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Reexamining F (R, T) Gravity PDF
Reexamining F (R, T) Gravity PDF
We study fðR; TÞ gravity, in which the curvature R appearing in the gravitational Lagrangian is replaced
by an arbitrary function of the curvature and the trace T of the stress-energy tensor. We focus primarily on
situations where f is separable, so that fðR; TÞ ¼ f 1 ðRÞ þ f 2 ðTÞ. We argue that the term f 2 ðTÞ should be
included in the matter Lagrangian Lm , and therefore has no physical significance. We demonstrate
explicitly how this can be done for the cases of free fields and for perfect fluids. We argue that all uses of
f 2 ðTÞ for cosmological modeling and all attempts to place limits on parameters describing f 2 ðTÞ are
misguided.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.100.064059
One modification that has gained much attention to and R ¼ −RMTW where MTW refers to the conventions of
explain this expansion is fðRÞ gravity [5], where the Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler [13].
Lagrangian describing gravitational effects, normally pro-
portional to the curvature scale R, is replaced by a function II. f ðR; TÞ FORMALISM
of that curvature. For example, the introduction of an R2
With our conventions, the conventional action takes the
term in fðRÞ can lead to Starobinsky inflation [6]. The
form
inclusion of a constant term, fðRÞ ¼ R þ 2Λ, corresponds
to the introduction of a cosmological constant, and there- Z
pffiffiffiffiffiffi
fore leads to the standard ΛCDM cosmology. A further I¼ d4 x −gL; ð1aÞ
generalization of fðRÞ gravity was proposed by Harko
et al. in [7], where fðRÞ is replaced by fðR; TÞ, an arbitrary
function of the scalar curvature R and the trace of the stress- 1
L ¼ Lm − R; ð1bÞ
energy tensor T. Cosmological effects of fðR; TÞ theories 2κ 2
have been explored by choosing several functional forms of
f. The separation fðR; TÞ ¼ f 1 ðRÞ þ f 2 ðTÞ has received where κ 2 ¼ 8πG. A cosmological constant Λ can be
much attention [8–12]. In particular, for the special case included by adding −Λκ −2 to L. This term can be thought
f 2 ðTÞ ¼ −2χT, limits on χ or observational predictions for of as either a modification to gravity, R → R þ 2Λ, or a
nonzero χ have been applied to models of white dwarfs modification of the matter Lagrangian Lm → Lm − Λκ −2 .
[10], strange stars [11], and Earth’s atmosphere [12]. The two interpretations are physically indistinguishable.
As we will argue below, when we can separate these The stress-energy tensor is defined in general as1
theories in the form fðR; TÞ ¼ f 1 ðRÞ þ f 2 ðTÞ, the term
f 2 ðTÞ should not be treated as a new contribution to the 2 δI
T μν ¼ − pffiffiffiffiffiffi m ð2Þ
gravitational action, but instead should be incorporated into −g δgμν
the matter Lagrangian Lm . In Sec. II, we will introduce the
1
Harko et al. [7] has this equation with the wrong sign. This error
*
ecarlson@wfu.edu and consequences thereof were copied by other authors [9–11].
