arXiv subjects

Sohyun Park

Publications and source records attributed to Sohyun Park.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Quantum gravity corrections to the conformally coupled scalar self-mass-squared on de Sitter II: kinetic-conformal cross terms

The present work is the second part of a series of computations for the self-mass-squared of the conformally coupled (CC) scalar interacting with gravitons. This work includes the kinetic-kinetic and kinetic-conformal parts, and thus completes the full scalar self-mass squared at one loop order in de Sitter background when combined with the conformal-conformal part previously evaluated. We use dimensional regularization and renormalize the results by subtracting appropriate counterterms. The self-mass squared is finally ready to quantum-correct the CC scalar field equation so that one can study the effect of inflationary produced gravitons on the CC scalar and its observational consequences.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Growth of perturbations in nonlocal gravity with non-$Λ$CDM background

We re-analyze the nonlocal gravity model of Deser and Woodard which was proposed to account for the current phase of cosmic acceleration. We show that the growth of perturbations predicted by this nonlocal gravity model when its background evolution is fixed by some particular non-$Λ$CDM models can be substantially lower than when its background is fixed by $Λ$CDM. This can be seen when we consider the background expansion by a dark energy model with a slightly less negative equation of state with respect to cosmological constant. Our results hints towards a fact that the choice of the background expansion can play a crucial role how this nonlocal gravity model can fit the growth history data. While the growth data might show better consistency to GR models (among the background models we studied so far), it seems the nonlocal gravity model studied in this work is able to show comparable consistency to the growth data as well. Showing this consistency can be considered as a significant result since this model can stand as a distinguishable alternative to the standard model of cosmology.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2015

Quantum Scalar Corrections to the Gravitational Potentials on de Sitter Background

We employ the graviton self-energy induced by a massless, minimally coupled (MMC) scalar on de Sitter background to compute the quantum corrections to the gravitational potentials of a static point particle with a mass $M$. The Schwinger-Keldysh formalism is used to derive real and causal effective field equations. When evaluated at the one-loop order, the gravitational potentials exhibit a secular decrease in the observed gravitational coupling $G$. This can also be interpreted as a (time dependent) anti-screening of the mass $M$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Non-local bispectra from super cosmic variance

We present examples of non-Gaussian statistics that can induce bispectra matching local and non-local (including equilateral) templates in biased sub-volumes. We find cases where the biasing from coupling to long wavelength modes affects only the power spectrum, only the bispectrum or both. Our results suggest that ruling out multi-field scenarios is quite difficult: some measurements of the scalar correlations, including the shape of the bispectrum, can be consistent with single-clock predictions even when cosmic variance from super-horizon modes is at work. Furthermore, if observations of the density perturbations rule out single-clock inflation, we will face a serious cosmic variance obstacle in drawing any further conclusions about the particle physics origin of the scalar fluctuations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2014

Quantum gravity corrections to the conformally coupled scalar self-mass-squared on de Sitter background

We evaluate one loop quantum gravity corrections to the conformally coupled (CC) scalar self-mass-squared on a locally de Sitter background. In this paper we consider only the conformal-conformal interaction part of the self-mass-squared. This complements the minimal-minimal part worked out in the previous paper [E. O. Kahya and R. P. Woodard, Phys. Rev. D 76, 124005 (2007), arXiv: 0709.0536], and we will add the minimal-conformal part in a follow-up paper to complete the full self-mass-squared at one loop order. The computation is performed using dimensional regularization and the results are fully renormalized by absorbing divergences with counterterms. The finite results can give rise to quantum corrections to the CC scalar mode functions and therefore to their power spectra.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Representing the Graviton Self-Energy on de Sitter Background

We derive a noncovariant but simple representation for the self-energy of a conformally transformed graviton field on the cosmological patch of de Sitter. Our representation involves four structure functions, as opposed to the two that would be necessary for a manifestly de Sitter invariant representation. We work out what the four structure functions are for the one loop correction due to a massless, minimally coupled scalar. And we employ the result to work out what happens to dynamical gravitons.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Alternate Definitions of Loop Corrections to the Primordial Power Spectra

