Abstract
We revisit the possibility that the Planck mass is spontaneously generated in scale-invariant scalar-tensor theories of gravity, typically leading to a “dilaton.” The fifth force, arising from the dilaton, is severely constrained by astrophysical measurements. We explore the possibility that nature is fundamentally scale invariant and argue that, as a consequence, the fifth-force effects are dramatically suppressed and such models are viable. We discuss possible obstructions to maintaining scale invariance and how these might be resolved.
- Received 9 December 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.95.064038
© 2017 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics