Showing papers on "Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric published in 2012"

General second-order scalar-tensor theory and self-tuning.

Abstract: Starting from the most general scalar-tensor theory with second order field equations in four dimensions, we establish the unique action that will allow for the existence of a consistent self-tuning mechanism on FLRW backgrounds, and show how it can be understood as a combination of just four base Lagrangians with an intriguing geometric structure dependent on the Ricci scalar, the Einstein tensor, the double dual of the Riemann tensor and the Gauss-Bonnet combination. Spacetime curvature can be screened from the net cosmological constant at any given moment because we allow the scalar field to break Poincar\'e invariance on the self-tuning vacua, thereby evading the Weinberg no-go theorem. We show how the four arbitrary functions of the scalar field combine in an elegant way opening up the possibility of obtaining non-trivial cosmological solutions.

Thermodynamics in f(R,T) theory of gravity

Abstract: A non-equilibrium picture of thermodynamics is discussed at the apparent horizon of FRW universe in f(R,T) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar and T is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. We take two forms of the energy-momentum tensor of dark components and demonstrate that equilibrium description of thermodynamics is not achievable in both cases. We check the validity of the first and second law of thermodynamics in this scenario. It is shown that the Friedmann equations can be expressed in the form of first law of thermodynamics ThdS'h+ThdS' = −dE'+W'dV, where dS' is the entropy production term. Finally, we conclude that the second law of thermodynamics holds both in phantom and non-phantom phases.

Perturbations in Massive Gravity Cosmology

Abstract: We study cosmological perturbations for a ghost free massive gravity theory formulated with a dynamical extra metric that is needed to massive deform GR. In this formulation FRW background solutions fall in two branches. In the dynamics of perturbations around the first branch solutions, no extra degree of freedom with respect to GR is present at linearized level, likewise what is found in the Stuckelberg formulation of massive gravity where the extra metric is flat and non dynamical. In the first branch, perturbations are probably strongly coupled. On the contrary, for perturbations around the second branch solutions all expected degrees of freedom propagate. While tensor and vector perturbations of the physical metric that couples with matter follow closely the ones of GR, scalars develop an exponential Jeans-like instability on sub-horizon scales. On the other hand, around a de Sitter background there is no instability. We argue that one could get rid of the instabilities by introducing a mirror dark matter sector minimally coupled to only the second metric.

Conditions for the cosmological viability of the most general scalar-tensor theories and their applications to extended Galileon dark energy models

Abstract: In the Horndeski's most general scalar-tensor theories with second-order field equations, we derive the conditions for the avoidance of ghosts and Laplacian instabilities associated with scalar, tensor, and vector perturbations in the presence of two perfect fluids on the flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) background. Our general results are useful for the construction of theoretically consistent models of dark energy. We apply our formulas to extended Galileon models in which a tracker solution with an equation of state smaller than -1 is present. We clarify the allowed parameter space in which the ghosts and Laplacian instabilities are absent and we numerically confirm that such models are indeed cosmologically viable.

FRW cosmology in F ( R , T ) gravity

Abstract: In this paper, we consider a theory of gravity with a metric-dependent torsion namely the F(R,T) gravity, where R is the curvature scalar and T is the torsion scalar. We study the geometric root of such theory. In particular we give the derivation of the model from the geometrical point of view. Then we present the more general form of F(R,T) gravity with two arbitrary functions and give some of its particular cases. In particular, the usual F(R) and F(T) gravity theories are particular cases of the F(R,T) gravity. In the cosmological context, we find that our new gravitational theory can describe the accelerated expansion of the Universe.

Perturbations in Massive Gravity Cosmology

Abstract: We study cosmological perturbations for a ghost free massive gravity theory formulated with a dynamical extra metric that is needed to massive deform GR. In this formulation FRW background solutions fall in two branches. In the dynamics of perturbations around the first branch solutions, no extra degree of freedom with respect to GR ispresent at linearized level, likewise what is found in the Stuckelberg formulation of massive gravity where the extra metric isflat and non dynamical. In the first branch, perturbations are probably strongly coupled. On the contrary, for perturbations around the second branch solutions all expected degrees of freedom propagate. While tensor and vector perturbations of the physical metric that couples with matter follow closely the ones of GR, scalars develop an exponential Jeans-like instability on sub-horizon scales. On the other hand, around a de Sitter background there is no instability. We argue that one could get rid of the instabilities by introducing a mirror dark matter sector minimally coupled to only the second metric.

Cosmological perturbations in massive gravity and the Higuchi bound

Abstract: In de Sitter spacetime there exists an absolute minimum for the mass of a spin-2 field set by the Higuchi bound m2 ? 2H2. We generalize this bound to arbitrary spatially flat FRW geometries in the context of the recently proposed ghost-free models of Massive Gravity with an FRW reference metric, by performing a Hamiltonian analysis for cosmological perturbations. We find that the bound generically indicates that spatially flat FRW solutions in FRW massive gravity, which exhibit a Vainshtein mechanism in the background as required by consistency with observations, imply that the helicity zero mode is a ghost. In contradistinction to previous works, the tension between the Higuchi bound and the Vainshtein mechanism is equally strong regardless of the equation of state for matter.

Generalized second law of thermodynamics in f(T)-gravity

Abstract: We investigate the validity of the generalized second law (GSL) of gravitational thermodynamics in the framework of f(T) modified teleparallel gravity. We consider a spatially flat FRW universe containing only the pressureless matter. The boundary of the universe is assumed to be enclosed by the Hubble horizon. For two viable f(T) models containing f(T) = T+μ1{(−T)}n and f(T) = T−μ2T(1−eβT0/T), we first calculate the effective equation of state and deceleration parameters. Then, {we investigate the null and strong energy conditions and conclude that a sudden future singularity appears in both models. Furthermore, using a cosmographic analysis we check the viability of two models. Finally, we examine the validity of the GSL and find that for both models it} is satisfied from the early times to the present epoch. But in the future, the GSL is violated for the special ranges of the torsion scalar T.

An Exact quantification of backreaction in relativistic cosmology

Abstract: An important open question in cosmology is the degree to which the Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) solutions of Einstein's equations are able to model the large-scale behavior of the locally inhomogeneous observable universe. We investigate this problem by considering a range of exact n-body solutions of Einstein's constraint equations. These solutions contain discrete masses, and so allow arbitrarily large density contrasts to be modeled. We restrict our study to regularly arranged distributions of masses in topological 3-spheres. This has the benefit of allowing straightforward comparisons to be made with FLRW solutions, as both spacetimes admit a discrete group of symmetries. It also provides a time-symmetric hypersurface at the moment of maximum expansion that allows the constraint equations to be solved exactly. We find that when all the mass in the universe is condensed into a small number of objects ($\ensuremath{\lesssim}10$) then the amount of back-reaction in dust models can be large, with $O(1)$ deviations from the predictions of the corresponding FLRW solutions. When the number of masses is large ($\ensuremath{\gtrsim}100$), however, then our measures of back-reaction become small ($\ensuremath{\lesssim}1%$). This result does not rely on any averaging procedures, which are notoriously hard to define uniquely in general relativity, and so provides (to the best of our knowledge) the first exact and unambiguous demonstration of back-reaction in general relativistic cosmological modelling. Discrete models such as these can therefore be used as laboratories to test ideas about back-reaction that could be applied in more complicated and realistic settings.

