title: Phenomenology of Massive Spin-2 Fields
creator: Platscher, Moritz Ernst Lothar
subject: ddc-530
subject: 530 Physics
description: We derive and discuss the implications of massive spin-2 fields as possible extensions of the standard theory of gravity, general relativity, in the spirit of extension of the standard model of particle physics. We give a thorough introduction to the topic of massive gravity from the point of view of bi- or multi-metric extensions of general relativity, focussing on the bimetric case in the phenomenological considerations. Furthermore, known shortcomings and benefits of such models are discussed. From this discussion it is evident that the parameter regime of interest is mostly that of very small spin-2 masses, such that effects on galactic and extra-galactic length scales are expected. On these grounds, we investigate the dynamics of spiral galaxies in the form of rotation curves, from which we derive constraints on the model’s parameter space. Moreover, we discuss the modifications of gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters, which strongly constrain these parameters. We also highlight how these modifications could explain tentative anomalies in the observations of such systems. Finally, we make use of the recent detection and conformation of gravitational waves. If more than one spin-2 field is present, they are expected to mix dynamically in close analogy to the oscillation of neutrino flavours. This observation is confirmed quantitatively, and subsequently used to derive new constraints on the allowed masses and mixings of the two tensors. To this end, we employ both the available data as well as a future, hypothetical sample of many such signals and their distribution as a function of the cosmological redshift. We conclude our discussion with another critical contemplation of the current status and provide an outlook onto possible ultraviolet completions.
date: 2019
type: Dissertation
type: info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
identifier: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserverhttps://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/25876/1/Thesis_Platscher2018.pdf
identifier: DOI:10.11588/heidok.00025876
identifier: urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-258764
identifier:   Platscher, Moritz Ernst Lothar  (2019) Phenomenology of Massive Spin-2 Fields.  [Dissertation]     
relation: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/25876/
rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights: http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/help/license_urhg.html
language: eng