Baryogenesis in $f(R)$-Theories of Gravity

Abstract

$f(R)$-theories of gravity are reviewed in the context of the so called gravitational baryogenesis. The latter is a mechanism for generating the baryon asymmetry in the Universe, and relies on the coupling between the Ricci scalar curvature $R$ and the baryon current. Gravity Lagrangians of the form ${\cal L}(R)\sim R^n$, where $n$ differs from 1 (the case of the General Relativity) only for tiny deviations of a few percent, are consistent with the current bounds on the observed baryon asymmetry.