We study certain bi-scalar-tensor theories emanating from conformal symmetry requirements of Horndeskis four-dimensional action. The former scalar is a Galileon with shift symmetry whereas the latter scalar is adjusted to have a higher order conforma
l coupling. Employing technics from local Weyl geometry certain Galileon higher order terms are thus constructed to be conformally invariant. The combined shift and partial conformal symmetry of the action, allow us to construct exact black hole solutions. The black holes initially found are of planar horizon geometry embedded in anti de Sitter space and can accommodate electric charge. The conformally coupled scalar comes with an additional independent charge and it is well-defined on the horizon whereas additional regularity of the Galileon field is achieved allowing for time dependence. Guided by our results in adS space-time we then consider a higher order version of the BBMB action and construct asymptotically flat, regular, hairy black holes. The addition of the Galileon field is seen to cure the BBMB scalar horizon singularity while allowing for the presence of primary scalar hair seen as an independent integration constant along-side the mass of the black hole.
We study axially symmetric codimension-2 cosmology for a distributional braneworld fueled by a localised 4D perfect fluid, in a 6D Lovelock theory. We argue that only the matching conditions (dubbed topological) where the extrinsic curvature on the b
rane has no jump describe a pure codimension-2 brane. If there is discontinuity in the extrinsic curvature on the brane, this induces inevitably codimension-1 distributional terms. We study these topological matching conditions, together with constraints from the bulk equations evaluated at the brane position, for two cases of regularisation of the codimension-2 defect. First, for an arbitrary smooth regularisation of the defect and second for a ring regularisation which has a cusp in the angular part of the metric. For a cosmological ansatz, we see that in the first case the coupled system is not closed and requires input from the bulk equations away from the brane. The relevant bulk function, which is a time-dependent angular deficit, describes the energy exchange between the brane and the 6D bulk. On the other hand, for the ring regularisation case, the system is closed and there is no leakage of energy in the bulk. We demonstrate that the full set of matching conditions and field equations evaluated at the brane position are consistent, correcting some previous claim in the literature which used rather restrictive assumptions for the form of geometrical quantities close to the codimension-2 brane. We analyse the modified Friedmann equation and we see that there are certain corrections coming from the non-zero extrinsic curvature on the brane. We establish the presence of geometric self-acceleration and a possible curvature domination wedged in between the period of matter and self-acceleration eras as signatures of codimension-2 cosmology.
We consider maximally symmetric 3-branes embedded in a six-dimensional bulk spacetime with Lovelock dynamics. We study the properties of the solutions with respect to their induced curvature, their vacuum energy and their effective compactness in the
extra dimensions. Some simple solutions are shown to give rise to self-accelerating braneworlds, whereas several others solutions have self-tuning properties. For the case of geometric self-acceleration we argue that the cross-over scale in between four-dimensional and higher-dimensional gravity and the scale of late-time geometric acceleration, fixed by the present horizon size, are related via the conical deficit angle of the six-dimensional bulk solution, which is a free parameter.
In order for a modified gravity model to be a candidate for cosmological dark energy it has to pass stringent local gravity experiments. We find that a Brans-Dicke (BD) theory with well-defined second order corrections that include the Gauss-Bonnet t
erm possess this feature. We construct the generic second order theory that gives, to linear order, a BD metric solution for a point-like mass source. We find that these theories interpolate between general relativity (GR) and BD gravity. In particular it is found that the relevant Eddington parameter, that is commonly heavily constrained by time delay experiments, can be arbitrarily close to the GR value of 1, with an arbitrary BD parameter. We find the region where the solution is stable to small timelike perturbations.
We consider four-dimensional de Sitter, flat and anti de Sitter branes embedded in a six-dimensional bulk spacetime whose dynamics is dictated by Lovelock theory. We find, applying a generalised version of Birkhoffs theorem, that all possible maximal
ly symmetric braneworld solutions are embedded in Wick-rotated black hole spacetimes of Lovelock theory. These are warped solitonic spaces, where the horizons of the black hole geometries correspond to the possible positions of codimension-2 branes. The horizon temperature is related via conical singularities to the tension or vacuum energy of the branes. We classify the braneworld solutions for certain combinations of bulk parameters, according to their induced curvature, their vacuum energy and their effective compactness in the extra dimensions. The bulk Lovelock theory gives an induced gravity term on the brane, which, we argue, generates four-dimensional gravity up to some distance scale. As a result, some simple solutions, such as the Lovelock corrected Schwarzschild black hole in six dimensions, are shown to give rise to self-accelerating braneworlds. We also find that several other solutions have self-tuning properties. Finally, we present regular gravitational instantons of Lovelock gravity and comment on their significance.
Although the Gauss-Bonnet term is a topological invariant for general relativity, it couples naturally to a quintessence scalar field, modifying gravity at solar system scales. We determine the solar system constraints due to this term by evaluating
the post-Newtonian metric for a distributional source. We find a mass dependent, 1/r^7 correction to the Newtonian potential, and also deviations from the Einstein gravity prediction for light-bending. We constrain the parameters of the theory using planetary orbits, the Cassini spacecraft data, and a laboratory test of Newtons law, always finding extremely tight bounds on the energy associated to the Gauss-Bonnet term. We discuss the relevance of these constraints to late-time cosmological acceleration.
