8 research outputs found
Scalar-Tensor Dark Energy Models
We present here some recent results concerning scalar-tensor Dark Energy
models. These models are very interesting in many respects: they allow for a
consistent phantom phase, the growth of matter perturbations is modified. Using
a systematic expansion of the theory at low redshifts, we relate the
possibility to have phantom like DE to solar system constraints.Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the Marcel Grossmann Conference MG11,
July 2006, Berlin; 3 page
Scalar-Tensor Models of Normal and Phantom Dark Energy
We consider the viability of dark energy (DE) models in the framework of the
scalar-tensor theory of gravity, including the possibility to have a phantom DE
at small redshifts as admitted by supernova luminosity-distance data. For
small , the generic solution for these models is constructed in the form of
a power series in without any approximation. Necessary constraints for DE
to be phantom today and to cross the phantom divide line at small
are presented. Considering the Solar System constraints, we find for the
post-Newtonian parameters that and for
the model to be viable, and (but very close to 1) if the model
has a significantly phantom DE today. However, prospects to establish the
phantom behaviour of DE are much better with cosmological data than with Solar
System experiments. Earlier obtained results for a -dominated universe
with the vanishing scalar field potential are extended to a more general DE
equation of state confirming that the cosmological evolution of these models
rule them out. Models of currently fantom DE which are viable for small can
be easily constructed with a constant potential; however, they generically
become singular at some higher . With a growing potential, viable models
exist up to an arbitrary high redshift.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures; Matches the published version containing an
expanded discussion of various point
Constraints on Quintessence From Using Cosmological Data
Recent data, including the three--year WMAP data, the full 2dF galaxy power
spectrum and the first--year data of the Supernova Legacy Survey, are used to
constrain model parameters in quintessence cosmologies. In particular, we
discuss the inverse power--law (RP) and SUGRA potentials and compare parameter
constraints with those for LCDM. Both potentials fit current observations with
a goodness of fit comparable or better than LCDM. The constraints on the energy
scale Lambda_DE appearing in both potential expressions are however different.
For RP, only energy scales around the cosmological constant limit are allowed,
making the allowed models quite similar to LCDM. For SUGRA, Lambda_DE values
approximately up to Electroweak energy scale are still allowed, while other
parameter intervals are slightly but significantly displaced. In particular a
value of the primeval spectral index n_s = 1 is still allowed at the 95% c.l.,
and this can have an impact on constraints on possible inflationary potentials.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to JCA
On compatibility of string effective action with an accelerating universe
In this paper, we fully investigate the cosmological effects of the moduli
dependent one-loop corrections to the gravitational couplings of the string
effective action to explain the cosmic acceleration problem in early (and/or
late) universe. These corrections comprise a Gauss-Bonnet (GB) invariant
multiplied by universal non-trivial functions of the common modulus
and the dilaton . The model exhibits several features of cosmological
interest, including the transition between deceleration and acceleration
phases. By considering some phenomenologically motivated ansatzs for one of the
scalars and/or the scale factor (of the universe), we also construct a number
of interesting inflationary potentials. In all examples under consideration, we
find that the model leads only to a standard inflation () when the
numerical coefficient associated with modulus-GB coupling is positive,
while the model can lead also to a non-standard inflation (), if
is negative. In the absence of (or trivial) coupling between the GB term and
the scalars, there is no crossing between the phases, while
this is possible with non-trivial GB couplings, even for constant dilaton phase
of the standard picture. Within our model, after a sufficient amount of e-folds
of expansion, the rolling of both fields and can be small. In
turn, any possible violation of equivalence principle or deviations from the
standard general relativity may be small enough to easily satisfy all
astrophysical and cosmological constraints.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figures; v2 significant changes in notations, appendix
and refs added; v3 significant revisions, refs added; v4 appendix extended,
new refs, published versio
Crossing the Phantom Divide: Theoretical Implications and Observational Status
If the dark energy equation of state parameter w(z) crosses the phantom
divide line w=-1 (or equivalently if the expression d(H^2(z))/dz - 3\Omega_m
H_0^2 (1+z)^2 changes sign) at recent redshifts, then there are two possible
cosmological implications: Either the dark energy consists of multiple
components with at least one non-canonical phantom component or general
relativity needs to be extended to a more general theory on cosmological
scales. The former possibility requires the existence of a phantom component
which has been shown to suffer from serious theoretical problems and
instabilities. Therefore, the later possibility is the simplest realistic
theoretical framework in which such a crossing can be realized. After providing
a pedagogical description of various dark energy observational probes, we use a
set of such probes (including the Gold SnIa sample, the first year SNLS
dataset, the 3-year WMAP CMB shift parameter, the SDSS baryon acoustic
oscillations peak (BAO), the X-ray gas mass fraction in clusters and the linear
growth rate of perturbations at z=0.15 as obtained from the 2dF galaxy redshift
survey) to investigate the priors required for cosmological observations to
favor crossing of the phantom divide. We find that a low \Omega_m prior
(0.2<\Omega_m <0.25) leads, for most observational probes (except of the SNLS
data), to an increased probability (mild trend) for phantom divide crossing. An
interesting degeneracy of the ISW effect in the CMB perturbation spectrum is
also pointed out.Comment: Accepted in JCAP (to appear). Comments added, typos corrected. 19
pages (revtex), 8 figures. The numerical analysis files (Mathematica +
Fortran) with instructions are available at
http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/pdl-cross/pdl-cross.htm . The ppt file of a
relevant talk may be downloaded from
http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/pdl-cross/pdl2006.pp
Scalar-Tensor Dark Energy Models
Submitted to the Proceedings of the Marcel Grossmann Conference MG11, July 2006, Berlin; 3 pages - To be published in World ScientificInternational audienceWe present here some recent results concerning scalar-tensor Dark Energy models. These models are very interesting in many respects: they allow for a consistent phantom phase, the growth of matter perturbations is modified. Using a systematic expansion of the theory at low redshifts, we relate the possibility to have phantom like DE to solar system constraints