Dark Energy and Extending the Geodesic Equations of Motion: Its Construction and Experimental Constraints

Abstract

With the discovery of Dark Energy, ${\Lambda }_{DE}$, there is now a universal length scale, ${\ell }_{DE}=c/({\Lambda }_{DE}G{)}^{1/2}$, associated with the universe that allows for an extension of the geodesic equations of motion. In this paper, we will study a specific class of such extensions, and show that contrary to expectations, they are not automatically ruled out by either theoretical considerations or experimental constraints. In particular, we show that while these extensions affect the motion of massive particles, the motion of massless particles are not changed; such phenomena as gravitational lensing remain unchanged. We also show that these extensions do not violate the equivalence principal, and that because ${\ell }_{DE}=14010_{820}^{800}$ Mpc, a specific choice of this extension can be made so that effects of this extension are not be measurable either from terrestrial experiments, or through observations of the motion of solar system bodies. A lower bound for the only parameter used in this extension is set.

19 pages. This is the published version of the first half of arXiv:0711.3124v2 with corrections included

References in corpus (8)

• Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Three Year Results: Implications for Cosmology
• Introduction to Modified Gravity and Gravitational Alternative for Dark Energy
• Tests of the Gravitational Inverse-Square Law below the Dark-Energy Length Scale
• Strongly Coupled Chameleon Fields: New Horizons in Scalar Field Theory
• f(R) actions, cosmic acceleration and local tests of gravity
• TASI Lectures on the Cosmological Constant
• Modified gravity, Dark Energy and MOND
• A Quantum Cosmology: No Dark Matter, Dark Energy nor Accelerating Universe

Cited by in corpus (3)

• An Empirical Explanation of the Anomalous Increases in the Astronomical Unit and the Lunar Eccentricity
• Dark Energy and Extending the Geodesic Equations of Motion: Connecting the Galactic and Cosmological Length Scales
• Dark Energy and Extending the Geodesic Equations of Motion: A Spectrum of Galactic Rotation Curves