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Despite its amazing quantitative successes and contributions to revolutionary technologies, physics currently faces many unsolved mysteries ranging from the meaning of quantum mechanics to the nature of the dark energy that will determine the future of the Universe. It is clearly prohibitive for the general reader, and even the best informed physicists, to follow the vast number of technical papers published in the thousands of specialized journals. For this reason, we have asked the leading experts across many of the most important areas of physics to summarise their global assessment of some of the most important issues. In lieu of an extremely long abstract summarising the contents, we invite the reader to look at the section headings and their authors, and then to indulge in a feast of stimulating topics spanning the current frontiers of fundamental physics from The Future of Physics by William D Phillips and What characterises topological effects in physics? by Gerard t Hooft through the contributions of the widest imaginable range of world leaders in their respective areas. This paper is presented as a preface to exciting developments by senior and young scientists in the years that lie ahead, and a complement to the less authoritative popular accounts by journalists., Comment: 54 pages, 13 figures

This paper defines the photon surface conditions using Cartan scalars within an invariant spin frame, offering a comprehensive description of the local spacetime geometry. By employing this approach, we gain novel insights into the geometry and dynamics of photon surfaces, independent of the global spacetime structure. We first discuss the photon surface conditions in a Petrov type-D spacetime manifold, and then we simplify those conditions assuming the existence of spherical symmetry. Finally, employing the simplified, spherically symmetric photon surface conditions, we explore the dynamics of photon surfaces in static, collapsing Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) spacetimes, and Vaidya spacetimes. Notably, we show that photon surfaces can emerge from the central singularity during the collapse of an inhomogeneous dust cloud modeled by a LTB spacetime. This underscores the significance of our findings in comprehending the potential observational implications of the physics near the ultra-high gravity region., Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures

Riemann-Cartan geometries are geometries that admit non-zero curvature and torsion tensors. These geometries have been investigated as geometric frameworks for potential theories in physics including quantum gravity theories and have many important differences when compared to Riemannian geometries. One notable difference, is the number of symmetries for a Riemann-Cartan geometry is potentially smaller than the number of Killing vector fields for the metric. In this paper, we will review the investigation of symmetries in Riemann-Cartan geometries and the mathematical tools used to determine geometries that admit a given group of symmetries. As an illustration, we present new results by determining all static spherically symmetric and all stationary spherically symmetric Riemann-Cartan geometries. Furthermore, we have determined the subclasses of spherically symmetric Riemann-Cartan geometries that admit a seven-dimensional group of symmetries.

In the standard concordance cosmology the spatial curvature is assumed to be constant and zero (or at least very small). In particular, in numerical computations of the structure of the universe using N-body simulations, exact periodic boundary conditions are assumed which constrains the spatial curvature. In order to confirm this qualitatively, we numerically evolve a special class of spatially inhomogeneous $G_2$ models with both periodic initial data and non periodic initial data using zooming techniques. We consequently demonstrate that in these models periodic initial conditions do indeed suppress the growth of the spatial curvature as the models evolve away from their initial isotropic and spatially homogeneous state, thereby verifying that the spatial curvature is necessarily very small in standard cosmology., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. Matches published version

In teleparallel geometries the coframe and corresponding spin-connection are the principal geometric objects and consequently the appropriate definition of a symmetry is that of an affine symmetry. The set of invariant coframes and their corresponding spin connections that respect the full six dimensional Lie algebra of Robertson-Walker affine symmetries are displayed and discussed. We will refer to such geometries as teleparallel Robertson-Walker (TRW) geometries, where the corresponding derived metric is of Robertson-Walker form and is characterized by the parameter $k = (-1,0,1)$. The field equations are explicitly presented for the $F(T)$ class of teleparallel TRW spacetimes. We are primarily interested in investigating the $k \neq 0$ TRW models. After first studying the $k=0$ models and, in particular, writing their governing field equations in an appropriate form, we then study their late time stability with respect to perturbations in $k$ in both the cases of a vanishing and non-vanishing effective cosmological constant term. As an illustration we consider both quadratic $F(T)$ theories and power-law solutions., Comment: 18 pages, no figure, Published in Universe MDPI

