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P. K. S. Dunsby

Publications and source records attributed to P. K. S. Dunsby.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2019

Fundamental Physics with the Square Kilometre Array

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a planned large radio interferometer designed to operate over a wide range of frequencies, and with an order of magnitude greater sensitivity and survey speed than any current radio telescope. The SKA will address many important topics in astronomy, ranging from planet formation to distant galaxies. However, in this work, we consider the perspective of the SKA as a facility for studying physics. We review four areas in which the SKA is expected to make major contributions to our understanding of fundamental physics: cosmic dawn and reionisation; gravity and gravitational radiation; cosmology and dark energy; and dark matter and astroparticle physics. These discussions demonstrate that the SKA will be a spectacular physics machine, which will provide many new breakthroughs and novel insights on matter, energy and spacetime.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2014

Constraining the gravitational action with CMB tensor anisotropies

We present a complete analysis of the imprint of tensor anisotropies on the Cosmic Microwave Background for a class of f(R) gravity theories within the PPF-CAMB framework. We derive the equations, both for the cosmological background and gravitational wave perturbations, required to obtain the standard temperature and polarization power spectra, taking care to include all effects which arise from f(R) modifications of both the background and the perturbation equations. For R^n gravity, we show that for n different from 2, the initial conditions in the radiation dominated era are the same as those found in General Relativity. We also find that by doing simulations which involve either modifying the background evolution while keeping the perturbation equations fixed or fixing the background to be the Lambda-CDM model and modifying the perturbation equations, the dominant contribution to deviations from General Relativity in the temperature and polarization spectra can be attributed to modifications in the background. This demonstrates the importance of using the correct background in perturbative studies of f(R) gravity. Finally an enhancement in the B-modes power spectra is observed which may allow for lower inflationary energy scales.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2008

Some remarks on the dynamical systems approach to fourth order gravity

Building on earlier work, we discuss a general framework for exploring the cosmological dynamics of Higher Order Theories of Gravity. We show that once the theory of gravity has been specified, the cosmological equations can be written as a first-order autonomous system and we give several examples which illustrate the utility of our method. We also discuss a number of results which have appeared recently in the literature.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2008

The evolution of cosmological gravitational waves in f(R) gravity

We give a rigorous and mathematically clear presentation of the Covariant and Gauge Invariant theory of gravitational waves in a perturbed Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe for Fourth Order Gravity, where the matter is described by a perfect fluid with a barotropic equation of state. As an example of a consistent analysis of tensor perturbations in Fourth Order Gravity, we apply the formalism to a simple background solution of R^n gravity. We obtain the exact solutions of the perturbation equations for scales much bigger than and smaller than the Hubble radius. It is shown that the evolution of tensor modes is highly sensitive to the choice of n and an interesting new feature arises. During the radiation dominated era, their exist a growing tensor perturbation for nearly all choices of n. This occurs even when the background model is undergoing accelerated expansion as opposed to the case of General Relativity. Consequently, cosmological gravitational wave modes can in principle provide a strong constraint on the theory of gravity independent of other cosmological data sets.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2007

The evolution of density perturbations in f(R) gravity

We give a rigorous and mathematically well defined presentation of the Covariant and Gauge Invariant theory of scalar perturbations of a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe for Fourth Order Gravity, where the matter is described by a perfect fluid with a barotropic equation of state. The general perturbations equations are applied to a simple background solution of R^n gravity. We obtain exact solutions of the perturbations equations for scales much bigger than the Hubble radius. These solutions have a number of interesting features. In particular, we find that for all values of n there is always a growing mode for the density contrast, even if the universe undergoes an accelerated expansion. Such a behaviour does not occur in standard General Relativity, where as soon as Dark Energy dominates, the density contrast experiences an unrelenting decay. This peculiarity is sufficiently novel to warrant further investigation on fourth order gravity models.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2007

Constraining scalar-tensor quintessence by cosmic clocks

Scalar-tensor quintessence models can be constrained by identifying suitable cosmic clocks which allow to select confidence regions for cosmological parameters. In particular, we constrain the characterizing parameters of non-minimally coupled scalar-tensor cosmological models which admit exact solutions of the Einstein field equations. Lookback time to galaxy clusters at low intermediate, and high redshifts is considered. The high redshift time-scale problem is also discussed in order to select other cosmic clocks such as quasars.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2005

