Cosmological model with decaying vacuum energy law from principles of quantum mechanics

We construct the cosmological model to explain the cosmological constant problem. We built the extension of the standard cosmological model $\Lambda$CDM by consideration of decaying vacuum energy represented by the running cosmological term. From the principles of quantum mechanics one can find that in the long term behavior survival probability of unstable states is a decreasing function of the cosmological time and has the inverse power-like form. This implies that cosmological constant $\rho_{\text{vac}} = \Lambda(t) = \Lambda_{\text{bare}} + \frac{\alpha}{t^2}$ where $\Lambda_{\text{bare}}$ and $\alpha$ are constants. We investigate the dynamics of this model using dynamical system methods due to a link to the $\Lambda(H)$ cosmologies. We have found the exact solution for the scale factor as well as the indicators of its variability like the deceleration parameter and the jerk. From the calculation of the jerk we obtain a simple test of the decaying vacuum in the FRW universe. Using astronomical data (SNIa, $H(z)$, CMB, BAO) we have estimated the model parameters and compared this model with the $\Lambda$CDM model. Our statistical results indicate that the decaying vacuum model is a little worse than the $\Lambda$CDM model. But the decaying vacuum cosmological model explains the small value of the cosmological constant today.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

Does the diffusion DM-DE interaction model solve cosmological puzzles?

We study dynamics of cosmological models with diffusion effects modeling dark matter and dark energy interactions. We show the simple model with diffusion between the cosmological constant sector and dark matter, where the canonical scaling law of dark matter $(\rho_{dm,0}a^{-3}(t))$ is modified by an additive $\epsilon(t)=\gamma t a^{-3}(t)$ to the form $\rho_{dm}=\rho_{dm,0}a^{-3}(t)+\epsilon(t)$. We reduced this model to the autonomous dynamical system and investigate it using dynamical system methods. This system possesses a two-dimensional invariant submanifold on which the DM-DE interaction can be analyzed on the phase plane. The state variables are density parameter for matter (dark and visible) and parameter $\delta$ characterizing the rate of growth of energy transfer between the dark sectors. A corresponding dynamical system belongs to a general class of jungle type of cosmologies represented by coupled cosmological models in a Lotka-Volterra framework. We demonstrate that the de Sitter solution is a global attractor for all trajectories in the phase space and there are two repellers: the Einstein-de Sitter universe and the de Sitter universe state dominating by the diffusion effects. We distinguish in the phase space trajectories, which become in good agreement with the data. They should intersect a rectangle with sides of $\Omega_{m,0}\in [0.2724, 0.3624]$, $\delta \in [0.0000, 0.0364]$ at the 95\% CL. Our model could solve some of the puzzles of the $\Lambda$CDM model, such as the coincidence and fine-tuning problems. In the context of the coincidence problem, our model can explain the present ratio of $\rho_{m}$ to $\rho_{de}$, which is equal $0.4576^{+0.1109}_{-0.0831}$ at a 2$\sigma$ confidence level.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figure

Cosmology with decaying cosmological constant -- exact solutions and model testing

We study dynamics of $\Lambda(t)$ cosmological models which are a natural generalization of the standard cosmological model (the $\Lambda$CDM model). We consider a class of models: the ones with a prescribed form of $\Lambda(t)=\Lambda_{\text{bare}}+\frac{\alpha^2}{t^2}$. This type of a $\Lambda(t)$ parametrization is motivated by different cosmological approaches. We interpret the model with running Lambda ($\Lambda(t)$) as a special model of an interacting cosmology with the interaction term $-d\Lambda(t)/dt$ in which energy transfer is between dark matter and dark energy sectors. For the $\Lambda(t)$ cosmology with a prescribed form of $\Lambda(t)$ we have found the exact solution in the form of Bessel functions. Our model shows that fractional density of dark energy $\Omega_e$ is constant and close to zero during the early evolution of the universe. We have also constrained the model parameters for this class of models using the astronomical data such as SNIa data, BAO, CMB, measurements of $H(z)$ and the Alcock-Paczy{\'n}ski test. In this context we formulate a simple criterion of variability of $\Lambda$ with respect to $t$ in terms of variability of the jerk or sign of estimator $(1-\Omega_{\text{m},0}-\Omega_{\Lambda,0})$. The case study of our model enable us to find an upper limit $\alpha^2 < 0.012$ ($2\sigma$ C.L.) describing the variation from the cosmological constant while the LCDM model seems to be consistent with various data.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures; We pointed out that most stringent limit on parameter \alpha^2 can be obtained if we apply Starobinsky argument and use constraint of Ade et al. (arXiv:1502.01590). Let us note that while the corresponding limit on the parameter \alpha^2 parameter is about twice less than the limit obtained from our estimation, but it is obtained independently of Starobinsky's argumen

Which cosmological models -- with dark energy or modified FRW dynamics?