We investigate spherically symmetric static and dynamical Brans-Dicke theory exact solutions using invariants and, in particular, the Newman Penrose formalism utilizing Cartan scalars. The GR limit of these solutions is examined through the use of Cartan invariants via the Cartan-Karlhede algorithm and is additionally supported by analysis of scalar polynomial invariants. It is determined that the appearance of horizons in these spacetimes depends primarily on one of the parameters, $n$, of the family of solutions. In particular, expansion-free surfaces appear which, for a subset of parameter values, define additional surfaces distinct from the standard surfaces (e.g., apparent horizons) identified in previous work. These surfaces in static spherically symmetric Brans-Dicke solutions was previously shown to correspond to the Schwarzschild horizon in general relativity when an appropriate limit exists between the two theories. We show additionally that other geometrically defined horizons exist for these cases, and identify all solutions for which the corresponding general relativity limit is not a Schwarzschild one, yet still contains horizons. The identification of some of these other surfaces was noted in previous work and is characterized invariantly in this work. In the case of the family of dynamical Brans-Dicke solutions, we identify similar invariantly defined surfaces as in the static case and present an invariant characterization of their geometries. Through the analysis of the Cartan invariants, we determine which members of these families of solutions are locally equivalent, through the use of the Cartan-Karlhede algorithm. In addition, we identify black hole surfaces, naked singularities, and wormholes with the Cartan invariants. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the usefulness of Cartan invariants for describing properties of exact solutions., Comment: 19 pages

We comprehensively analyze the dynamics for the gravitational field equations for the Chiral-Quintom theory in a Friedman-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker cosmology with an additional matter source. We consider a new set of dimensionless variables and write the field equations in the equivalent form of an algebraic-differential system. Specifically, we consider two families of quintom models where the two scalar fields interact in the kinetic sector. We mathematically focus on the dynamical effect of spatial curvature. Physically, we find two periods of inflation related to the Universe's early and late-time acceleration phases., Comment: 71 pages, 18 figures

Theories of gravity based on teleparallel geometries are characterized by the torsion, which is a function of the coframe, derivatives of the coframe, and a zero curvature and metric compatible spin connection. The appropriate notion of a symmetry in a teleparallel geometry is that of an affine symmetry. Due to the importance of the de Sitter geometry and Einstein spaces within general relativity, we shall describe teleparallel de Sitter geometries and discuss their possible generalizations. In particular, we shall analyse a class of Einstein teleparallel geometries which have a 4-dimensional Lie algebra of affine symmetries, and display two one-parameter families of explicit exact solutions., Comment: 24 pages, no figure, Will appear soon in EPJC

In teleparallel geometries, symmetries are represented by affine frame symmetries which constrain both the (co)frame basis and the spin-connection (which are the primary geometric objects). In this paper we shall study teleparallel geometries with a single affine symmetry, utilizing the locally Lorentz covariant approach and adopting a complex null gauge. We first introduce an algorithm to study geometries with an affine frame symmetry, which consists of choosing coordinates adapted to the symmetry, constructing a canonical frame, and solving the equations describing the symmetry. %for the spin connection (to determine the six real Lorentz functions. All of the constraints on the geometry are determined in the case of a single affine symmetry, but there are additional constraints arising from the field equations for a given theory of teleparallel gravity. In particular, we find that in $f(T)$ teleparallel gravity there will be severe constraints on the geometry arising from the antisymmetric part of the field equations.

