Electric S-brane solutions corresponding to rank-2 Lie algebras: acceleration and small variation of G

Electric S-brane solutions with two non-composite electric branes and a set of l scalar fields are considered. The intersection rules for branes correspond to Lie algebras A_2, C_2 and G_2. The solutions contain five factor spaces. One of them, M_0, is interpreted as our 3-dimensional space. It is shown that there exists a time interval where accelerated expansion of our 3-dimensional space is compatible with a small enough variation of the effective gravitational constant G(\tau). This interval contains \tau_0, a point of minimum of the function G(\tau). A special solution with two phantom scalar fields is analyzed and it is shown that in the vicinity of the point \tau_0 the time variation of G(\tau) (calculated in the linear approximation) decreases in the sequence of Lie algebras A_2, C_2 and G_2.Comment: 13 pages, LaTex, no figure

Self-stabilization of extra dimensions

We show that the problem of stabilization of extra dimensions in Kaluza-Klein type cosmology may be solved in a theory of gravity involving high-order curvature invariants. The method suggested (employing a slow-change approximation) can work with rather a general form of the gravitational action. As examples, we consider pure gravity with Lagrangians quadratic and cubic in the scalar curvature and some more complex ones in a simple Kaluza-Klein framework. After a transition to the 4D Einstein conformal frame, this results in effective scalar field theories with certain effective potentials, which in many cases possess positive minima providing stable small-size extra dimensions. Estimates made in the original (Jordan) conformal frame show that the problem of a small value of the cosmological constant in the present Universe is softened in this framework but is not solved completely.}Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, revtex4. Version with additions and corrections, accepted at Phys. Rev.

Models of G time variations in diverse dimensions

A review of different cosmological models in diverse dimensions leading to a relatively small time variation of the effective gravitational constant G is presented. Among them: 4-dimensional general scalar-tensor model, multidimensional vacuum model with two curved Einstein spaces, multidimensional model with multicomponent anisotropic "perfect fluid", S-brane model with scalar fields and two form field etc. It is shown that there exist different possible ways of explanation of relatively small time variation of the effective gravitational constant G compatible with present cosmological data (e.g. acceleration): 4-dimensional scalar-tensor theories or multidimensional cosmological models with different matter sources. The experimental bounds on G-dot may be satisfied ether in some restricted interval or for all allowed values of the synchronous time variable.Comment: 27 pages, Late

Cosmologies from nonlinear multidimensional gravity with acceleration and slowly varying G

We consider multidimensional gravity with a Lagrangian containing the Ricci tensor squared and the Kretschmann invariant. In a Kaluza-Klein approach with a single compact extra space of arbitrary dimension, with the aid of a slow-change approximation (as compared with the Planck scale), we build a class of spatially flat cosmological models in which both the observed scale factor $a(\tau)$ and the extra-dimensional one, $b(\tau)$, grow exponentially at large times, but $b(\tau)$ grows slowly enough to admit variations of the effective gravitational constant $G$ within observational limits. Such models predict a drastic change in the physical laws of our Universe in the remote future due to further growth of the extra dimensions.Comment: 5 pages, to be published in Grav. Cosmo

Possible variations of the fine structure constant α\alpha and their metrological significance

We briefly review the recent experimental results on possible variations of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ on the cosmological time scale and its position dependence. We outline the theoretical grounds for the assumption that $\alpha$ might be variable, mention some phenomenological models incorporating a variable $\alpha$ into the context of modern cosmology and discuss the significance of possible $\alpha$ variations for theoretical and practical metrology.Comment: Latex, 17 pages, brief review. References updated, minor errors remove

Brane world corrections to Newton's law

We discuss possible variations of the effective gravitational constant with length scale, predicted by most of alternative theories of gravity and unified models of physical interactions. After a brief general exposition, we review in more detail the predicted corrections to Newton's law of gravity in diverse brane world models. We consider various configurations in 5 dimensions (flat, de Sitter and AdS branes in Einstein and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theories, with and without induced gravity and possible incomplete graviton localization), 5D multi-brane systems and some models in higher dimensions. A common feature of all models considered is the existence of corrections to Newton's law at small radii comparable with the bulk characteristic length: at such radii, gravity on the brane becomes effectively multidimensional. Many models contain superlight perturbation modes, which modify gravity at large scale and may be important for astrophysics and cosmology.Comment: Brief review, 16 pages, 92 references. Some description and references adde