Relativistic gravitation theory for the modified Newtonian dynamics paradigm

The modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) paradigm of Milgrom can boast of a number of successful predictions regarding galactic dynamics; these are made without the assumption that dark matter plays a significant role. MOND requires gravitation to depart from Newtonian theory in the extragalactic regime where dynamical accelerations are small. So far relativistic gravitation theories proposed to underpin MOND have either clashed with the post-Newtonian tests of general relativity, or failed to provide significant gravitational lensing, or violated hallowed principles by exhibiting superluminal scalar waves or an a priori vector field. We develop a relativistic MOND inspired theory which resolves these problems. In it gravitation is mediated by metric, a scalar, and a 4-vector field, all three dynamical. For a simple choice of its free function, the theory has a Newtonian limit for nonrelativistic dynamics with significant acceleration, but a MOND limit when accelerations are small. We calculate the $\beta$ and $\gamma$ parameterized post-Newtonian coefficients showing them to agree with solar system measurements. The gravitational light deflection by nonrelativistic systems is governed by the same potential responsible for dynamics of particles. To the extent that MOND successfully describes dynamics of a system, the new theory’s predictions for lensing by that system’s visible matter will agree as well with observations as general relativity’s predictions made with a dynamically successful dark halo model. Cosmological models based on the theory are quite similar to those based on general relativity; they predict slow evolution of the scalar field. For a range of initial conditions, this last result makes it easy to rule out superluminal propagation of metric, scalar, and vector waves.