Is the cosmological constant an eigenvalue?

Abstract

We propose to reinterpret Einstein's field equations as a nonlinear eigenvalue problem, where the cosmological constant $\Lambda$ plays the role of the (smallest) eigenvalue. This interpretation is fully worked out for a simple model of scalar gravity. The essential ingredient for the feasibility of this approach is that the classical field equations be nonlinear, i.e., that the gravitational field is itself a source of gravity. The cosmological consequences and implications of this approach are developed and discussed.

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• N-body methods for relativistic cosmology
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• Self-Consistent, Self-Coupled Scalar Gravity
• Structure formation in a Dirac-Milne universe: comparison with the standard cosmological model