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REEXAMINING FðR; TÞ GRAVITY PHYS. REV. D 100, 064059 (2019)
2f 02 ðT̄Þ ∂
2
Harko et al. [7] has Lm ¼ −p due to his error in Eq. (2). This T̄ ¼ ρ − 3p − 2 0
n ðρ þ pÞ: ð22Þ
was copied by other authors [9–11]. κ þ 2f 2 ðT̄Þ ∂n
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SARAH B. FISHER and ERIC D. CARLSON PHYS. REV. D 100, 064059 (2019)
Equation (21a) guarantees that particle number and entropy formula can be further simplified by using Eq. (22) to
will be conserved on shell, i.e., ∇μ J0μ ¼ 0 and ∇μ ðsJ0μ Þ ¼ 0. replace
It is worth noting that neither the four-velocity uμ nor the
entropy per particle s needs to be redefined. 1 0 ∂ 1 2 0
f ðT̄Þn ðρ þ pÞ ¼ 1 þ f ðT̄Þ ðρ − 3p − T̄Þ;
By analogy with the scalar field, we contend that the 2κ 2 2 ∂n 4 κ2 2
“bare” stress-energy tensor of Eq. (18a) is not only not
conserved, it is not physically meaningful, because the ð28Þ
separation of L into a matter term Lm and the contribution
f 2 ðTÞ is not physically meaningful. Only the combination so we find on shell that
of the effects of these two quantities can be measured,
and for this reason we define the physical stress-energy 0 1 0 ∂ 0
ρ ¼ ρ þ 2 f 2 ðT̄Þ 4 þ n ρ þ f 2 ðT̄Þ − T̄f 2 ðT̄Þ :
tensor as 2κ ∂n
1 ∂ pffiffiffiffiffiffi ð29Þ
T 0μν ¼ T μν þ pffiffiffiffiffiffi ½ −gf 2 ðTÞ
κ2 −g ∂g μν
We have written the stress-energy tensor on shell strictly
1 ∂T 1
¼ T μν þ 2 f 02 ðTÞ þ 2 f 2 ðTÞgμν : ð23Þ in terms of n and s, but can we somehow incorporate f 2 ðTÞ
κ ∂gμν 2κ into Lm , so as to eliminate the need for f 2 ðTÞ entirely? Let
us define a modified Lagrangian by analogy with Eq. (16),
It is easy to see from Eq. (6) that this quantity will be
conserved. using the corrected current J 0μ and density ρ0 :
The stress-energy trace T, as given by Eq. (18b) depends
dependence of ρ and p on 1
on the metric only by the implicit
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi L0 ¼ L0m − f 1 ðRÞ; ð30aÞ
the number density n ¼ gμν Jμ Jν, which works out to 2κ 2
L0m ¼ −ρ0 ðn0 ; sÞ þ J0μ ðβA ∇μ αA − s∇μ θ − ∇μ ϕÞ: ð30bÞ
∂T 1 μ ν ∂
¼ u u 4þn ðρ þ pÞ: ð24Þ
∂gμν 2 ∂n
This Lagrangian is not identical to the original
Substituting Eqs. (24) and (18a) into Eq. (23), we find the Lagrangian. But will it yield the same equations of motion?
true stress-energy tensor is The difference between the two Lagrangians is given by
1 ∂ 1
T 0μν ¼ ρ þ p þ 2 f 02 ðTÞ 4 þ n ðρ þ pÞ uμ uν L0 − L ¼ L0m − Lm þ f 2 ðTÞ
2κ ∂n 2κ 2
¼ ρ − ρ0 þ ðJ0μ − J μ ÞðβA ∇μ αA − s∇μ θ − ∇μ ϕÞ
1
− gμν Lm − 2 f 2 ðTÞ : ð25Þ
2κ 1
þ f 2 ðTÞ: ð31Þ
2κ2
By comparison with Eq. (18a), we see that the true
energy density and pressure will be given by This is then simplified using sequentially Eqs. (21a), (16),
(18b), and (29) to yield
0 0 1 0 ∂
ρ þ p ¼ ρ þ p þ 2 f 2 ðTÞ 4 þ n ðρ þ pÞ; ð26aÞ
2κ ∂n 1
L0 − L ¼ ½f 2 ðTÞ − f 2 ðT̄Þ þ ðT̄ − TÞf 02 ðT̄Þ: ð32Þ
2κ 2
1
p0 ¼ Lm − f 2 ðTÞ: ð26bÞ
2κ 2 When we apply the equations of motion, so T ¼ T̄, this
difference vanishes. In fact, for small variations near the
The true density ρ0 is the difference of these two equations, stationary point, we see that
which can be simplified by using Eq. (18b) to yield
1
0 1 1 0 ∂ δL0 − δL ¼ fδT½f 02 ðTÞ − f 02 ðT̄Þ þ ðT̄ − TÞδf 02 ðT̄Þg:
ρ ¼ ð3ρ þ 3p þ TÞ þ 2 f 2 ðTÞ 4 þ n ðρ þ pÞ 2κ 2
4 2κ ∂n
1 ð33Þ
þ 2 f 2 ðTÞ: ð27Þ
2κ
On shell, this vanishes as well. Hence L and L0 will have
This equation has the disadvantage that the density is a identical equations of motion.
