Testing feasibility of scalar-tensor gravity by scale dependent mass and coupling to matter

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.084038· OSTI ID:21541504

Mota, D F; Salzano, V; Capozziello, S ^[1]

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1. Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo (Norway)

We investigate whether there is any cosmological evidence for a scalar field with a mass and coupling to matter which change accordingly to the properties of the astrophysical system it ''lives in,'' without directly focusing on the underlying mechanism that drives the scalar field scale-dependent-properties. We assume a Yukawa type of coupling between the field and matter and also that the scalar-field mass grows with density, in order to overcome all gravity constraints within the Solar System. We analyze three different gravitational systems assumed as ''cosmological indicators'': supernovae type Ia, low surface brightness spiral galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Results show (i) a quite good fit to the rotation curves of low surface brightness galaxies only using visible stellar and gas-mass components is obtained; (ii) a scalar field can fairly well reproduce the matter profile in clusters of galaxies, estimated by x-ray observations and without the need of any additional dark matter; and (iii) there is an intrinsic difficulty in extracting information about the possibility of a scale-dependent massive scalar field (or more generally about a varying gravitational constant) from supernovae type Ia.

• OSTI ID: 21541504
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 83, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.83.084038; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ASTROPHYSICS
COUPLING
DENSITY
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GRAVITATION
MASS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
ROTATION
SCALAR FIELDS
SOLAR SYSTEM
SUPERNOVAE
SURFACES
X RADIATION
BINARY STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MATTER
MOTION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICS
RADIATIONS
STARS
VARIABLE STARS