2014/07/28 by Tiberiu Harko, Francisco S. N. Lobo · 5 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Classical mechanics #Cosmology #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Covariant transformation #Curvature #Dark energy #Dark matter #General relativity #Geodesic #Geometry #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Gravitation #Mathematical physics #Physics #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Theoretical physics #astro-ph.CO #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.3390/galaxies2030410
published as Galaxies 2 (2014) 3, 410-465 · 55 pages, to appear as a review paper in a Special Issue of Galaxies: "Beyond Standard Gravity and Cosmology". V2: minor corrections and references added. Matches published version
arxiv created 2014/07/28 · openalex publication_date 2014/07/28 · arxiv updated 2014/07/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In this work, we review a plethora of modified theories of gravity with generalized curvature-matter couplings. The explicit nonminimal couplings, for instance, between an arbitrary function of the scalar curvature R and the Lagrangian density of matter, induces a non-vanishing covariant derivative of the energy-momentum tensor, implying non-geodesic motion and, consequently, leads to the appearance of an extra force. Applied to the cosmological context, these curvature-matter couplings lead to interesting phenomenology, where one can obtain a unified description of the cosmological epochs. We also consider the possibility that the behavior of the galactic flat rotation curves can be explained in the framework of the curvature-matter coupling models, where the extra terms in the gravitational field equations modify the equations of motion of test particles and induce a supplementary gravitational interaction. In addition to this, these models are extremely useful for describing dark energy-dark matter interactions and for explaining the late-time cosmic acceleration.