function of all the field variables, not just n and s. We can Do the physical pressure p0 and energy density ρ0 satisfy
correct this deficiency by replacing all the T’s by T̄’s. The Eq. (15)? Starting with Eq. (29), we see that
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REEXAMINING FðR; TÞ GRAVITY PHYS. REV. D 100, 064059 (2019)
0∂ρ0 0 ∂ρ 1 0 0 ∂ ∂ρ which uses the equation of state for a degenerate electron
n ¼n þ f ðT̄Þn 4ρ þ n
∂n0 ∂n0 2κ2 2 ∂n0 ∂n gas. The presence of a term of the form Eq. (9) simply
rescales the field and mass for a fermion, and hence the
1 0 ∂ 0 ∂ρ
þ 2 n f ðT̄Þ 4ρ þ n − T̄ : ð34Þ equation of state (once rescaled masses are used) for the
2κ ∂n0 2 ∂n electron gas will be unchanged. Similarly, in [12] the ideal
gas law is used, but this ideal gas law should be applied to
We can now use Eq. (21b) to show that the physical energy density and pressure, not the “bare”
energy density and pressure.
0 ∂ 2 0 ∂ 0 ∂
n ¼ 1− 2 n f ðT̄Þ n : ð35Þ Can we generalize these conclusions to generic fðR; TÞ
∂n0 κ þ 2f 02 ðT̄Þ ∂n0 2 ∂n gravity? Consider, for example, a perfect fluid, for which
Eqs. (19a)–(19f) need to be modified by replacing f 02 ðTÞ
Applying this to the first two terms of Eq. (34) and ∂
with f T ðR; TÞ ¼ ∂T fðR; TÞ. This would suggest that
substituting Eq. (22) for T̄ in the final term, yields, after
the physical current, analogous to Eq. (21a) should be
considerable simplification,
defined as
0
0 ∂ρ 1 0 ∂
n ¼ ρ þ p þ 2 f 2 ðT̄Þ 4 þ n ðρ þ pÞ: ð36Þ J0μ ¼ ½1 þ 2κ −2 f T ðR; T̄ÞJμ : ð38Þ
∂n0 2κ ∂n
We note that this would result in a number density
Comparison with Eq. (26a) shows that on shell we have
depending on the curvature, and this in turn would result
∂ρ0 in an energy density and pressure that also depend on the
n0 ¼ ρ 0 þ p0 : ð37Þ curvature. Unlike f 2 ðTÞ, cross terms in fðR; TÞ will yield
∂n0
new physics, and limits on such terms could be placed by
Indeed, we would expect this relationship, since the true comparison with observations.
stress-energy tensor T 0μν is conserved. At the least, it seems sensible that terms in fðR; TÞ that
do not depend on curvature should be incorporated into Lm ,
V. CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATION so that we could define
As we have demonstrated, when fðR; TÞ gravity can be 1
broken into a curvature term and a stress-energy term, L0m ¼ Lm − fð0; TÞ: ð39Þ
2κ2
fðR; TÞ ¼ f 1 ðRÞ þ f 2 ðTÞ, we can incorporate f 2 ðTÞ into
Lm so as to eliminate the need for f 2 ðTÞ entirely, and After all, fð0; TÞ terms represent the behavior of matter in
therefore f 2 ðTÞ is not physically meaningful. We demon- the absence of curvature, and hence should not be consid-
strated this explicitly for both a free scalar field and a ered part of the gravitational Lagrangian. This is exactly
generalized perfect fluid. But sources [10,12] have claimed what we did in Eq. (12) for a scalar field. For a perfect fluid,
to put limits on f 2 ðTÞ; specifically, on the parameter χ that this was not exactly what we did, but Eq. (32) shows that it
appears in the linear case Eq. (9). If it is physically matches what we did on-shell and to first order nearly on-
meaningless, how can such limits be obtained? shell. This does not give us sufficient insight about how to
These papers have made two errors. First, they assume deal with cross terms, so we do not expect that Eq. (39)
that Lm ¼ p, even though this formula does not generally would represent the correct “physical” Lagrangian. General
apply. Secondly, they identify ρ and p with the physical fðR; TÞ gravity is therefore a focus of our ongoing
energy density and pressure. This error is most clear in [10], research.
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