Future singularities and Teleparallelism in Loop Quantum Cosmology

Abstract: We demonstrate how holonomy corrections in loop quantum cosmology (LQC) prevent the Big Rip singularity by introducing a quadratic modification in terms of the energy density $\rho$ in the Friedmann equation in the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) space-time in a consistent and useful way. In addition, we investigate whether other kind of singularities like Type II,III and IV singularities survive or are avoided in LQC when the universe is filled by a barotropic fluid with the state equation $P=-\rho-f(\rho)$, where $P$ is the pressure and $f(\rho)$ a function of $\rho$. It is shown that the Little Rip cosmology does not happen in LQC. Nevertheless, the occurrence of the Pseudo-Rip cosmology, in which the phantom universe approaches the de Sitter one asymptotically, is established, and the corresponding example is presented. It is interesting that the disintegration of bound structures in the Pseudo-Rip cosmology in LQC always takes more time than that in Einstein cosmology. Our investigation on future singularities is generalized to that in modified teleparallel gravity, where LQC and Brane Cosmology in the Randall-Sundrum scenario are the best examples. It is remarkable that $F(T)$ gravity may lead to all the kinds of future singularities including Little Rip.

The nonlinear future stability of the FLRW family of solutions to the Euler-Einstein system with a positive cosmological constant

Abstract: In this article, we study small perturbations of the family of Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker cosmological background solutions to the 1 + 3 dimensional Euler–Einstein system with a positive cosmological constant. These background solutions describe an initially uniform quiet fluid of positive energy density evolving in a spacetime undergoing accelerated expansion. Our nonlinear analysis shows that under the equation of state $${p = c^2_s \rho}$$ , $${0 < c^2_s < 1/3}$$ , the background solutions are globally future-stable. In particular, we prove that the perturbed spacetime solutions, which have the topological structure $${[0,\infty) \times \mathbb{T}^3}$$ , are future-causally geodesically complete. These results are extensions of previous results derived by the author in a collaboration with I. Rodnianski, in which the fluid was assumed to be irrotational. Our novel analysis of a fluid with non-zero vorticity is based on the use of suitably defined energy currents.

General covariant Horava-Lifshitz gravity without projectability condition and its applications to cosmology

Abstract: We consider an extended theory of Horava-Lifshitz gravity with the detailed balance condition softly breaking, but without the projectability condition. With the former, the number of independent coupling constants is significantly reduced. With the latter and by extending the original foliation-preserving diffeomorphism symmetry $\mathrm{Diff}(M,\mathcal{F})$ to include a local $U(1)$ symmetry, the spin-0 gravitons are eliminated. Thus, all the problems related to them disappear, including the instability, strong coupling, and different speeds in the gravitational sector. When the theory couples to a scalar field, we find that the scalar field is not only stable in both the ultraviolet and infrared, but also free of the strong coupling problem, because of the presence of high-order spatial derivative terms of the scalar field. Furthermore, applying the theory to cosmology, we find that due to the additional $U(1)$ symmetry, the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe is necessarily flat. We also investigate the scalar, vector, and tensor perturbations of the flat FRW universe, and derive the general linearized field equations for each kind of the perturbations.

FRW and Bianchi type I cosmology of f-essence

Abstract: F-essence is a generalization of the usual Dirac model with the nonstandard kinetic term. In this paper, we introduce a new model of spinor cosmology containing both Ricci scalar and the non minimally coupled spinor fields in its action. We have investigated the cosmology with both isotropy and anisotropy, where the equations of motion of FRW and Bianchi type-I spacetimes have been derived and solved numerically. Finally the quantization of these models through Wheeler-De Witt (WD) wave function has been discussed.

Local and nonlocal measures of acceleration in cosmology

Abstract: Current cosmological observations, when interpreted within the framework of a homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model, strongly suggest that the Universe is entering a period of accelerating expansion. This is often taken to mean that the expansion of space itself is accelerating. In a general spacetime, however, this is not necessarily true. We attempt to clarify this point by considering a handful of local and nonlocal measures of acceleration in a variety of inhomogeneous cosmological models. Each of the chosen measures corresponds to a theoretical or observational procedure that has previously been used to study acceleration in cosmology, and all measures reduce to the same quantity in the limit of exact spatial homogeneity and isotropy. In statistically homogeneous and isotropic spacetimes, we find that the acceleration inferred from observations of the distance-redshift relation is closely related to the acceleration of the spatially averaged universe, but does not necessarily bear any resemblance to the average of the local acceleration of spacetime itself. For inhomogeneous spacetimes that do not display statistical homogeneity and isotropy, however, we find little correlation between acceleration inferred from observations and the acceleration of the averaged spacetime. This shows that observations made in an inhomogeneous universe can imply acceleration without the existence of dark energy.

