Scale-invariant alternatives to general relativity

TL;DR

This paper explores a class of scale-invariant, TDiff-invariant gravitational theories, showing their equivalence to scalar-tensor theories, and discusses their implications for dark energy, the cosmological constant, and phenomenology.

Contribution

It introduces a novel class of scale-invariant, TDiff-invariant gravity theories equivalent to scalar-tensor models, with implications for dark energy and the cosmological constant.

Findings

Theories contain a massless graviton and dilaton.

For zero , dilaton couples derivatively, satisfying fifth-force constraints.

Non-zero  induces a run-away potential, allowing dilaton as dark energy.

Abstract

We study the general class of gravitational field theories constructed on the basis of scale invariance (and therefore absence of any mass parameters) and invariance under transverse diffeomorphisms (TDiff), which are the 4-volume conserving coordinate transformations. We show that these theories are equivalent to a specific type of scalar-tensor theories of gravity (invariant under all diffeomorphisms) with a number of properties, making them phenomenologically interesting. They contain, in addition to the dimensionless coupling constants of the original theory, an arbitrary dimensionful parameter $\Lambda_0$. This parameter is associated with an integration constant of the equations of motion, similar to the arbitrary cosmological constant appearing in unimodular gravity. We focus on the theories where Newton's constant and the electroweak scale emerge from the spontaneous breaking of scale invariance and are unrelated to $\Lambda_0$. The massless particle spectrum of these theories contains the graviton and a new particle -- dilaton. For $\Lambda_0=0$, the massless dilaton has only derivative couplings to matter fields and the bounds on the existence of a 5th force are easily satisfied. As for the matter fields, we determine the conditions leading to a renormalizable low-energy theory. If $\Lambda_0\neq 0$, scale invariance is broken. The arbitrary constant $\Lambda_0$ produces a "run-away" potential for the dilaton. As a consequence, the dilaton can act as a dynamical dark energy component. We elucidate the origin of the cosmological constant in the class of theories under consideration and formulate the condition leading to its absence. If this condition is satisfied, dark energy is purely dynamical and associated to the dilaton.