Modified Gravity and Cosmology: An Update by the CANTATA Network

This book provides a review of recent developments in gravity and cosmology, focusing on modified gravity theories and their applications in different geometrical backgrounds. It examines the theoretical consistency, predictions, and confrontation with observational data to classify viable theories for describing Nature. The research was conducted within the COST European Action "Cosmology and Astrophysics Network for Theoretical Advances and Training Actions" - CANTATA.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 629 pages
Publication date: 11 December 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Gravity and cosmology have seen significant advancements in recent years, with a particular focus on modified gravity theories. This comprehensive book provides a comprehensive review of the current state of the art in these fields, highlighting both the established theories and the open problems that remain. It also outlines the future directions of research in this area.

The standard framework for cosmology today is general relativity and the Lambda-CDM (Lambda Cold Dark Matter) model. However, despite its success, there are still unresolved theoretical issues and potential new observations that require further exploration. This motivates researchers to develop and investigate various extensions and modifications of gravity.

In this review, all extended theories and scenarios are first evaluated for theoretical consistency before being applied to different geometrical backgrounds, including cosmological and spherical symmetric ones. The predictions of these theories at both the background and perturbation levels are then compared with the vast amount of observational data that astrophysics and cosmology have gathered over the past two decades. Theories, scenarios, and models that successfully pass these rigorous tests are considered viable and are candidates for describing nature.

The book is organized into several chapters, each covering a different aspect of modified gravity. The first chapter provides an introduction to the topic, discussing the historical development and the basic principles of gravity. The subsequent chapters explore specific extensions and modifications of gravity, including tensor-scalar gravity, modified gravity with torsion, and loop quantum gravity. Each chapter includes detailed explanations of the theory, its mathematical formulation, and its predictions.

The book also discusses the application of modified gravity theories to cosmology. The Lambda-CDM model is examined in the context of these theories, and their predictions are compared with observational data. The authors explore the possibility of detecting gravitational waves, the early universe, and the structure of the universe. They also discuss the challenges and limitations of modified gravity theories and the need for further research to address these issues.

In conclusion, this book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the recent developments in gravity and cosmology. It is an essential resource for researchers, students, and anyone interested in the field. The book offers a clear overview of the state of the art, highlights the open problems, and outlines the directions of future research. It is a testament to the ongoing efforts of scientists to understand the fundamental nature of the universe and the role of gravity in shaping its evolution.

This work was performed in the framework of the COST European Action "Cosmology and Astrophysics Network for Theoretical Advances and Training Actions" - CANTATA.

Weight: 997g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030837174
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021