Stochastic Background of Relic Scalar Gravitational Waves From Scalar–tensor Gravity

A stochastic background of relic gravitational waves is achieved by the so-called adiabatically-amplified zero-point fluctuations process derived from early inflation. In principle, it provides a distinctive spectrum of relic gravitational waves. In the framework of scalar–tensor gravity, we discuss the scalar modes of gravitational waves and the primordial production of this scalar component which is generated besides tensorial one. We also discuss the upper limit for such a relic scalar component with respect to the WMAP constraints.