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arXiv · 2102.09601

Is the cosmological constant an eigenvalue?

Giovanni Manfredi
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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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Giovanni Manfredi. 2021-02-17. Is the cosmological constant an eigenvalue?. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-021-02800-8

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