Covariant c-flation: a variational approach

Abstract

We develop an action principle to construct the dynamics that give rise to a minimal generalization of Einstein's equations, where the speed of light ($c$), the gravitational constant ($G$) and the cosmological constant ($\Lambda$) are allowed to vary. Our construction preserves general covariance of the theory, which yields a general dynamical constraint on $c$, $G$ and $\Lambda$. This action is general and can be applied to describe different cosmological solutions. We apply this formulation to the initial condition puzzles of the early universe and show that it generates a dynamical mechanism to obtain the homogeneous and flat universe we observe today. We rewrite the conditions necessary to solve the horizon and flatness problems in this framework, which does not necessarily lead to an accelerated expansion as in inflation. Then, we show how the dynamics of the scalar field that represents $c$ or $G$ (and $\Lambda$) can be used to solve the problems of the early universe cosmology by means of different ways to c-inflate the horizon in the early universe. By taking $\Lambda =0$, we show that the dynamics of the scalar field representing $c$ can be described once a potential is given.

19 pages

References in corpus (5)

• Beyond the Cosmological Standard Model
• New Ekpyrotic Cosmology
• On the consistency of universally non-minimally coupled $f(R,T,R_{\mu \nu }{T}^{\mu \nu })$ theories
• Note on Varying Speed of Light Cosmologies
• The critical geometry of a thermal big bang

Cited by in corpus (19)

• The minimally extended Varying Speed of Light (meVSL)
• Cosmology with relativistically varying physical constants
• Effect of evolutionary physical constants on type-1a supernova luminosity
• Dynamical analysis of the covarying coupling constants in scalar-tensor gravity
• A viable varying speed of light model in the RW metric
• Testing a varying-$\Lambda$ model for dark energy within Co-varying Physical Couplings framework
• Observational constraints on varying fundamental constants in a minimal CPC model
• Shadows of black holes at cosmological distances in the co-varying physical couplings framework
• Constraining Coupling Constants' Variation with Supernovae, Quasars, and GRBs
• Examining the validity of the minimal varying speed of light model through cosmological observations: relaxing the null curvature constraint
• Cosmography of the minimally extended Varying Speed of Light Model
• Measuring the speed of light with cosmological observations: current constraints and forecasts
• Testing CCC+TL Cosmology with Galaxy Rotation Curves
• A mechanism to generate varying speed of light via Higgs-dilaton coupling: Theory and cosmological applications
• New analysis of SNeIa Pantheon Catalog: Variable speed of light as an alternative to dark energy
• Evolution of Size, Mass, and Density of Galaxies Since Cosmic Dawn
• Perturbation Theory in the Minimally Extended Varying Speed of Light (meVSL) Model
• Brans-Dicke-like field for co-varying $G$ and $c$: observational constraints
• A model-independent test of speed of light variability with cosmological observations