generalized non--minimal coupling of a tachyonic scalar field with the teleparallel boundary term. Within the framework of teleparallel gravity, the boundary coupling term is associated with the divergence of the torsion vector. Considering the linear stability technique for various potentials and couplings, we have analyzed the dynamical properties of the present tachyonic dark energy model in the phase space, uncovering the corresponding essential dynamical features. Our study of the phase space structure revealed that for a specific class of potential energy, this model exhibits various critical points which are related to different cosmological behaviors, such as accelerated expansion and scaling solutions, determining the existence conditions and the corresponding physical features., Comment: Matches published version in EPJC