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The equation of motion (in the center of mass frame) due only to gravitational forces between two point masses is:

$$\frac{d^2r}{dt^2} = -\frac{GM}{r^2}$$

How does the equation get modified when a repulsive force due to vacuum energy/dark energy is included?

NeutronStar
  • 5,473

2 Answers2

9

We want the Newtonian limit of the Einstein Field equations for nonzero vacuum energy(=cosmological constant). As $\rho_\mathrm{vac}=\Lambda/4\pi G$ is a mass(=energy) density, Poisson equation is $$ \Delta\Phi=4\pi G\rho(\boldsymbol r)-\Lambda \tag{1} $$

If we assume spherical symmetry, and point-like source $\rho\sim\delta(\boldsymbol r)$, the grativational potential that solves $(1)$ is $$ \Phi(r)=-\frac{GM}{r}-\frac{1}{6}\Lambda r^2\tag{2} $$ so that the gravitational acceleration is given by $$ g=-\partial_r\Phi=-\frac{GM}{r^2}+\frac{1}{3}\Lambda r\tag{3} $$

4

You get an extra term that increases with r:

$$a = -\frac{G\cdot M}{r^2} + j\cdot r$$

with j as the repulsive component.

Yukterez
  • 14,655