Structure Formation in Modified Gravity Cosmologies [Hardcover]

This unique thesis covers all aspects oftheories of gravity beyond Einsteins General Relativity, from setting up theequations that describe the evolution of perturbations, to determining thebest-fitting parameters using constraints like the microwave backgroundradiation, and ultimately to the later stages of structure formation usingstate-of-the-art N-body simulations and comparing them to observations ofgalaxies, clusters and other large-scale structures. This truly ground-breakingwork puts the study of modified gravity models on the same footing as thestandard model of cosmology. Since the discovery of the accelerating expansionof the Universe, marked by the awarding of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics,there has been a growing interest in understanding what drives thatacceleration. One possible explanation lies in theories of gravity beyondEinsteins General Relativity. This thesis addresses all aspects of the problem,an approach that is crucial to avoiding potentially catastrophic biases in theinterpretation of upcoming observational missions.   

Introduction.- Linear Perturbations in Galileon Gravity Models.- The Observational Status of Galileon Gravity After Planck.- Spherical Collapse in Galileon Gravity .- N-body Simulations and Halo Modelling in Galileon Gravity Cosmologies.-  Nonlinear Structure Formation in Nonlocal Gravity.- Lensing by Clusters and Voids in Modi
ed Lensing Potentials.- Summary, Conclusions and Future Work.

Alexandre Barreira is originally from Porto, Portugal. Hecompleted his undergraduate Master degrees in physics in 2011 at the Universityof Porto, supervised by Prof. Pedro Avelino. Barreira then carried out his PhDat Durham University under the supervision of Prof. Carlton Baugh, Dr. BaojiuLi and Prof. Silvia Pascoli, successfully defended his thesis in May 2015. Onthe basis of outstanding overall performance during his Phls3