On the construction of asymptotically flat initial data in scalar-tensor effective field theory

Abstract

We study the constraint equations for a class of scalar-tensor effective field theories of gravity, including the operators up to $4$ derivatives in the action ($4\partial$ST). We extend the conformal transverse traceless and conformal thin sandwich methods of General Relativity to rewrite the constraint equations of the scalar-tensor theory as a set of elliptic partial differential equations. It is shown that, at weak coupling, a unique solution exists to the corresponding elliptic boundary value problems on asymptotically Euclidean initial slices under similar conditions as in the case of General Relativity. Furthermore, we find a generalization of the Bowen-York solution for $4\partial$ST theories, too. These results demonstrate that standard methods for constructing initial data in General Relativity are applicable (with minimal modification) to weakly coupled $4\partial$ST theories.