We shall present a complete (compactified) dynamical systems analysis of the Quintom model comprised of an interacting quintessence scalar field and a phantom. We find a range for the model parameters $\kappa, \lambda$ such that there are expanding Quintom cosmologies that undergo two inflationary periods, and this behaviour is not destabilized by spatial curvature. We also discuss a class of bouncing cosmologies. Finally, the linear cosmological perturbations are studied., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures

We numerically study the algebraic properties of the Weyl tensor through the merger of two non-spinning black holes (BHs). We are particularly interested in the conjecture that for such a vacuum spacetime, which is zeroth-order algebraically general, a geometric horizon (GH), on which the spacetime is algebraically special and which is identified by the vanishing of a complex scalar invariant (${\mathcal{D}}$), characterizes a smooth foliation independent surface (horizon) associated with the BH. In the first simulation we investigate the level-$0$ sets of $\text{Re}({\mathcal{D}})$ (since $\text{Im}({\mathcal{D}})= 0$) in the head-on collision of two unequal mass BHs. In the second simulation we shall investigate the level-$\varepsilon$ sets of $|{\mathcal{D}}|$ through a quasi-circular merger of two non-spinning, equal mass BHs. The numerical results, as displayed in the figures presented, provide evidence that a (unique) smooth GH can be identified throughout all stages of the binary BH merger., Comment: Paper published as Letter in Class. Quant. Grav vol38, 17LT01 (2021). arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2101.09615

Two recently published papers (J.D. Barrow and A. Paliathanasis, Eur. Phys. J. C. (2018, 2019)) claim to have found exact solutions of Einstein's field equations belonging to the class of non-trivial Szekeres models, whose source is a mixture of dust and a homogeneous time-dependent scalar field, where the energy-momentum tensors of both mixture components are independently conserved. We prove that the independent conservation of these two mixture components necessarily leads to solutions belonging to the set of spatially homogeneous subcases of the Szekeres family: Friedmann-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker for class I, and Kantowski-Sachs, Bianchi-Behr I or Bianchi-Behr $\mbox{VI}_{\tiny{\mbox{-1}}}$ for class II., Comment: 2 pages. Comment on "Szekeres universes with homogeneous scalar fields" and "Cyclic Szekeres universes" by Barrow and Paliathanasis, Eur. Phys. J. C. (2018, 2019); arXiv:1808.00173 and arXiv:1901.09173

We study curvature invariants in a binary black hole merger. It has been conjectured that one could define a quasi-local and foliation independent black hole horizon by finding the level--$0$ set of a suitable curvature invariant of the Riemann tensor. The conjecture is the geometric horizon conjecture and the associated horizon is the geometric horizon. We study this conjecture by tracing the level--$0$ set of the complex scalar polynomial invariant, $\mathcal{D}$, through a quasi-circular binary black hole merger. We approximate these level--$0$ sets of $\mathcal{D}$ with level--$\varepsilon$ sets of $|\mathcal{D}|$ for small $\varepsilon$. We locate the local minima of $|\mathcal{D}|$ and find that the positions of these local minima correspond closely to the level--$\varepsilon$ sets of $|\mathcal{D}|$ and we also compare with the level--$0$ sets of $\text{Re}(\mathcal{D})$. The analysis provides evidence that the level--$\varepsilon$ sets track a unique geometric horizon. By studying the behaviour of the zero sets of $\text{Re}(\mathcal{D})$ and $\text{Im}(\mathcal{D})$ and also by studying the MOTSs and apparent horizons of the initial black holes, we observe that the level--$\varepsilon$ set that best approximates the geometric horizon is given by $\varepsilon = 10^{-3}$., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures; v2. included three right-hand panels to Figure 2 and updated corresponding explanations. Updated introduction and discussion for clarity. Included mention of future work in discussion/conclusion. Made various minor corrections. To appear in General Relativity and Gravitation

