Anisotropic Stress as a Signature of Nonstandard Propagation of Gravitational Waves

Ippocratis D. Saltas, Ignacy Sawicki, Luca Amendola, and Martin Kunz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 191101 – Published 7 November 2014

Abstract

We make precise the heretofore ambiguous statement that anisotropic stress is a sign of a modification of gravity. We show that in cosmological solutions of very general classes of models extending gravity—all scalar-tensor theories (Horndeski), Einstein-aether models, and bimetric massive gravity—a direct correspondence exists between perfect fluids apparently carrying anisotropic stress and a modification in the propagation of gravitational waves. Since the anisotropic stress can be measured in a model-independent manner, a comparison of the behavior of gravitational waves from cosmological sources with large-scale-structure formation could, in principle, lead to new constraints on the theory of gravity.

  • Received 5 July 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.191101

© 2014 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Ippocratis D. Saltas1, Ignacy Sawicki2,3, Luca Amendola4, and Martin Kunz2,3

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
  • 2Départment de Physique Théorique and Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 24, CH-1211 Genève 4, Switzerland
  • 3African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, 6 Melrose Road, Muizenberg 7945, South Africa
  • 4Intitut für Theoretische Physik, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 113, Iss. 19 — 7 November 2014

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×