http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/%7Elatora/report_06.pdf

Complex networks: Structure and dynamics

On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10(-21). It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203,000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1σ. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410(-180)(+160)  Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09(-0.04)(+0.03). In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36(-4)(+5)M⊙ and 29(-4)(+4)M⊙, and the final black hole mass is 62(-4)(+4)M⊙, with 3.0(-0.5)(+0.5)M⊙c(2) radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals. These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.

/pdf/the-observation-of-gravitational-waves-from-a-binary-black-58srpupgg9.pdf

The Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger

Modified gravity theories have received increased attention lately due to combined motivation coming from high-energy physics, cosmology, and astrophysics. Among numerous alternatives to Einstein's theory of gravity, theories that include higher-order curvature invariants, and specifically the particular class of $f(R)$ theories, have a long history. In the last five years there has been a new stimulus for their study, leading to a number of interesting results. Here $f(R)$ theories of gravity are reviewed in an attempt to comprehensively present their most important aspects and cover the largest possible portion of the relevant literature. All known formalisms are presented---metric, Palatini, and metric affine---and the following topics are discussed: motivation; actions, field equations, and theoretical aspects; equivalence with other theories; cosmological aspects and constraints; viability criteria; and astrophysical applications.

f ( R ) theories of gravity

Modified Gravity and Cosmology

We report on the implications for cosmic inflation of the 2018 Release of the Planck CMB anisotropy measurements. The results are fully consistent with the two previous Planck cosmological releases, but have smaller uncertainties thanks to improvements in the characterization of polarization at low and high multipoles. Planck temperature, polarization, and lensing data determine the spectral index of scalar perturbations to be $n_\mathrm{s}=0.9649\pm 0.0042$ at 68% CL and show no evidence for a scale dependence of $n_\mathrm{s}.$ Spatial flatness is confirmed at a precision of 0.4% at 95% CL with the combination with BAO data. The Planck 95% CL upper limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r_{0.002}<0.10$, is further tightened by combining with the BICEP2/Keck Array BK15 data to obtain $r_{0.002}<0.056$. In the framework of single-field inflationary models with Einstein gravity, these results imply that: (a) slow-roll models with a concave potential, $V" (\phi) < 0,$ are increasingly favoured by the data; and (b) two different methods for reconstructing the inflaton potential find no evidence for dynamics beyond slow roll. Non-parametric reconstructions of the primordial power spectrum consistently confirm a pure power law. A complementary analysis also finds no evidence for theoretically motivated parameterized features in the Planck power spectrum, a result further strengthened for certain oscillatory models by a new combined analysis that includes Planck bispectrum data. The new Planck polarization data provide a stringent test of the adiabaticity of the initial conditions. The polarization data also provide improved constraints on inflationary models that predict a small statistically anisotropic quadrupolar modulation of the primordial fluctuations. However, the polarization data do not confirm physical models for a scale-dependent dipolar modulation.

/pdf/planck-2015-results-xx-constraints-on-inflation-4lq02ohyyn.pdf

Planck 2015 results. XX. Constraints on inflation

We study the cosmology of the Randall-Sundrum brane-world where the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by curvature correction terms: a four-dimensional scalar curvature from induced gravity on the brane, and a five-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet curvature term. The combined effect of these curvature corrections to the action removes the infinite-density big bang singularity, although the curvature can still diverge for some parameter values. A radiation brane undergoes accelerated expansion near the minimal scale factor, for a range of parameters. This acceleration is driven by the geometric effects, without an inflaton field or negative pressures. At late times, conventional cosmology is recovered.

The Effects of Curvature Correction Terms on Brane Cosmology

We consider five-dimensional gravity with a Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk and an induced gravity term on a 2-brane of codimension-2. We show that this system admits BTZ-like black holes on the 2-brane which are extended into the bulk with regular horizons.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bertha_Cuadros-Melgar/publication/45918653_BTZ_Solutions_on_Codimension-2_Braneworlds/links/00b7d52e64903aa7c8000000.pdf

BTZ solutions on codimension-2 braneworlds

We discuss exact regular compact object solutions in higher dimensional extensions of General Relativity sourced by a phantom scalar field in arbitrary $D$ spacetime dimensions ($D>2$), for which a central singularity is absent. We follow a bottom-up approach, by means of which, by imposing the desired form of the solution to the metric function, we derive the form of the self-interaction scalar potential, which in general appears to depend on both the scalar-hair charge and the black-hole mass. We discuss in this context the validity of the first law of thermodynamics in such systems. Consistency requires the independence of the potential of the mass, imposing in this way the dependence of the mass on the scalar charge of a type that varies with the value of $D$, and according to the no-hair theorem dressing the regular black hole solution with secondary hair. In $D=3,4$ we demonstrate that the potential depends on the ratio of the scalar charge over the mass, and thus considered as a parameter of the theory. This feature, however, does not characterise higher-dimensional cases. Calculating the $D-$dimensional Kretschmann scalar we show that it is finite at the centre point $r=0$ for arbitrary $D$, rendering the solutions regular. The phantom matter content of the theory is also regular at $r=0$, hence the radial coordinate of our manifold is defined for $r \ge 0$. We explicitly discuss the cases of $D=3,4,5,6,10$, and demonstrate that we can have regular, asymptotically flat, black holes with secondary scalar hair.

Regular compact objects with scalar hair

Motivated by brane cosmology we solve the Einstein equations with a time dependent cosmological constant. Assuming that at an early epoch the vacuum energy scales as $1/logt $, we show that the universe passes from a fast growing phase (inflation) to an expanding phase in a natural way.

Inflation Induced by Vacuum Energy and Graceful Exit from it

We study the motion of particles in the background of a scalar-tensor theory of gravity in which the scalar field is kinetically coupled to Einstein tensor. We constrain the value of the derivative parameter $z$ through solar system tests. By considering the perihelion precession we obtain the constrain $\sqrt{z}/m_p > 2.6\times 10^{12}$ m, the gravitational red-shift $\frac{\sqrt{z}}{m_{p}}>2.7\times10^{\,10}$ m, the deflection of light $\sqrt{z}/m_p > 1.6 \times 10^{11}$ m, and the gravitational time delay $\sqrt{z}/m_p > 7.9 \times 10^{12}$ m; thereby, our results show that it is possible to constrain the value of the $z$ parameter in agreement with the observational tests that have been considered.

Eleftherios Papantonopoulos

Papers

The Effects of Curvature Correction Terms on Brane Cosmology

BTZ solutions on codimension-2 braneworlds

Regular compact objects with scalar hair

Inflation Induced by Vacuum Energy and Graceful Exit from it

Constraints on Scalar-Tensor Theory of Gravity by Solar System Tests