Neutron stars in Horndeski gravity

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of neutron stars within the framework of Horndeski gravity, focusing on the Fab Four subclass, and extends previous results for certain classes while noting difficulties with others.

Contribution

It generalizes and extends previous studies of compact stars in Fab Four gravity, exploring various subclasses and their viability for realistic neutron star models.

Findings

Successful modeling of neutron stars in George, Ringo, and John subclasses.

Inability to find realistic neutron stars in Paul subclass.

Extended previous results for John class.

Abstract

Horndeski's theory of gravity is the most general scalar-tensor theory with a single scalar whose equations of motion contain at most second-order derivatives. A subsector of Horndeski's theory known as "Fab Four" gravity allows for dynamical self-tuning of the quantum vacuum energy, and therefore it has received particular attention in cosmology as a possible alternative to the $\Lambda$CDM model. Here we study compact stars in Fab Four gravity, which includes as special cases general relativity ("George"), Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet gravity ("Ringo"), theories with a nonminimal coupling with the Einstein tensor ("John") and theories involving the double-dual of the Riemann tensor ("Paul"). We generalize and extend previous results in theories of the John class and were not able to find realistic compact stars in theories involving the Paul class.