Cosmological dynamics of R^n gravity

A detailed analysis of dynamics of cosmological models based on $R^{n}$ gravity is presented. We show that the cosmological equations can be written as a first order autonomous system and analyzed using the standard techniques of dynamical system theory. In absence of perfect fluid matter, we find exact solutions whose behavior and stability are analyzed in terms of the values of the parameter $n$. When matter is introduced, the nature of the (non-minimal) coupling between matter and higher order gravity induces restrictions on the allowed values of $n$. Selecting such intervals of values and following the same procedure used in the vacuum case, we present exact solutions and analyze their stability for a generic value of the parameter $n$. From this analysis emerges the result that for a large set of initial conditions an accelerated expansion is an attractor for the evolution of the $R^n$ cosmology. When matter is present a transient almost-Friedman phase can also be present before the transition to an accelerated expansion.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2003

Gravitational wave amplification of seed magnetic fields

We discuss how gravitational waves could amplify seed magnetic fields to strengths capable of supporting the galactic dynamo. We consider the interaction of a weak magnetic field with gravity wave distortions in almost FRW cosmologies and find that the magnitude of the original field is amplified proportionally to the wave induced shear anisotropy and, crucially, proportionally to the square of the field's initial scale. The latter makes our mechanism particularly efficient when operating on superhorizon sized magnetic fields, like those produced during inflation. In that case, the achieved amplification can easily boost magnetic strengths, which may still lie relatively close to the galactic dynamo lower limits, well within the currently accepted range.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

A Solution to the Graceful Exit Problem in Pre-Big Bang Cosmology

We examine the string cosmology equations with a dilaton potential in the context of the Pre-Big Bang Scenario with the desired scale factor duality, and give a generic algorithm for obtaining solutions with appropriate evolutionary properties. This enables us to find pre-big bang type solutions with suitable dilaton behaviour that are regular at $t=0$, thereby solving the graceful exit problem. However to avoid fine tuning of initial data, an `exotic' equation of state is needed that relates the fluid properties to the dilaton field. We discuss why such an equation of state should be required for reliable dilaton behaviour at late times.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1995

Irrotational dust with Div H=0

For irrotational dust the shear tensor is consistently diagonalizable with its covariant time derivative: $σ_{ab}=0=\dotσ_{ab},\; a\neq b$, if and only if the divergence of the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor vanishes: $div~H = 0$. We show here that in that case, the consistency of the Ricci constraints requires that the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor itself vanishes: $H_{ab}=0$.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1994

Shrinking and the True Power Spectrum at Decoupling

In this paper we examine the change in the estimated spatial power spectra at decoupling due to the effects of our clumpy universe which modify observational distances. We find that scales at decoupling can be significantly underestmated in our approximation of neglecting the shear of the ray bundle. We compare our results with other work on lensing and speculate on the implications for structure formation. In particular we examine a proposal to use the position of the first Doppler peak to determine $Ω$, and find that shrinking will modify the esimated curvature, so that it must be included to obtain an accurate estimate of $Ω$. Finally we consider future applications and improvements of our results.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1994

Newtonian Evolution of the Weyl Tensor

In an interesting recent paper on the growth of inhomogeneity through the effect of gravity [1], Bertschinger and Hamilton derive equations for the electric and magnetic parts of the Weyl tensor for cold dust for both General Relativity and Newtonian theory. Their conclusion is that both in General Relativity and in Newtonian theory, in general the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor does not vanish, implying that the Lagrangian evolution of the fluid is not local. We show here that the `Newtonian' theory discussed by them is in fact not Newtonian theory {\it per se}, but rather a plausible relativistic generalisation of Newtonian theory. Newtonian cosmology itself is highly non-local irrespective of the behaviour of the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor; in this respect the Bertschinger-Hamilton generalisation is a better theory.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1994

Integrability Conditions for Irrotational Dust with a Purely Electric Weyl Tensor: A Tetrad Analysis

All spacetimes for an irrotational collisionless fluid with a purely electric Weyl tensor, with spacetime curvature determined by the exact Einstein field equations, are shown to be integrable. These solutions include the relativistic generalisations of the Zeldovich solutions of Newtonian theory. Thus our result shows the consistency of various studies of "silent" universes (where such consistency was assumed rather than proved).

astro-ph↗