Thermal stability of stealth and de Sitter spacetimes in scalar-tensor gravity

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermal stability of stealth and de Sitter spacetimes within scalar-tensor gravity, finding no stable equilibria and reinforcing the unique thermodynamic role of general relativity.

Contribution

It introduces a thermodynamic analysis of stealth and de Sitter solutions in scalar-tensor gravity, highlighting their instability and emphasizing the special status of general relativity.

Findings

No stable thermodynamic equilibria found for these spacetimes.

Results support the unique thermodynamic stability of general relativity.

Analysis extends the understanding of gravitational solutions in scalar-tensor theories.

Abstract

Stealth solutions of scalar-tensor gravity and less-known de Sitter spaces that generalize them are analyzed regarding their possible role as thermal equilibria at non-zero temperature in the new first-order thermodynamics of scalar-tensor gravity. No stable equilibria are found, further validating the special role of general relativity as an equilibrium state in the landscape of gravity theories, seen through the lens of first-order thermodynamics.