We consider the equivalence problem for cosmological models in four-dimensional gravity theories. A cosmological model is considered as a triple $(M, {\bf g},{\bf u})$ consisting of a spacetime $(M, {\bf g})$ and a preferred normalized time-like vector field ${\bf u}$ tangent to a congruence of fundamental observers. We introduce a modification of the Cartan-Karlhede algorithm by restricting to frames adapted to ${\bf u}$ and including the covariant derivatives of ${\bf u}$ along with the Riemann tensor and its covariant derivatives. To fix the frame we make use of quantities relative to the fundamental observers, such as the anisotropic pressure tensor, energy flux vector, electric and magnetic parts of the Weyl tensor and the kinematical quantities of ${\bf u}$. This provides a simpler way to construct a list of invariants relative to the fundamental observers that completely characterizes the model, independent of coordinates. As an illustration of the algorithm, we consider several well-known cosmological models from General Relativity., Comment: 33 pages

This paper is a celebration of the frontiers of science. Goodenough, the maestro who transformed energy usage and technology through the invention of the lithium ion battery, opens the programme, reflecting on the ultimate limits of battery technology. This applied theme continues through the subsequent pieces on energy related topics (the sodium ion battery and artificial fuels, by Mansson) and the ultimate challenge for 3 dimensional printing the eventual production of life, by Atala. A passage by Alexander follows, reflecting on a related issue: How might an artificially produced human being behave? Next comes a consideration of consiousness and free will by Allen and Lidstrom. Further voices and new instruments enter as Bowen, Mauranyapin and Madsen discuss whether dynamical processes of single molecules might be observed in their native state. The exploitation of chaos in science and technology, applications of Bose Einstein condensates and a consideration of the significance of entropy follow in pieces by Reichl, Rasel and Allen, respectively. Katsnelson and Koonin then discuss the potential generalisation of thermodynamic concepts in the context of biological evolution. Entering with the music of the cosmos, Yasskin discusses whether we might be able to observe torsion in the geometry of the universe. The crescendo comes with the crisis of singularities, their nature and whether they can be resolved through quantum effects, in the composition of Coley. The climax is Krenn, Melvin and Zeilinger consideration of how computer code can be autonomously surprising and creative. In a harmonious counterpoint, Yampolskiy concludes that such code is not yet able to take responsibility for coauthoring a paper., Comment: Please send comments and questions to Suzy Lidstrom

We investigate the field equations in the Einstein-aether theory for static spherically symmetric spacetimes and a perfect fluid source and subsequently with the addition of a scalar field (with an exponential self-interacting potential). We introduce more appropriate dynamical variables that facilitate the study of the equilibrium points of the resulting dynamical system and, in addition, we discuss the dynamics at infinity. We study the qualitative properties of the models with a particular interest in their asymptotic behaviour and whether they admit singularities. We also present a number of new solutions., Comment: 46 pages, 4 compound figures. Version accepted for publication in General Relativity and Gravitation

In the era of precision cosmology, even percentage level effects are significant on cosmological observables. The recent tension between the local and global values of $H_0$ is much more significant than this, and any possible solution might rely on us going beyond the standard $\Lambda$CDM cosmological model. For much smaller, yet potentially significant effects, spatial curvature from averaging and cosmological backreaction on observational predictions could play a role. This is especially true with the higher precision of new observational data and improved statistical techniques. In this paper, we discuss the observational viability of a class of physically motivated cosmologies which can be parametrized by a phenomenological two-scale backreaction model with decoupled spatial curvature parameters and two Hubble scales. Using the latest JLA Supernovae data together with some of the latest BAO data, we perform a Bayesian model selection analysis and find that the phenomenological models are not favoured over the standard $\Lambda$CDM cosmological model. Although there is still a preference for non-zero and unequal dynamic and geometric spatial curvatures, there is little evidence for differing Hubble scales within these phenomenological template models., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1606.00634, arXiv:1609.09781 by other authors

We present a number of open problems within general relativity. After a brief introduction to some technical mathematical issues and the famous singularity theorems, we discuss the cosmic censorship hypothesis and the Penrose inequality, the uniqueness of black hole solutions and the stability of Kerr spacetime and the final state conjecture, critical phenomena and the Einstein-Yang--Mills equations, and a number of other problems in classical general relativity. We then broaden the scope and discuss some mathematical problems motivated by quantum gravity, including AdS/CFT correspondence and problems in higher dimensions and, in particular, the instability of anti-de Sitter spacetime, and in cosmology, including the cosmological constant problem and dark energy, the stability of de Sitter spacetime and cosmological singularities and spikes. Finally, we briefly discuss some problems in numerical relativity and relativistic astrophysics.

