Scalar field mass in generalized gravity

Abstract

The notions of mass and range of a Brans-Dicke-like scalar field in scalar-tensor and f(R) gravity are subject to an ambiguity that hides a potential trap. We spell out this ambiguity and identify a physically meaningful and practical definition for these quantities. This is relevant when giving a mass to this scalar in order to circumvent experimental limits on the PPN parameters coming from Solar System experiments.

11 pages, no figures, to appear in Class. Quantum Grav. References added

References in corpus (18)

• Extended Theories of Gravity and their Cosmological and Astrophysical Applications
• Limit to General Relativity in f(R) theories of gravity
• The future evolution and finite-time singularities in $F(R)$-gravity unifying the inflation and cosmic acceleration
• Matter instability in modified gravity
• The (pseudo)issue of the conformal frame revisited
• de Sitter space and the equivalence between f(R) and scalar-tensor gravity
• A no-go theorem for polytropic spheres in Palatini f(R) gravity
• Density perturbations in f(R) gravity theories in metric and Palatini formalisms
• The phase space view of f(R) gravity
• On the Stability of a class of Modified Gravitational Models
• Theory of gravitation theories: a no-progress report
• Curvature singularities, tidal forces and the viability of Palatini f(R) gravity
• How (Not) to Palatini
• The Cauchy problem of f(R) gravity
• Microscopic and Macroscopic Behaviors of Palatini Modified Gravity Theories
• Acceleration of the Universe via f(R) Gravities and The Stability of Extra Dimensions
• Palatini f(R) gravity as a fixed point
• Brans-Dicke geometry