Eleven spherically symmetric constant density solutions with cosmological constant

Einstein's field equations with cosmological constant are analysed for a static, spherically symmetric perfect fluid having constant density. Five new global solutions are described. One of these solutions has the Nariai solution joined on as an exterior field. Another solution describes a decreasing pressure model with exterior Schwarzschild-de Sitter spacetime having decreasing group orbits at the boundary. Two further types generalise the Einstein static universe. The other new solution is unphysical, it is an increasing pressure model with a geometric singularity.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, revised bibliography, corrected eqn. (3.11), typos corrected, two new reference

From continuum mechanics to general relativity

Using ideas from continuum mechanics we construct a theory of gravity. We show that this theory is equivalent to Einstein's theory of general relativity; it is also a much faster way of reaching general relativity than the conventional route. Our approach is simple and natural: we form a very general model and then apply two physical assumptions supported by experimental evidence. This easily reduces our construction to a model equivalent to general relativity. Finally, we suggest a simple way of modifying our theory to investigate non-standard space-time symmetries.Comment: 7 pages, this essay received a honorable mention in the 2014 essay competition of the Gravity Research Foundatio

Bounds on M/R for Charged Objects with positive Cosmological constant

We consider charged spherically symmetric static solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell equations with a positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$. If $r$ denotes the area radius, $m_g$ and $q$ the gravitational mass and charge of a sphere with area radius $r$ respectively, we find that for any solution which satisfies the condition $p+2p_{\perp}\leq \rho,$ where $p\geq 0$ and $p_{\perp}$ are the radial and tangential pressures respectively, $\rho\geq 0$ is the energy density, and for which $0\leq \frac{q^2}{r^2}+\Lambda r^2\leq 1,$ the inequality $\frac{m_g}{r} \leq 2/9+\frac{q^2}{3r^2}-\frac{\Lambda r^2}{3}+2/9\sqrt{1+\frac{3q^2}{r^2}+3\Lambda r^2}$ holds. We also investigate the issue of sharpness, and we show that the inequality is sharp in a few cases but generally this question is open.Comment: 12 pages. Revised version to appear in Class. Quant. Gra

On galaxy rotation curves from a continuum mechanics approach to modified gravity

We consider a modification of General Relativity motivated by the treatment of anisotropies in Continuum Mechanics. The Newtonian limit of the theory is formulated and applied to galactic rotation curves. By assuming that the additional structure of spacetime behaves like a Newtonian gravitational potential for small deviations from isotropy, we are able to recover the Navarro-Frenk-White profile of dark matter halos by a suitable identification of constants. We consider the Burkert profile in the context of our model and also discuss rotation curves more generally.Comment: 8 pages; v2 11 pages, heavily revised version, new title; v3 13 pages final versio

Geometrically nonlinear Cosserat elasticity in the plane: applications to chirality

Modelling two-dimensional chiral materials is a challenging problem in continuum mechanics because three-dimensional theories reduced to isotropic two-dimensional problems become non-chiral. Various approaches have been suggested to overcome this problem. We propose a new approach to this problem by formulating an intrinsically two-dimensional model which does not require references to a higher dimensional one. We are able to model planar chiral materials starting from a geometrically non-linear Cosserat type elasticity theory. Our results are in agreement with previously derived equations of motion but can contain additional terms due to our non-linear approach. Plane wave solutions are briefly discussed within this model.Comment: 22 pages, 1 figure; v2 updated versio