We introduce the concept of a geometric horizon, which is a surface distinguished by the vanishing of certain curvature invariants which characterize its special algebraic character. We motivate its use for the detection of the event horizon of a stationary black hole by providing a set of appropriate scalar polynomial curvature invariants that vanish on this surface. We extend this result by proving that a non-expanding horizon, which generalizes a Killing horizon, coincides with the geometric horizon. Finally, we consider the imploding spherically symmetric metrics and show that the geometric horizon identifies a unique quasi-local surface corresponding to the unique spherically symmetric marginally trapped tube, implying that the spherically symmetric dynamical black holes admit a geometric horizon. Based on these results, we propose a suite of conjectures concerning the application of geometric horizons to more general dynamical black hole scenarios., Comment: 52 pages

We discuss black hole spacetimes with a geometrically defined quasi-local horizon on which the curvature tensor is algebraically special relative to the alignment classification. Based on many examples and analytical results, we conjecture that a spacetime horizon is always more algebraically special (in all of the orders of specialization) than other regions of spacetime. Using recent results in invariant theory, such geometric black hole horizons can be identified by the alignment type $\textbf{II}$ or $\textbf{D}$ discriminant conditions in terms of scalar curvature invariants, which are not dependent on spacetime foliations. The above conjecture is, in fact, a suite of conjectures (isolated vs dynamical horizon; four vs higher dimensions; zeroth order invariants vs higher order differential invariants). However, we are particularly interested in applications in four dimensions and especially the location of a black hole in numerical computations., Comment: 10 pages

We present a list of open questions in mathematical physics. After a historical introduction, a number of problems in a variety of different fields are discussed, with the intention of giving an overall impression of the current status of mathematical physics, particularly in the topical fields of classical general relativity, cosmology and the quantum realm. This list is motivated by the recent article proposing 42 fundamental questions (in physics) which must be answered on the road to full enlightenment. But paraphrasing a famous quote by the British football manager Bill Shankly, in response to the question of whether mathematics can answer the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, mathematics is, of course, much more important than that.

In this paper we expand upon our previous work [1] by using the entire family of Bianchi type V stiff fluid solutions as seed solutions of the Stephani transformation. Among the new exact solutions generated, we observe a number of important physical phenomena. The most interesting phenomenon is exact solutions with intersecting spikes. Other interesting phenomena are solutions with saddle states and a close-to-FL epoch., Comment: 24 pages. 11 figures. Matches accepted version

The existence of exact solutions which represent a lattice of black holes at a scalar-field-dominated cosmological bounce suggests that black holes could persist through successive eras of a cyclic cosmology. Here we explore some remarkable cosmological consequences of this proposal. In different mass ranges pre-big-bang black holes could explain the dark matter, provide seeds for galaxies, generate entropy and even drive the bounce itself. The cycles end naturally when the filling factor of the black holes reaches unity and this could entail a dimensional transition., Comment: 5 pages. Essay written for the Gravity Research Foundation 2017 Awards for Essays on Gravitation

