Thesis

Dynamical Systems in General Relativity and in Modified Gravity Theories

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2017

• Academic Year:

  2017 / 2018

• Domains:

  General Relativity | Cosmology

• Supervisor:

  Filipe Mena

• Co-Supervisor:

  Artur Alho

• Institution:

  Universidade do Minho

• Host Institution:

  University of Minho

• Abstract:

  One of the most fundamental problems in modern science consists in understanding the observed accelerated expansion of the Universe. The aim of this project is to make contributions to the study of the global dynamics of cosmological models and of the implications that the accelerated expansion can have on local systems, such as astrophysical objects. The common denominator of our approach is the development and application of the theory of dynamical systems in General Relativity and in modified theories of gravity. In the first part of the project, we will consider spatially homogeneous solutions, as cosmological models, containing ideal fluids and dissipative fluids interacting with scalar and vector fields. In the second part, the focus will be on the astrophysical compact objects, represented by static spherically symmetric solutions with isotropic fluids as well as anisotropic Vlasov matter from kinetic theory, with a cosmological constant.