Absence of antisymmetric tensor fields : Clue from Starobinsky model of f(R) gravity (2403.02771v4)

Abstract: One of the surprising aspects of the present Universe, is the absence of any noticeable observable effects of higher-rank antisymmetric tensor fields in any natural phenomena. Here, we address the possible explanation of the absence of the higher rank antisymmetric tensor fields within the framework of $f(R)$ gravity. We explore the cosmological evolution of the scalar degrees of freedom associated with higher curvature term in a general $f(R)$ gravity model $f (R) = R +\alpha_n R^n$. We show that while different cosmological parameters mimic standard behaviour at different epochs for different forms of higher curvature gravity (i.e. different values of n ), only Starobinsky model (n = 2) gives a natural justification for the invisibility of the signatures of the massless modes of higher rank antisymmetric fields. In contrast, for other models ($n\neq2$), despite their agreement with standard cosmology, the scalar degree of freedom induces an enhancement in the coupling of the antisymmetric fields and thereby contradicts the observation. The result does not change even with the inclusion of the Cosmological Constant. Thus, our result reveals that among different $f(R)$ models, Starobinsky model successfully explains the suppression of the massless modes of higher rank antisymmetric tensor fields leading to their invisibility in the present universe.