arXiv subjects

M. J. Rebouças

Publications and source records attributed to M. J. Rebouças.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Gödel-type spacetimes in $f(Q)$ gravity

There is ongoing interest in the nonmetricity formulation of gravity. The nonlinear extension of the theory, called $f(Q)$ gravity, has recently been proposed and offers a promising avenue for addressing some of the long-standing challenges in cosmology and fundamental physics. A number of solutions have already been found that have confirmed the usefulness of the theory for astrophysics and cosmology. Motivated by earlier work on Gödel-type spacetimes we investigate whether $f(Q)$ gravity admits such cosmological solutions, which entail causality violation. In the coincident gauge, which is shown to be a legitimate gauge because the connection field equations are satisfied, we find that Gödel-type metrics are allowed by this modified gravity theory for any function $f(Q)$. Noncausal and causal solutions exist depending on the matter content. For a perfect fluid, out of all Gödel-type metrics only Gödel's original model is allowed in $f(Q)$ gravity, implying violation of causality. The requirement that energy conditions be obeyed by the fluid leads to mild restrictions on $f(Q)$. For a massless scalar field in the presence of a cosmological constant, there are causal solutions for any reasonable function $f(Q)$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

A Study of Gaussianity in CMB band maps

The detection of non-Gaussianity in the CMB data would rule out a number of inflationary models. A null detection of non-Gaussianity, instead, would exclude alternative models for the early universe. Thus, a detection or non-detection of primordial non-Gaussianity in the CMB data is crucial to discriminate among inflationary models, and to test alternative scenarios. However, there are various non-cosmological sources of non-Gaussianity. This makes important to employ different indicators in order to detect distinct forms of non-Gaussianity in CMB data. Recently, we proposed two new indicators to measure deviation from Gaussianity on large angular scales, and used them to study the Gaussianity of the raw band WMAP maps with and without the KQ75 mask. Here we extend this work by using these indicators to perform similar analyses of deviation from Gaussianity of the foreground-reduced Q, V, and W band maps. We show that there is a significant deviation from Gaussianity in the considered full-sky maps, which is reduced to a level consistent with Gaussianity when the KQ75 mask is employed.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2006

Observational constraints on modified gravity models and the Poincaré dodecahedral topology

We study the constraints that spatial topology may place on the parameters of models that account for the accelerated expansion of the universe via infrared modifications to general relativity, namely the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati braneworld model as well as the Dvali-Turner and Cardassian models. By considering the Poincaré dodecahedral space as the circles-in-the-sky observable spatial topology, we examine the constraints that can be placed on the parameters of each model using type Ia supernovae data together with the baryon acoustic peak in the large scale correlation function of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey of luminous red galaxies and the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation shift parameter data. We show that knowledge of spatial topology does provide relevant constraints, particularly on the curvature parameter, for all models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Generalized Chaplygin gas model, supernovae and cosmic topology

In this work we study to which extent the knowledge of spatial topology may place constraints on the parameters of the generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model for unification of dark energy and dark matter. By using both the Poincaré dodecahedral and binary octahedral spaces as the observable spatial topologies, we examine the current type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) constraints on the GCG model parameters. We show that the knowledge of spatial topology does provide additional constraints on the $A_s$ parameter of the GCG model but does not lift the degeneracy of the $α$ parameter.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1996

Limits of space-times in five dimensions and their relation to the Segre Types

A limiting diagram for the Segre classification in 5-dimensional space-times is obtained, extending a recent work on limits of the energy-momentum tensor in general relativity. Some of Geroch's results on limits of space-times in general relativity are also extended to the context of five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein space-times.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1993

On limits of spacetimes -- a coordinate-free approach

A coordinate-free approach to limits of spacetimes is developed. The limits of the Schwarzschild metric as the mass parameter tends to 0 or $\infty$ are studied, extending previous results. Besides the known Petrov type D and 0 limits, three vacuum plane-wave solutions of Petrov type N are found to be limits of the Schwarzschild spacetime.

gr-qc↗