Predictive Power of Strong Coupling in Theories with Large Distance Modified Gravity

We consider theories that modify gravity at cosmological distances, and show that any such theory must exhibit a strong coupling phenomenon, or else it is either inconsistent or is already ruled out by the solar system observations. We show that all the ghost-free theories that modify dynamics of spin-2 graviton on asymptotically flat backgrounds, automatically have this property. Due to the strong coupling effect, modification of the gravitational force is source-dependent, and for lighter sources sets in at shorter distances. This universal feature makes modified gravity theories predictive and potentially testable not only by cosmological observations, but also by precision gravitational measurements at scales much shorter than the current cosmological horizon. We give a simple parametrization of consistent large distance modified gravity theories and their predicted deviations from the Einsteinian metric near the gravitating sources.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, to be published in New Journal of Physic

Gravity induced neutrino-antineutrino oscillation: CPT and lepton number non-conservation under gravity

We introduce a new effect in the neutrino oscillation phase which shows the neutrino-antineutrino oscillation is possible under gravity even if the rest masses of the corresponding eigenstates are same. This is due to CPT violation and possible to demonstrate if the neutrino mass eigenstates are expressed as a combination of neutrino and antineutrino eigenstates, as of the neutral kaon system, with the plausible breaking of lepton number conservation. For Majorana neutrinos, this oscillation is expected to affect significantly the inner edge of neutrino dominated accretion disks around a compact object by influencing the neutrino sphere which controls the accretion dynamics, and then the related type-II supernova evolution and the r-process nucleosynthesis. On the other hand, in early universe, in presence of various lepton number violating processes, this oscillation, we argue, might lead to neutrino asymmetry which resulted baryogenesis from the B-L symmetry by electro-weak sphaleron processes.Comment: 15 pages; Accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Long Range Forces from Two Neutrino Exchange Revisited

The exchange of two massless neutrinos gives rise to a long range force which couples to weakly charged matter. As has been noted previously in the literature, the potential for this force is \VN \propto G_{F}^2 / r^5 with monopole-monople, spin-spin and more complicated interactions. Unfortunately, this is far too small to be observed in present day experiments. We calculate \VN explicitly in the electroweak theory, and show that under very general assumptions forces arising from the exchange of two massless fermions can at best yield $1 / r^5$ potentials.Comment: 5 pages + 1 figure (not included), UFIFT-HEP-92-28/HUTP-92-A04

New calculations of the PNC Matrix Element for the JπTJ^{\pi}T 0+1,0−1^{+}1,0^{-}1 doublet in 14^{14}N

A new calculation of the predominantly isoscalar PNC matrix element between the $J^{\pi}T$ $0^{+}1,0^{-}1$ (E$_{x} \approx$ 8.7 MeV) states in $^{14}$N has been carried out in a (0+1+2+3+4)$\hbar \omega$ model space with the Warburton-Brown interaction. The magnitude of the PNC matrix element of 0.22 to 0.34 eV obtained with the DDH PNC interaction is substantially suppressed compared with previous calculations in smaller model spaces but shows agreement with the preliminary Seattle experimental data. The calculated sign is opposite to that obtained experimentally, and the implications of this are discussed.Comment: REVTEX, 28 page