arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Philip D. Mannheim.
We discuss some implications of the current round of galactic dark matter searches for galactic rotation curve systematics and dynamics, and show that these new data do not invalidate the conformal gravity program of Mannheim and Kazanas which has been advanced as a candidate alternative to both the standard second order Newton-Einstein theory and the need for dark matter.
In the standard treatment of the Einstein gravitational theory the energy-momentum tensor has always been taken to be composed of perfect fluid aggregates of kinematic Newtonian point test particles with fundamental mechanical masses. Moreover, this standard prescription was not revised after the discovery of the mass-generating Higgs mechanism which is known to be present in the elementary particle physics of these self-same sources and which is also required in the conformal invariant gravitational alternative being considered by Mannheim and Kazanas. In this short contribution we show that despite the presence of the Higgs mechanism, the standard geodesic motion and Euler hydrodynamics still obtain in the one-particle sector of the theory even while the overall energy-momentum tensor differs substantially from the conventional kinematic one.
We review the current status and prospects for the conformal invariant fourth order theory of gravity which has recently been advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas as a candidate alternative to the standard second order Einstein theory. We examine how it is possible in principle to replace the Einstein theory at all while retaining its tested features, and we appeal to the wisdom gleaned from particle physics to suggest a fully covariant, conformal invariant alternative. We explore the theory as a microscopic fundamental theory of elementary particles, to thus give curvature a more prominent role in elementary particle dynamics, and in particular in the generation both of elementary particle masses and the extended bag-like models which are thought to describe them. We discuss the degree to which conformal gravity can compete with string theory as a consistent candidate microscopic theory of gravity. Additionally, we explore the theory as a macroscopic theory of gravity where the exact, non-perturbative, classical potential is found to be of the confining $V(r)=-β/r+γr/2$ form, a form which enables us to provide an explanation for the general systematics of galactic rotational velocity curves without the need to assume the existence of copious amounts of dark matter; with this explanation of the curves apparently not being in conflict with the current round of microlensing observations.
We present a simple, closed form expression for the potential of an axisymmetric disk of stars interacting through gravitational potentials of the form $V(r)=-β/r+γr/2$, the potential associated with fundamental sources in the conformal invariant fourth order theory of gravity which has recently been advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas as a candidate alternative to the standard second order Einstein theory. Using the model we obtain a reasonable fit to some representative galactic rotation curve data without the need for any non-luminous or dark matter. Our study suggests that the observed flatness of rotation curves might only be an intermediate phenomenon rather than an asymptotic one.
In the first paper in this series we presented a typical set of galactic rotation curves associated with the conformal invariant fourth order theory of gravity which has recently been advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas as a candidate alternative to the standard second order Einstein theory. Reasonable agreement with data was obtained for four representative galaxies without the need for any non-luminous or dark matter. In this second paper we present the associated formalism. Additionally, we discuss the status of the Tully-Fisher relation in our theory, compare and contrast our theory with the dark matter theory, and make some general observations regarding the systematics of galactic rotation curve data.
We discuss some outstanding open questions regarding the validity and uniqueness of the standard second order Newton-Einstein classical gravitational theory. On the observational side we discuss the degree to which the realm of validity of Newton's Law of Gravity can actually be extended to distances much larger than the solar system distance scales on which the law was originally established. On the theoretical side we identify some commonly accepted but actually still open to question assumptions which go into the formulating of the standard second order Einstein theory in the first place. In particular, we show that while the familiar second order Poisson gravitational equation (and accordingly its second order covariant Einstein generalization) may be sufficient to yield Newton's Law of Gravity they are not in fact necessary. The standard theory thus still awaits the identification of some principle which would then make it necessary too. We show that current observational information does not exclusively mandate the standard theory, and that the conformal invariant fourth order theory of gravity considered recently by Mannheim and Kazanas is also able to meet the constraints of data, and in fact to do so without the need for any so far unobserved non-luminous or dark matter.
We derive a simple, closed form expression for the potential of a thin exponential disk of stars interacting through gravitational potentials of the form $V(r)=-β/r+γr/2$, the potential associated with fundamental sources in the fourth order conformal invariant theory of gravity which has recently been advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas as a candidate alternative to the standard second order Einstein theory. Using the model, we obtain a reasonable fit (flat to within $\pm3\%$) to the (prototypical) NGC3198 $HI$ rotation curve data without the need for any non-luminous or dark matter. Our study suggests that th observed flatness of rotation curves may only be an intermediate phenomenon, and an asymptotic one.