Geometric Selection Rules for Singularity Formation in Modified Gravity

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Chakrabarti, Soumya
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Chakrabarti, Soumya
author_facet Chakrabarti, Soumya
contents We argue that the polynomial degeneracies of curvature invariants can act as geometric selection rules for spacetime singularities in modified theories of gravity. The degeneracies arise purely from the algebraic structure of Riemannian geometry and impose non-trivial constraints on the effective energy-momentum tensor. We derive these constraints for metric $f(R)$ gravity and a wide class of scalar-tensor theories to show that a singularity formation is generally occluded by curvature and/or scalar-induced anisotropies. Therefore, formation of a singularity in modified theories of gravity is not always a generic outcome but can occur only along algebraically admissible branches selected by Riemannian curvature invariants.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_22739
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Geometric Selection Rules for Singularity Formation in Modified Gravity
Chakrabarti, Soumya
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
We argue that the polynomial degeneracies of curvature invariants can act as geometric selection rules for spacetime singularities in modified theories of gravity. The degeneracies arise purely from the algebraic structure of Riemannian geometry and impose non-trivial constraints on the effective energy-momentum tensor. We derive these constraints for metric $f(R)$ gravity and a wide class of scalar-tensor theories to show that a singularity formation is generally occluded by curvature and/or scalar-induced anisotropies. Therefore, formation of a singularity in modified theories of gravity is not always a generic outcome but can occur only along algebraically admissible branches selected by Riemannian curvature invariants.
title Geometric Selection Rules for Singularity Formation in Modified Gravity
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.22739