Classical and quantum massive cosmology for the open FRW universe

Abstract: In an open Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) space background, we study the classical and quantum cosmological models in the framework of the recently proposed nonlinear massive gravity theory. Although the constraints which are present in this theory prevent it from admitting the flat and closed FRW models as its cosmological solutions, for the open FRW universe, it is not the case. We have shown that, either in the absence of matter or in the presence of a perfect fluid, the classical field equations of such a theory adopt physical solutions for the open FRW model, in which the mass term shows itself as a cosmological constant. These classical solutions consist of two distinguishable branches: One is a contacting universe which tends to a future singularity with zero size, while another is an expanding universe having a past singularity from which it begins its evolution. A classically forbidden region separates these two branches from each other. We then employ the familiar canonical quantization procedure in the given cosmological setting to find the cosmological wave functions. We use the resulting wave function to investigate the possibility of the avoidance of classical singularities due to quantum effects. It is shown that the quantum expectation values of the scale factor, although they have either contracting or expanding phases like their classical counterparts, are not disconnected from each other. Indeed, the classically forbidden region may be replaced by a bouncing period in which the scale factor bounces from the contraction to its expansion eras. Using the Bohmian approach of quantum mechanics, we also compute the Bohmian trajectory and the quantum potential related to the system, which their analysis shows are the direct effects of the mass term on the dynamics of the universe.

Growth of structure in the Szekeres class-II inhomogeneous cosmological models and the matter-dominated era

Abstract: This study belongs to a series devoted to using the Szekeres inhomogeneous models in order to develop a theoretical framework where cosmological observations can be investigated with a wider range of possible interpretations. While our previous work addressed the question of cosmological distances versus redshift in these models, the current study is a start at looking into the growth rate of large-scale structure. The Szekeres models are exact solutions to Einstein's equations that were originally derived with no symmetries. We use here a formulation of the Szekeres models that is due to Goode and Wainwright, who considered the models as exact perturbations of a Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) background. Using the Raychaudhuri equation we write, for the two classes of the models, exact growth equations in terms of the under/overdensity and measurable cosmological parameters. The new equations in the overdensity split into two informative parts. The first part, while exact, is identical to the growth equation in the usual linearly perturbed FLRW models, while the second part constitutes exact nonlinear perturbations. We integrate numerically the full exact growth rate equations for the flat and curved cases. We find that for the matter-dominated cosmic era, the Szekeres growth rate is up to a factor of three to five stronger than the usual linearly perturbed FLRW cases, reflecting the effect of exact Szekeres nonlinear perturbations. We also find that the Szekeres growth rate with an Einstein-de Sitter background is stronger than that of the well-known nonlinear spherical collapse model, and the difference between the two increases with time. This highlights the distinction when we use general inhomogeneous models where shear and a tidal gravitational field are present and contribute to the gravitational clustering. Additionally, it is worth observing that the enhancement of the growth found in the Szekeres models during the matter-dominated era could suggest a substitute to the argument that dark matter is needed when using FLRW models to explain the enhanced growth and resulting large-scale structures that we observe today.

Particle creation and particle number in an expanding universe

Abstract: I describe the logical basis of the method that I developed in 1962 and 1963 to define a quantum operator corresponding to the observable particle number of a quantized free scalar field in a spatially-flat isotropically expanding (and/or contracting) universe. This work also showed for the first time that particles were created from the vacuum by the curved spacetime of an expanding spatially-flat Friedmann?Lema?tre?Robertson?Walker (FLRW) universe. The same process is responsible for creating the nearly scale-invariant spectrum of quantized perturbations of the inflaton scalar field during the inflationary stage of the expansion of the universe. I explain how the method that I used to obtain the observable particle number operator involved adiabatic invariance of the particle number (hence, the name adiabatic regularization) and the quantum theory of measurement of particle number in an expanding universe. I also show how I was led in a surprising way, to the discovery in 1964 that there would be no particle creation by these spatially-flat FLRW universes for free fields of any integer or half-integer spin satisfying field equations that are invariant under conformal transformations of the metric. The methods I used to define adiabatic regularization for particle number were based on generally-covariant concepts like adiabatic invariance and measurement that were fundamental and determined results that were unique to each given adiabatic order.This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical in honour of Stuart Dowker's 75th birthday devoted to ?Applications of zeta functions and other spectral functions in mathematics and physics?.

FRW Solutions and Holography from Uplifted AdS/CFT

Abstract: Starting from concrete AdS/CFT dual pairs, one can introduce ingredients which produce cosmological solutions, including metastable de Sitter and its decay to non-accelerating FRW. We present simple FRW solutions sourced by magnetic flavor branes and analyze correlation functions and particle and brane dynamics. To obtain a holographic description, we exhibit a time-dependent warped metric on the solution and interpret the resulting redshifted region as a Lorentzian low energy effective field theory in one fewer dimension. At finite times, this theory has a finite cutoff, a propagating lower dimensional graviton and a finite covariant entropy bound, but at late times the lower dimensional Planck mass and entropy go off to infinity in a way that is dominated by contributions from the low energy effective theory. This opens up the possibility of a precise dual at late times. We reproduce the time-dependent growth of the number of degrees of freedom in the system via a count of available microscopic states in the corresponding magnetic brane construction.

Redshift and distances in a ΛCDM cosmology with non-linear inhomogeneities

Abstract: Motivated by the dawn of precision cosmology and the wealth of forthcoming high-precision and volume galaxy surveys, in this paper we study the effects of inhomogeneities on light propagation in a flat Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) background. To this end we use exact solutions of Einstein’s equations as derived by Meures & Bruni where, starting from small fluctuations, inhomogeneities arise from a standard growing mode and become non-linear. While the matter distribution in these models is necessarily idealized, there is still enough freedom to assume an arbitrary initial density profile along the line of sight. We can therefore model overdensities and voids of various sizes and distributions, e.g. single harmonic sinusoidal modes, coupled modes and more general distributions in a ΛCDM background. Our models allow for an exact treatment of the light-propagation problem, so that the results are unaffected by approximations and unambiguous. Along lines of sight with density inhomogeneities which average out on scales less than the Hubble radius, we find the distance–redshift relation to diverge negligibly from the Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) result. On the contrary, if we observe along lines of sight which do not have the same average density as the background, we find large deviations from the FLRW distance–redshift relation. Hence, a possibly large systematic might be introduced into the analysis of cosmological observations, e.g. supernovae, if we observe along lines of sight which are typically more or less dense than the average density of the Universe. In turn, this could lead to wrong parameter estimation: even if the cosmological principle is valid, the identification of the true FLRW background in an inhomogeneous universe may be more difficult than usually assumed.

Cosmic acceleration from modified gravity with Palatini formalism

Abstract: We study new FRW type cosmological models of modified gravity treated on the background of Palatini approach. These models are generalization of Einstein gravity by the presence of a scalar field non-minimally coupled to the curvature. The models employ Starobinsky's term in the Lagrangian and dust matter. Therefore, as a by-product, an exhausted cosmological analysis of general relativity amended by quadratic term is presented. We investigate dynamics of our models, confront them with the currently available astrophysical data as well as against ΛCDM model. We have used the dynamical system methods in order to investigate dynamics of the models. It reveals the presence of a final sudden singularity. Fitting free parameters we have demonstrated by statistical analysis that this class of models is in a very good agreement with the data (including CMB measurements) as well as with the standard ΛCDM model predictions. One has to use statefinder diagnostic in order to discriminate among them. Therefore Bayesian methods of model selection have been employed in order to indicate preferred model. Only in the light of CMB data the concordance model remains invincible.

Improved treatment of optics in the Lindquist-Wheeler models

Abstract: We consider the optical properties of Lindquist-Wheeler (LW) models of the Universe. These models consist of lattices constructed from regularly arranged discrete masses. They are akin to the Wigner-Seitz construction of solid state physics, and result in a dynamical description of the large-scale Universe in which the global expansion is given by a Friedmann-like equation. We show that if these models are constructed in a particular way then the redshifts of distant objects, as well as the dynamics of the global space-time, can be made to be in good agreement with the homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) solutions of Einstein's equations, at the level of $\ensuremath{\lesssim}3%$ out to $z\ensuremath{\simeq}2$. Angular diameter and luminosity distances, on the other hand, differ from those found in the corresponding FLRW models, while being consistent with the ``empty beam'' approximation, together with the shearing effects due to the nearest masses. This can be compared with the large deviations found from the corresponding FLRW values obtained in a previous study that considered LW models constructed in a different way. We therefore advocate the improved LW models we consider here as useful constructions that appear to faithfully reproduce both the dynamical and observational properties of space-times containing discrete masses.

On the stability of the Einstein Static Universe in Massive Gravity

Abstract: We consider static cosmological solutions along with their stability properties in the framework of a recently proposed theory of massive gravity. We show that the modifcation introduced in the cosmological equations leads to several new solutions, only sourced by a perfect fluid, generalizing the Einstein Static Universe found in General Relativity. Using dynamical system techniques and numerical analysis, we show that the found solutions can be either neutrally stable or unstable against spatially homogeneous and isotropic perturbations.

Complete solutions to the metric of spherically collapsing dust in an expanding spacetime with a cosmological constant

Abstract: We present elliptic solutions to the background equations describing the Lemaitre–Tolman–Bondi metric as well as the homogeneous Friedmann equation, in the presence of dust, curvature and a cosmological constant Λ. For none of the presented solutions any numerical integration has to be performed. All presented solutions are given for expanding and collapsing phases, preserving continuity in time and radius; both radial and angular scale functions are given. Hence, these solutions describe the complete spacetime of a collapsing spherical object in an expanding universe, as well as those of ever expanding objects. In the appendix we present for completeness a solution of the Friedmann equation in the additional presence of radiation, only valid for the Robertson–Walker metric.

Accelerated Expansion from Negative $\Lambda$

Abstract: Wave functions specifying a quantum state of the universe must satisfy the constraints of general relativity, in particular the Wheeler-DeWitt equation (WDWE). We show for a wide class of models with non-zero cosmological constant that solutions of the WDWE exhibit a universal semiclassical asymptotic structure for large spatial volumes. A consequence of this asymptotic structure is that a wave function in a gravitational theory with a negative cosmological constant can predict an ensemble of asymptotically classical histories which expand with a positive effective cosmological constant. This raises the possibility that even fundamental theories with a negative cosmological constant can be consistent with our low-energy observations of a classical, accelerating universe. We illustrate this general framework with the specific example of the no-boundary wave function in its holographic form. The implications of these results for model building in string cosmology are discussed.

Observables in a lattice Universe

Abstract: We explore observables in a lattice Universe described by a recently found solution to Einstein field equations. This solution models a regular lattice of evenly distributed objects of equal masses. This inhomogeneous solution is perturbative, and, up to second order in a small parameter, it expands at a rate exactly equal to the one expected in a dust dominated Friedmann-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model with the equivalent, smoothed, energy density. Therefore, the kinematics of both cosmologies are identical up to the order of perturbation studied. Looking at the behaviour of the redshift and angular distance, we find a condition on the compactness of the objects at the centre of each cell under which corrections to the FLRW observables remain small, i.e. of order of a few percents at most. Nevertheless, we show that, if this condition is violated, i.e. if the objects are too compact, our perturbative scheme breaks down as far as the calculations of observables are concerned, even though the kinematics of the lattice remains identical to its FLRW counter-part (at the perturbative order considered). This may be an indication of an actual fitting problem, i.e. a situation in which the FLRW model obtained from lightcone observables does not correspond to the FLRW model obtained by smoothing the spatial distribution of matter. Fully non-perturbative treatments of the observables will be necessary to answer that question.

Dynamical system analysis of cosmologies with running cosmological constant from quantum Einstein gravity

Abstract: We discuss a mechanism that induces a time-dependent vacuum energy on cosmological scales. It is based on the instability-induced renormalization triggered by the low-energy quantum fluctuations in a Universe with a positive cosmological constant. We use the dynamical systems approach to study the qualitative behavior of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker cosmologies where the cosmological constant is dynamically evolving according with this nonperturbative scaling at low energies. It will be shown that it is possible to realize ‘two regimes’ dark energy phases, where an unstable early phase of power-law evolution of the scale factor is followed by an accelerated expansion era at late times.

Thermodynamics in f(R,T) Theory of Gravity

Abstract: A non-equilibrium picture of thermodynamics is discussed at the apparent horizon of FRW universe in $f(R,T)$ gravity, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar and $T$ is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. We take two forms of the energy-momentum tensor of dark components and demonstrate that equilibrium description of thermodynamics is not achievable in both cases. We check the validity of the first and second law of thermodynamics in this scenario. It is shown that the Friedmann equations can be expressed in the form of first law of thermodynamics $T_hdS'_h+T_hd_{\jmath}S'=-dE'+W'dV$, where $d_{\jmath}S'$ is the entropy production term. Finally, we conclude that the second law of thermodynamics holds both in phantom and non-phantom phases.

Noether gauge symmetry for f( R) gravity in Palatini formalism

Abstract: In this study, we consider a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe in the context of Palatini f(R) theory of gravity. Using the dynamical equivalence between f(R) gravity and scalar-tensor theories, we construct a point Lagrangian in the flat FRW spacetime. Applying Noether gauge symmetry approach for this f(R) Lagrangian we find out the form of f(R) and the exact solution for cosmic scale factor. It is shown that the resulting form of f(R) yield a power-law expansion for the scale factor of the universe.

An expanding Universe with constant pressure and no cosmological constant

Abstract: Thanks to its fitting triumph, the ΛCDM paradigm is assumed to be the most powerful model, for describing the Universe dynamics, over much the myriad of cosmological models. Unfortunately, the quest of a self-consistent model remains not well explained, because it is not clear how to solve the problems of fine-tuning and coincidence, afflicting the ΛCDM framework; as a matter of fact, these theoretical drawbacks do not allow to consider the ΛCDM model, as the final picture of the modern cosmological scenario. Here, we show that the simplest model, which provides a constant equation of state for the pressure, leads to a generalization of ΛCDM, reducing to it in a particular case. Moreover, we highlight the physical mechanisms of this model, describing the thermodynamical reasons why a constant pressure should be negative in an expanding Universe. In addition, we fit the free parameters of our model by minimizing the chi square through the age differential method, involving a direct measurement of H.

From the Embedding Theory to General Relativity in a result of inflation

Abstract: We study the embedding theory being a formulation of the gravitation theory where the independent variable is the embedding function for the four-dimensional spacetime in a flat ambient space. We do not impose additional constraints which are usually used to remove from the theory the extra solutions not being the solutions of Einstein equations. In order to show the possibility of automatic removal of these extra solutions we analyze the equations of the theory, assuming an inflation period during the expansion of the universe. In the framework of Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) symmetry we study the initial conditions for the inflation, and we show that after its termination the Einstein equations begin to satisfy with a very high precision. The properties of the theory equations allow us to suppose with confidence that the Einstein equations will satisfy with enough precision out of the framework of FRW symmetry as well. Thus the embedding theory can be considered as a theory of gravity which explains observed facts without any additional modification of it and we can use this theory in a flat space when we try to develop a quantum theory of gravity.