In this paper we explore the idea that black holes can persist in a universe that collapses to a big crunch and then bounces into a new phase of expansion. We use a scalar field to model the matter content of such a universe {near the time} of the bounce, and look for solutions that represent a network of black holes within a dynamical cosmology. We find exact solutions to Einstein's constraint equations that provide the geometry of space at the minimum of expansion and that can be used as initial data for the evolution of hyperspherical cosmologies. These solutions illustrate that there exist models in which multiple distinct black holes can persist through a bounce, and allow for concrete computations of quantities such as the black hole filling factor. We then consider solutions in flat cosmologies, as well as in higher-dimensional spaces (with up to nine spatial dimensions). We derive conditions for the black holes to remain distinct (i.e. avoid merging) and hence persist into the new expansion phase. Some potentially interesting consequences of these models are also discussed., Comment: 37 pages, 16 figures

General relativity is a set of physical and geometric principles, which lead to a set of (Einstein) field equations that determine the gravitational field, and to the geodesic equations that describe light propagation and the motion of particles on the background. But open questions remain, including: What is the scale on which matter and geometry are dynamically coupled in the Einstein equations? Are the field equations valid on small and large scales? What is the largest scale on which matter can be coarse grained while following a geodesic of a solution to Einstein's equations? We address these questions. If the field equations are causal evolution equations, whose average on cosmological scales is not an exact solution of the Einstein equations, then some simplifying physical principle is required to explain the statistical homogeneity of the late epoch Universe. Such a principle may have its origin in the dynamical coupling between matter and geometry at the quantum level in the early Universe. This possibility is hinted at by diverse approaches to quantum gravity which find a dynamical reduction to two effective dimensions at high energies on one hand, and by cosmological observations which are beginning to strongly restrict the class of viable inflationary phenomenologies on the other. We suggest that the foundational principles of general relativity will play a central role in reformulating the theory of spacetime structure to meet the challenges of cosmology in the 21st century., Comment: 18 pages. Invited article for Physica Scripta Focus issue on 21st Century Frontiers. v2: Appendix amended, references added. v3: Small corrections, references added, matches published version

Using the Geroch transformation we obtain the first example of an exact stiff fluid spike solution to the Einstein field equations in a closed form exhibiting a spacelike $G_1$ group of symmetries (i.e., with a single isometry). This new solution is of Petrov type I and exhibits a spike crossing which persists to the past, which allows us to better understand spike crossings in the context of structure formation., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure. Figure updated. Minor changes to match published version

We summarise some of the main observational challenges for the standard Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker cosmological model and describe how results recently presented in the parallel session `Large--scale Structure and Statistics' (DE3) at the `Fourteenth Marcel Grossman Meeting on General Relativity' are related to these challenges., Comment: 17 pages; references added. Matches published version in Int. J. Mod. Phys. D; Report on Parallel Session DE3 of MG14

We shall discuss the general relativistic generation of spikes in a massless scalar field or stiff perfect fluid model. We first investigate orthogonally transitive (OT) $G_2$ stiff fluid spike models both heuristically and numerically, and give a new exact OT $G_2$ stiff fluid spike solution. We then present a new two-parameter family of non-OT $G_2$ stiff fluid spike solutions, obtained by the generalization of non-OT $G_2$ vacuum spike solutions to the stiff fluid case by applying Geroch's transformation on a Jacobs seed. The dynamics of these new stiff fluid spike solutions is qualitatively different from that of the vacuum spike solutions, in that the matter (stiff fluid) feels the spike directly and the stiff fluid spike solution can end up with a permanent spike. We then derive the evolution equations of non-OT $G_2$ stiff fluid models, including a second perfect fluid, in full generality, and briefly discuss some of their qualitative properties and their potential numerical analysis. Finally, we discuss how a fluid, and especially a stiff fluid or massless scalar field, affects the physics of the generation of spikes., Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures

