A short review of scalar curvature invariants in gravity theories is presented. We introduce how these invariants are constructed and discuss the minimal number of invariants required for a given spacetime. We then discuss applications of these invariants and focus on three topics that are of particular interest in modern gravity theories.
We wish to construct a minimal set of algebraically independent scalar curvature invariants formed by the contraction of the Riemann (Ricci) tensor and its covariant derivatives up to some order of differentiation in three dimensional (3D) Lorentzian
spacetimes. In order to do this we utilize the Cartan-Karlhede equivalence algorithm since, in general, all Cartan invariants are related to scalar polynomial curvature invariants. As an example we apply the algorithm to the class of 3D Szekeres cosmological spacetimes with comoving dust and cosmological constant $Lambda$. In this case, we find that there are at most twelve algebraically independent Cartan invariants, including $Lambda$. We present these Cartan invariants, and we relate them to twelve independent scalar polynomial curvature invariants (two, four and six, respectively, zeroth, first, and second order scalar polynomial curvature invariants).
We introduce the concept of a geometric horizon, which is a surface distinguished by the vanishing of certain curvature invariants which characterize its special algebraic character. We motivate its use for the detection of the event horizon of a sta
tionary black hole by providing a set of appropriate scalar polynomial curvature invariants that vanish on this surface. We extend this result by proving that a non-expanding horizon, which generalizes a Killing horizon, coincides with the geometric horizon. Finally, we consider the imploding spherically symmetric metrics and show that the geometric horizon identifies a unique quasi-local surface corresponding to the unique spherically symmetric marginally trapped tube, implying that the spherically symmetric dynamical black holes admit a geometric horizon. Based on these results, we propose a suite of conjectures concerning the application of geometric horizons to more general dynamical black hole scenarios.
In this work we study a modified version of vacuum $f(R)$ gravity with a kinetic term which consists of the first derivatives of the Ricci scalar. We develop the general formalism of this kinetic Ricci modified $f(R)$ gravity and we emphasize on cosm
ological applications for a spatially flat cosmological background. By using the formalism of this theory, we investigate how it is possible to realize various cosmological scenarios. Also we demonstrate that this theoretical framework can be treated as a reconstruction method, in the context of which it is possible to realize various exotic cosmologies for ordinary Einstein-Hilbert action. Finally, we derive the scalar-tensor counterpart theory of this kinetic Ricci modified $f(R)$ gravity, and we show the mathematical equivalence of the two theories.
The action in general relativity (GR), which is an integral over the manifold plus an integral over the boundary, is a global object and is only well defined when the topology is fixed. Therefore, to use the action in GR and in most approaches to qua
ntum gravity (QG) based on a covariant Lorentzian action, there needs to exist a prefered (global) timelike vector, and hence a global topology $R times S^3$, for it to make sense. This is especially true in the Hamiltonian formulation of QG. Therefore, in order to do canonical quantization, we need to know the topology, appropriate boundary conditions and (in an open manifold) the conditions at infinity, which affects the fundamental geometrical scalar invariants of the spacetime (and especially those which may occur in the QG action).
We discuss unimodular gravity at a classical level, and in terms of its extension into the UV through an appropriate path integral representation. Classically, unimodular gravity is simply a gauge fixed version of General Relativity (GR), and as such
it yields identical dynamics and physical predictions. We clarify this and explain why there is no sense in which it can bring a new perspective to the cosmological constant problem. The quantum equivalence between unimodular gravity and GR is more of a subtle question, but we present an argument that suggests one can always maintain the equivalence up to arbitrarily high momenta. As a corollary to this, we argue that whenever inequivalence is seen at the quantum level, that just means we have defined two different quantum theories that happen to share a classical limit.