Solar System constraints to nonminimally coupled gravity

Understand

We extend the analysis of Chiba, Smith and Erickcek \cite{CSE} of Solar System constraints on $f(R)$ gravity to a class of nonminimally coupled (NMC) theories of gravity.

• These generalize $f(R)$ theories by replacing the action functional of General Relativity (GR) with a more general form involving two functions $f^1(R)$ and $f^2(R)$ of the Ricci scalar curvature $R$.
• While the function $f^1(R)$ is a nonlinear term in the action, analogous to $f(R)$ gravity, the function $f^2(R)$ yields a NMC between the matter Lagrangian density $\LL_m$ and the scalar curvature.
• The developed method allows for obtaining constraints on the admissible classes of functions $f^1(R)$ and $f^2(R)$, by requiring that predictions of NMC gravity are compatible with Solar System tests of gravity.