We investigate spherically symmetric cosmological models in Einstein-aether theory with a tilted (non-comoving) perfect fluid source. We use a 1+3 frame formalism and adopt the comoving aether gauge to derive the evolution equations, which form a well-posed system of first order partial differential equations in two variables. We then introduce normalized variables. The formalism is particularly well-suited for numerical computations and the study of the qualitative properties of the models, which are also solutions of Horava gravity. We study the local stability of the equilibrium points of the resulting dynamical system corresponding to physically realistic inhomogeneous cosmological models and astrophysical objects with values for the parameters which are consistent with current constraints. In particular, we consider dust models in ($\beta-$) normalized variables and derive a reduced (closed) evolution system and we obtain the general evolution equations for the spatially homogeneous Kantowski-Sachs models using appropriate bounded normalized variables. We then analyse these models, with special emphasis on the future asymptotic behaviour for different values of the parameters. Finally, we investigate static models for a mixture of a (necessarily non-tilted) perfect fluid with a barotropic equations of state and a scalar field., Comment: 52 pages, 7 figures. Matches the published version. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:gr-qc/0603058 by other authors

We demonstrate the occurrence of permanent spikes using the Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi models, chosen because the solutions are exact and can be analyzed by qualitative dynamical systems methods. Three examples are given and illustrated numerically. The third example demonstrates that spikes can form directly in the matter density, as opposed to indirectly in previous studies of spikes in the Kasner regime. Spikes provide an alternative general relativistic mechanism for generating exceptionally large structures observed in the Universe., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures

We investigate a general relativistic mechanism in which spikes generate matter overdensities in the early universe. When the cosmological fluid is tilted, the tilt provides another mechanism in generating matter inhomogeneities. We numerically investigate the effect of a sign change in the tilt, when there is a spike but the tilt does not change sign, and when the spike and the sign change in the tilt coincide. We find that the tilt plays the primary role in generating matter inhomogeneities, and it does so by creating both local overdensities and underdensities. We discuss of the physical implications of the work., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures

We use cosmological perturbation theory to study the backreaction effects of a self-consistent and well-defined cosmological averaging on the dynamics and the evolution of the Universe. Working with a perturbed Friedman-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker Einstein-de Sitter cosmological solution in a comoving volume-preserving gauge, we compute the expressions for the expansion scalar and deceleration parameter to second order, which we use to characterize the backreaction. We find that the fractional shift in the Hubble parameter with respect to the input background cosmological model is Delta~10^{-5}, which leads to an effective energy density of the order of a few times 10^{-5}. In addition, we find that an appropriate measure of the fractional shift in the deceleration parameter Q is very large., Comment: 20 pages, 2 figures, RevTeX

Using the methods developed for different Bianchi class A cosmological models we treat the simplest Bianchi class B model, namely Bianchi type V. The future non-linear stability for solutions of the Einstein-Vlasov system is demonstrated and it is shown that these solutions are asymptotically stable to the Milne solution. Within the isotropic solutions of the Einstein-Vlasov system the spatially flat Friedmann solution is unstable within this class, and expanding models tend also to the Milne solution., Comment: V3: 18 pages. Typos fixed. Matches published version. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1208.4231, arXiv:1208.6158

We use a dynamical systems analysis to investigate the future behaviour of Einstein-Aether cosmological models with a scalar field coupling to the expansion of the aether and a non-interacting perfect fluid. The stability of the equilibrium solutions are analysed and the results are compared with the standard inflationary cosmological solutions and previously studied cosmological Einstein-Aether models., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure

The cosmological backreaction from perturbations is clearly gauge-dependent, and obviously depends on the choice of averaged Hubble rate. We consider two common choices of Hubble rate and advocate the use of comoving volume-preserving gauges. We highlight two examples valid to an appropriate order in perturbation theory, uniform curvature gauge, which is as close to volume-preserving as possible, and a spatially-traceless uniform cold dark matter gauge which preserves the volume to linear order. We demonstrate the strong gauge- and frame-dependences in averaging. In traceless uniform CDM gauge the backreaction exhibits a strong ultra-violet divergence and can be tuned to an arbitrary magnitude with an appropriate choice of smoothing scale. In uniform curvature gauge we find that for a choice of Hubble rate locked to the spatial surface the backreaction vanishes identically, while for a Hubble rate defined from a fluid's expansion scalar the effective energy density at the current epoch in an Einstein-de Sitter universe is Omega_eff~5e-4, slightly bigger than but in broad agreement with previous results in conformal Newtonian gauge., Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures. Replaced with version published in PRD

We study the existence of a non-spacelike isometry, \zeta, in higher dimensional Kundt spacetimes with constant scalar curvature invariants (CSI). We present the particular forms for the null or timelike Killing vectors and a set of constraints for the metric functions in each case. Within the class of N dimensional CSI Kundt spacetimes, admitting a non-spacelike isometry, we determine which of these can admit a covariantly constant null vector that also satisfy \zeta_{[a;b]} = 0., Comment: 20 pages

We study the class of higher-dimensional Kundt metrics admitting a covariantly constant null vector, known as CCNV spacetimes. We pay particular attention to those CCNV spacetimes with constant (polynomial) curvature invariants (CSI). We investigate the existence of an additional isometry in CCNV spacetimes, by studying the Killing equations for the general form of the CCNV metric. In particular, we list all CCNV spacetimes allowing an additional non-spacelike isometry for all values of the lightcone coordinate v, which are of interest due to the invariance of the metric under a translation in v. As an application we use our results to find all CSI CCNV spacetimes with an additional isometry as well as the subset of these spacetimes in which the isometry is non-spacelike for all values v., Comment: 46 pages

As an application of the Cartan invariants obtained using the Karlhede algorithm, we study a simple subclass of the PP-wave spacetimes, the gravitational plane waves. We provide an invariant classification of these spacetimes and then study a few notable subcases: the linearly polarized plane waves, the weak-field circularly polarized waves, and another class of plane waves found by imposing conditions on the set of invariants. As we study these spacetimes we relate the invariant structure (i.e., Cartan scalars) to the physical description of these spacetimes using the geodesic deviation equations relative to timelike geodesic observers., Comment: 12 pages

We solve the equivalence problem for vacuum PP-wave spacetimes by employing the Karlhede algorithm. Our main result is a suite of Cartan invariants that allows for the complete invariant classification of the vacuum pp-waves. In particular, we derive the invariant characterization of the G2 and G3 sub-classes in terms of these invariants. It is known [Collins91] that the invariant classification of vacuum pp-waves requires at most the fourth order covariant derivative of the curvature tensor, but no specific examples requiring the fourth order were known. Using our comprehensive classification, we prove that the q<=4 bound is sharp and explicitly describe all such maximal order solutions.

We discuss the construction of cosmological models within the framework of Macroscopic Gravity (MG), which is a theory that models the effects of averaging the geometry of space-time on large scales. We find new exact spatially homogeneous and isotropic FLRW solutions to the MG field equations, and investigate large-scale perturbations around them. We find that any inhomogeneous perturbations to the averaged geometry are severely restricted, but that possible anisotropies in the correlation tensor can have dramatic consequences for the measurement of distances. These calculations are a first step within the MG approach toward developing averaged cosmological models to a point where they can be used to interpret real cosmological data, and hence to provide a working alternative to the "concordance" LCDM model., Comment: 22 pages

We discuss the invariant classification of vacuum Kundt waves using the Cartan-Karlhede algorithm, and the upper bound on the number of iterations of the Karlhede algorithm to classify the vacuum Kundt waves. By choosing a particular coordinate system we partially construct the canonical coframe used in the classification to study the functional dependence of the invariants arising at each iteration of the algorithm. We provide a new upper bound $q \leq 4$ and show this bound is sharp by analyzing the subclass of Kundt waves with invariant count beginning with (0,1,...) to show that the class with invariant count $(0,1,3,4,4)$ exists. This class of vacuum Kundt waves is shown to be unique as the only set of metrics requiring the fourth covariant derivatives of the curvature. We conclude with an invariant classification of the vacuum Kundt waves using a suite of invariants., Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures