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Afonso, V. I., Olmo, G. J., Orazi, E., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2019). Correspondence between modified gravity and general relativity with scalar fields. Phys. Rev. D, 99(4), 044040–15pp.
Abstract: We describe a novel procedure to map the field equations of nonlinear Ricci-based metric-affine theories of gravity, coupled to scalar matter described by a given Lagrangian, into the field equations of general relativity coupled to a different scalar field Lagrangian. Our analysis considers examples with a single and N real scalar fields, described either by canonical Lagrangians or by generalized functions of the kinetic and potential terms. In particular, we consider several explicit examples involving foRthorn theories and the Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity model, coupled to different scalar field Lagrangians. We show how the nonlinearities of the gravitational sector of these theories can be traded to nonlinearities in the matter fields and how the procedure allows to find new solutions on both sides of the correspondence. The potential of this procedure for applications of scalar field models in astrophysical and cosmological scenarios is highlighted.
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Harko, T., Koivisto, T. S., Lobo, F. S. N., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2018). Coupling matter in modified Q gravity. Phys. Rev. D, 98(8), 084043–13pp.
Abstract: We present a novel theory of gravity by considering an extension of symmetric teleparallel gravity. This is done by introducing, in the framework of the metric-affine formalism, a new class of theories where the nonmetricity Q is nonminimally coupled to the matter Lagrangian. More specifically, we consider a Lagrangian of the form L similar to f(1)(Q) + f(2)(Q)L-M, where f(1) and f(2) are generic functions of Q, and L-M is the matter Lagrangian. This nonminimal coupling entails the nonconservation of the energy-momentum tensor, and consequently the appearance of an extra force. The formulation of the gravity sector in terms of the Q instead of the curvature may result in subtle improvements of the theory. In the context of nonminimal matter couplings, we are therefore motivated to explore whether the new geometrical formulation in terms of the Q, when implemented also in the matter sector, would allow more universally consistent and viable realizations of the nonminimal coupling. Furthermore, we consider several cosmological applications by presenting the evolution equations and imposing specific functional forms of the functions f(1)(Q) and f(2)(Q), such as power-law and exponential dependencies of the nonminimal couplings. Cosmological solutions are considered in two general classes of models, and found to feature accelerating expansion at late times.
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Lobo, F. S. N., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2015). Crystal clear lessons on the microstructure of spacetime and modified gravity. Phys. Rev. D, 91(12), 124001–7pp.
Abstract: We argue that a microscopic structure for spacetime such as that expected in a quantum foam scenario, in which microscopic wormholes and other topological structures should play a relevant role, might lead to an effective metric-affine geometry at larger scales. This idea is supported by the role that microscopic defects play in crystalline structures. With an explicit model, we show that wormhole formation is possible in a metric-affine scenario, where the wormhole and the matter fields play a role analogous to that of defects in crystals. Such wormholes also arise in Born-Infeld gravity, which is favored by an analogy with the estimated mass of a point defect in condensed matter systems. We also point out that in metric-affine geometries, Einstein's equations with an effective cosmological constant appear as an attractor in the vacuum limit for a vast family of theories of gravity. This illustrates how lessons from solid state physics can be useful in unveiling the properties of the microcosmos and defining new avenues for modified theories of gravity.
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Guerrero, M., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2021). Double shadows of reflection-asymmetric wormholes supported by positive energy thin-shells. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 04(4), 066–26pp.
Abstract: We consider reflection-asymmetric thin-shell wormholes within Palatini f(R) gravity using a matching procedure of two patches of electrovacuum space-times at a hypersurface (the shell) via suitable junction conditions. The conditions for having (linearly) stable wormholes supported by positive-energy matter sources are determined. We also identify some subsets of parameters able to locate the shell radius above the event horizon (when present) but below the photon sphere (on both sides). We illustrate with an specific example that such two photon spheres allow an observer on one of the sides of the wormhole to see another (circular) shadow in addition to the one generated by its own photon sphere, which is due to the photons passing above the maximum of the effective potential on its side and bouncing back across the throat due to a higher effective potential on the other side. We finally comment on the capability of these double shadows to seek for traces of new gravitational physics beyond that described by General Relativity.
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Lobo, F. S. N., Martinez-Asencio, J., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2014). Dynamical generation of wormholes with charged fluids in quadratic Palatini gravity. Phys. Rev. D, 90(2), 024033–15pp.
Abstract: The dynamical generation of wormholes within an extension of General Relativity (GR) containing (Planck's scale-suppressed) Ricci-squared terms is considered. The theory is formulated assuming the metric and connection to be independent (Palatini formalism) and is probed using a charged null fluid as a matter source. This has the following effect: starting from Minkowski space, when the flux is active the metric becomes a charged Vaidya-type one, and once the flux is switched off the metric settles down into a static configuration such that far from the Planck scale the geometry is virtually indistinguishable from that of the standard Reissner-Nordstrom solution of GR. However, the innermost region undergoes significant changes, as the GR singularity is generically replaced by a wormhole structure. Such a structure becomes completely regular for a certain charge-to-mass ratio. Moreover, the nontrivial topology of the wormhole allows us to define a charge in terms of lines of force trapped in the topology such that the density of lines flowing across the wormhole throat becomes a universal constant. In light of our results, we comment on the physical significance of curvature divergences in this theory and the topology change issue, which support the view that space-time could have a foamlike microstructure pervaded by wormholes generated by quantum gravitational effects.
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Alvarez-Ortega, D., Olmo, G. J., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Saez-Chillon Gomez, D. (2022). Eternal versus singular observers in interacting dark-energy-dark-matter models. Phys. Rev. D, 106(2), 023523–14pp.
Abstract: Interacting dark-energy-dark-matter models have been widely analyzed in the literature in an attempt to find traces of new physics beyond the usual cosmological (Lambda CDM) models. Such a coupling between both dark components is usually introduced in a phenomenological way through a flux in the continuity equation. However, models with a Lagrangian formulation are also possible. A class of the latter assumes a conformal/disformal coupling that leads to a fifth force on the dark-matter component, which consequently does not follow the same geodesics as the other (baryonic, radiation, and dark-energy) matter sources. Here we analyze how the usual cosmological singularities of the standard matter frame are seen from the dark-matter one, concluding that by choosing an appropriate coupling, dark-matter observers will see no singularities but a non beginning, non ending universe. By considering two simple phenomenological models we show that such a type of coupling can fit observational data as well as the usual Lambda CDM model.
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Olmo, G. J., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Sanchez-Puente, A. (2015). Geodesic completeness in a wormhole spacetime with horizons. Phys. Rev. D, 92(4), 044047–16pp.
Abstract: The geometry of a spacetime containing a wormhole generated by a spherically symmetric electric field is investigated in detail. These solutions arise in high-energy extensions of general relativity formulated within the Palatini approach and coupled to Maxwell electrodynamics. Even though curvature divergences generically arise at the wormhole throat, we find that these spacetimes are geodesically complete. This provides an explicit example where curvature divergences do not imply spacetime singularities.
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Guerrero, M., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2023). Geodesic completeness of effective null geodesics in regular space-times with non-linear electrodynamics. Eur. Phys. J. C, 83(9), 785–8pp.
Abstract: We study the completeness of light trajectories in certain spherically symmetric regular geometries found in Palatini theories of gravity threaded by non-linear (electromagnetic) fields, which makes their propagation to happen along geodesics of an effective metric. Two types of geodesic restoration mechanisms are employed: by pushing the focal point to infinite affine distance, thus unreachable in finite time by any sets of geodesics, or by the presence of a defocusing surface associated to the development of a wormhole throat. We discuss several examples of such geometries to conclude the completeness of all such effective paths. Our results are of interest both for the finding of singularity-free solutions and for the analysis of their optical appearances e.g. in shadow observations.
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Bazeia, D., Losano, L., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2017). Geodesically complete BTZ-type solutions of 2+1 Born-Infeld gravity. Class. Quantum Gravity, 34(4), 045006–21pp.
Abstract: We study Born-Infeld gravity coupled to a static, non-rotating electric field in 2 + 1 dimensions and find exact analytical solutions. Two families of such solutions represent geodesically complete, and hence nonsingular, spacetimes. Another family represents a point-like charge with a singularity at the center. Despite the absence of rotation, these solutions resemble the charged, rotating BTZ solution of general relativity but with a richer structure in terms of horizons. The nonsingular character of the first two families turn out to be attached to the emergence of a wormhole structure on their innermost region. This seems to be a generic prediction of extensions of general relativity formulated in metric-affine (or Palatini) spaces, where metric and connection are regarded as independent degrees of freedom.
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Bejarano, C., Delhom, A., Jimenez-Cano, A., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2020). Geometric inequivalence of metric and Palatini formulations of General Relativity. Phys. Lett. B, 802, 135275–4pp.
Abstract: Projective invariance is a symmetry of the Palatini version of General Relativity which is not present in the metric formulation. The fact that the Riemann tensor changes nontrivially under projective transformations implies that, unlike in the usual metric approach, in the Palatini formulation this tensor is subject to a gauge freedom, which allows some ambiguities even in its scalar contractions. In this sense, we show that for the Schwarzschild solution there exists a projective gauge in which the (affine) Kretschmann scalar, K (R beta μnu R alpha beta μnu)-R-alpha, can be set to vanish everywhere. This puts forward that the divergence of curvature scalars may, in some cases, be avoided by a gauge transformation of the connection.
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