2018/02/20 by D. Vasak, J. Kirsch, Vasak, D. +5
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #Relativity and Gravitational Theory
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1802.07137
openalex publication_date 2018/02/20 · openalex created_date 2022/09/09 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A modification of the Einstein-Hilbert theory, the Covariant Canonical Gauge Gravity (CCGG), leads to a cosmological constant that represents the energy of the space-time continuum when deformed from its (A)dS ground state to a flat geometry. CCGG is based on the canonical transformation theory in the De Donder-Weyl (DW) Hamiltonian formulation. That framework modifies the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian of the free gravitational field by a quadratic Riemann-Cartan concomitant. The theory predicts a total energy-momentum of the system of space-time and matter to vanish, in line with the conjecture of a "Zero-Energy-Universe" going back to Lorentz (1916) and Levi-Civita (1917). Consequently a flat geometry can only exist in presence of matter where the bulk vacuum energy of matter, regardless of its value, is eliminated by the vacuum energy of space-time.% λ0. The observed cosmological constant Λobs is found to be merely a small correction %of the order 10-120 λ0 attributable to deviations from a flat geometry and effects of complex dynamical geometry of space-time, namely torsion and possibly also vacuum fluctuations. That quadratic extension of General Relativity, anticipated already in 1918 by Einstein \citeeinstein18, thus provides a significant and natural contribution to resolving the "cosmological constant problem".