RESEARCH
<< back
Particle creation and decay in nonminimally coupled models of gravity

R. P. L. Azevedo, P. P. Avelino

Abstract
In extended models of gravity, a nonminimal coupling to matter has been assumed to lead to irreversible particle creation. In this paper, we challenge this assumption. We argue that a nonminimal coupling of the matter and gravitational sectors results in a change in particle momentum on a cosmological time scale, irrespective of particle creation or decay. We further argue that particle creation or decay associated with a nonminimal coupling to gravity could only happen as a result of significant deviations from a homogeneous Friedmann-Lemaítre-Robertson-Walker geometry on microscopic scales and provide a phenomenological description of the impact of particle creation or decay on the cosmological evolution of the density of the matter fields.

Keywords
General Relativity; Quantum Cosmology

Physical Review D
Volume 99, Issue 6
2019 March

>> ADS>> DOI

Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia COMPETE 2020 PORTUGAL 2020 União Europeia