We consider two different definitions for loop corrections to the primordial power spectra. One of these is to simply correct the mode functions in the tree order relations using the linearized effective field equations. The second definition involves the spatial Fourier transform of the 2-point correlator. Although the two definitions agree at tree order, we show that they disagree at one loop using the Schwinger-Keldysh formalism, so there are at least two plausible ways of loop correcting the tree order result. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

hep-th↗

arXiv2013

Nonlocal Gravity and Structure in the Universe

The observed acceleration of the Universe can be explained by modifying general relativity. One such attempt is the nonlocal model of Deser and Woodard. Here we fix the background cosmology using results from the Planck satellite and examine the predictions of nonlocal gravity for the evolution of structure in the universe, confronting the model with three tests: gravitational lensing, redshift space distortions, and the estimator of gravity $E_G$. Current data favor general relativity (GR) over nonlocal gravity: fixing primordial cosmology with the best fit parameters from Planck leads to weak lensing results favoring GR by 5.9 sigma; redshift space distortions measurements of the growth rate preferring GR by 7.8 sigma; and the single measurement of $E_G$ favoring GR, but by less than 1-sigma. The significance holds up even after the parameters are allowed to vary within Planck limits. The larger lesson is that a successful modified gravity model will likely have to suppress the growth of structure compared to general relativity.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Structure formation in a nonlocally modified gravity model

We study a nonlocally modified gravity model proposed by Deser and Woodard which gives an explanation for current cosmic acceleration. By deriving and solving the equations governing the evolution of the structure in the Universe, we show that this model predicts a pattern of growth that differs from standard general relativity (+dark energy) at the 10-30% level. These differences will be easily probed by the next generation of galaxy surveys, so the model should be tested shortly.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Inflationary Scalars Don't Affect Gravitons at One Loop

Primordial inflation results in the production of a vast ensemble of highly infrared, massless, minimally coupled scalars. We use a recent fully renormalized computation of the one loop contribution to the graviton self-energy from these scalars to show that they have no effect on the propagation of dynamical gravitons. Our computation motivates a conjecture for the first correction to the vacuum state wave functional of gravitons. We comment as well on performing the same analysis for the more interesting contribution from inflationary gravitons, and on inferring one loop corrections to the force of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Scalar Contribution to the Graviton Self-Energy during Inflation

We use dimensional regularization to evaluate the one loop contribution to the graviton self-energy from a massless, minimally coupled scalar on a locally de Sitter background. For noncoincident points our result agrees with the stress tensor correlators obtained recently by Perez-Nadal, Roura and Verdaguer. We absorb the ultraviolet divergences using the $R^2$ and $C^2$ counterterms first derived by 't Hooft and Veltman, and we take the $D=4$ limit of the finite remainder. The renormalized result is expressed as the sum of two transverse, 4th order differential operators acting on nonlocal, de Sitter invariant structure functions. In this form it can be used to quantum-correct the linearized Einstein equations so that one can study how the inflationary production of infrared scalars affects the propagation of dynamical gravitons and the force of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Solving the Effective Field Equations for the Newtonian Potential

Loop corrections to the gravitational potential are usually inferred from scattering amplitudes, which seems quite different from how the linearized Einstein equations are solved with a static, point mass to give the classical potential. In this study we show how the Schwinger-Keldysh effective field equations can be used to compute loop corrections to the potential in a way which parallels the classical treatment. We derive explicit results for the one loop correction from the graviton self-energy induced by a massless, minimally coupled scalar.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

The Volume of the Past Light-Cone and the Paneitz Operator

We study a conjecture involving the invariant volume of the past light-cone from an arbitrary observation point back to a fixed initial value surface. The conjecture is that a 4th order differential operator which occurs in the theory of conformal anomalies gives $8π$ when acted upon the invariant volume of the past light-cone. We show that an extended version of the conjecture is valid for an arbitrary homogeneous and isotropic geometry. First order perturbation theory about flat spacetime reveals a violation of the conjecture which, however, vanishes for any vacuum solution of the Einstein equation. These results may be significant for constructing quantum gravitational observables, for quantifying the back-reaction on spacetime expansion and for alternate gravity models which feature a timelike vector field.

gr-qc↗