Consequences of f(R)-theories of gravity on gravitational leptogenesis

Abstract

f(R)-theories of gravity are reviewed in the framework of the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe. The asymmetry is generated by the gravitational coupling of heavy (Majorana) neutrinos with the Ricci scalar curvature. In order that the mechanism works, a time varying non-zero Ricci curvature is necessary. The latter is provided by f(R) cosmology, whose Lagrangian density is of the form {\cal L}(R)\sim f(R). In particular we study the cases f(R)\sim R+\alpha R^n and f(R)\sim R^{1+\epsilon}.