Massive motion in Brans-Dicke geometry and beyond

TL;DR

This paper investigates the motion of massive particles in area metric gravity theories, revealing that they follow Finsler geodesics determined by the area metric, extending previous light propagation results.

Contribution

It demonstrates that massive particles in area metric gravity follow Finsler geodesics, providing a geometric framework for their trajectories beyond light propagation analysis.

Findings

Massive particles follow Finsler geodesics in area metric geometry.

The relevant geometry is a special Finsler norm derived from the area metric.

Results extend previous light propagation studies to massive matter.

Abstract

Gravity theories that can be viewed as dynamics for area metric manifolds, for which Brans-Dicke theory presents a recently studied example, require for their physical interpretation the identification of the distinguished curves that serve as the trajectories of light and massive matter. Complementing previous results on the propagation of light, we study effective massive point particle motion. We show that the relevant geometrical structure is a special Finsler norm determined by the area metric, and that massive point particles follow Finsler geodesics.