On the Conformal Frames in $f(R)$ Gravity

Abstract

We discuss gravitational physics in the Jordan and Einstein frames of $f (R)$ gravity coupled to the Standard Model. We elucidate the way in which the observed gravitational coupling arises in the Einstein frame for generic $f (R)$. We point out that the effect of "running units" in the Einstein frame is related to the fact that the explicit and implicit quantum parameters of the Standard Model, such as the Higgs vacuum expectation value and the parameter $\Lambda_\text{QCD}$, are modified by the conformal transformation of the metric and matter fields and become scalaron-dependent. Considering the scalaron of $f (R)$ gravity describing dark matter, we show that the effect of running units in this case is extremely weak, making two frames practically equivalent.