Exponential expansion in Unimodular Gravity is possible even in the absence of a constant potential; {em id est} for free fields. This is at variance with the case in General Relativity.
We investigate if a recently introduced formulation of general relativity on a Weyl-integrable geometry, contains cosmological solutions exhibiting acceleration in the present cosmic expansion. We derive the general conditions to have acceleration in the expansion of the universe and obtain a particular solution for the Weyl scalar field describing a cosmological model for the present time in concordance with the data combination Planck + WP + BAO + SN.
We suggest a Lorentz non-invariant generalization of the unimodular gravity theory, which is classically equivalent to general relativity with a locally inert (devoid of local degrees of freedom) perfect fluid having an equation of state with a constant parameter $w$. For the range of $w$ near $-1$ this dark fluid can play the role of dark energy, while for $w=0$ this dark dust admits spatial inhomogeneities and can be interpreted as dark matter. We discuss possible implications of this model in the cosmological initial conditions problem. In particular, this is the extension of known microcanonical density matrix predictions for the initial quantum state of the closed cosmology to the case of spatially open Universe, based on the imitation of the spatial curvature by the dark fluid density. We also briefly discuss quantization of this model necessarily involving the method of gauge systems with reducible constraints and the effect of this method on the treatment of recently suggested mechanism of vacuum energy sequestering.
We formally prove the existence of a quantization procedure that makes the path integral of a general diffeomorphism-invariant theory of gravity, with fixed total spacetime volume, equivalent to that of its unimodular version. This is achieved by means of a partial gauge fixing of diffeomorphisms together with a careful definition of the unimodular measure. The statement holds also in the presence of matter. As an explicit example, we consider scalar-tensor theories and compute the corresponding logarithmic divergences in both settings. In spite of significant differences in the coupling of the scalar field to gravity, the results are equivalent for all couplings, including non-minimal ones.
We consider here a spherically symmetric but inhomogeneous universe filled with a massless scalar field. The model obeys two constraints. The first one is that the gradient of the scalar field is timelike everywhere. The second constraint is that the radial coordinate basis vector is a unit vector field in the comoving coordinate system. We find that the resultant dynamical solutions compose a one-parameter family of self-similar models which is known as the Roberts solution. The solutions are divided into three classes. The first class consists of solutions with only one spacelike singularity in the synchronous-comoving chart. The second class consists of solutions with two singularities which are null and spacelike, respectively. The third class consists of solutions with two spacelike singularities which correspond to the big bang and big crunch, respectively. We see that, in the first case, a comoving volume exponentially expands as in an inflationary period; the fluid elements are accelerated outwards form the symmetry center, even though the strong energy condition is satisfied. This behavior is very different from that observed in the homogeneous and isotropic universe in which the fluid elements would move outwards with deceleration, if the strong energy conditions are satisfied. We are thus able to achieve the accelerated expansion of the universe for the models considered here, without a need to violate the energy conditions. The cosmological features of the models are examined in some detail.
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 Einsteins Field Equations.