Recent measurements of distant type Ia supernovae (SNIa) as well as other observations indicate that our universe is in accelerating phase of expansion. In principle there are two alternative explanation for such an acceleration. While in the first approach an unknown form of energy violating the strong energy condition is postulated, in second one some modification of FRW dynamics is postulated. The both approaches are in well agreement with present day observations which is the manifestation of the degeneracy problem appearing in observational cosmology. We use the Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian (BIC) information criteria of model selection to overcome this degeneracy and to determine a model with such a set of parameters which gives the most preferred fit to the SNIa data. We consider five representative evolutional scenarios in each of groups. Among dark energy proposal the $\Lambda$CDM model, CDM model with phantom field, CDM model with topological defect, model with Chaplygin gas, and the model with the linear dynamical equation of state parameter. As an alternative prototype scenarios we consider: brane world Dvali Gabadadze Porrati scenario, brane models in Randall-Sundrum scenario, Cardassian models with dust matter and radiation, bouncing model with the cosmological constant and metric-affine gravity (MAG) inspired cosmological models. Applying the model selection criteria we show that both AIC and BIC indicates that additional contribution arises from nonstandard FRW dynamics are not necessary to explain SNIa. Adopting the model selection information criteria we show that the AIC indicates the flat phantom model while BIC indicates both flat phantom and flat $\Lambda$CDM models.Comment: 17 pages 6 figure

Testing and selection cosmological models with dark energy

It is described dynamics of a large class of accelerating cosmological models in terms of dynamical systems of the Newtonian type. The evolution of the models is reduced to the motion of a particle in a potential well parameterized by the scale factor. This potential function can be reconstructed from distant supernovae type Ia data and many cosmological models represented in terms of the potential becomes in a good agreement with current observational data. It is proposed to use the information criteria to overcome this degeneracy within a class of A) dark energy models and B) simple models basing on modification of the FRW equation. Two class of models can be recommended by the Akaike (AIC) and Schwarz (BIC) information criteria: the phantom and $\Lambda$CDM models.Comment: Talk at Albert Einstein Century International Conference at Palais de l'Unesco, Paris, France, 18-23 July 2005; to appear in the Proceedings; AIP style files included, 6 pages, 2 figure

Dynamical complexity of the Brans-Dicke cosmology

The dynamics of the Brans-Dicke theory with a quadratic scalar field potential function and barotropic matter is investigated. The dynamical system methods are used to reveal complexity of dynamical evolution in homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models. The structure of phase space crucially depends on the parameter of the theory $\omega_{\textrm{BD}}$ as well as barotropic matter index $w_{m}$. In our analysis these parameters are treated as bifurcation parameters. We found sets of values of these parameters which lead to generic evolutional scenarios. We show that in isotropic and homogeneous models in the Brans-Dicke theory with a quadratic potential function the de Sitter state appears naturally. Stability conditions of this state are fully investigated. It is shown that these models can explain accelerated expansion of the Universe without the assumption of the substantial form of dark matter and dark energy. The Poincare construction of compactified phase space with a circle at infinity is used to show that phase space trajectories in a physical region can be equipped with a structure of a vector field on nontrivial topological closed space. For $\omega_{\textrm{BD}}<-3/2$ we show new types of early and late time evolution leading from the anti-de Sitter to the de Sitter state through an asymmetric bounce. In the theory without a ghost we find bouncing solutions and the coexistence of the bounces and the singularity. Following the Peixoto theorem some conclusions about structural stability are drawn.Comment: 34 pages, 14 figs; (v2) 36 pages, 16 figs, refs. added, JCAP (in press

Simple cosmological model with inflation and late times acceleration

In the framework of polynomial Palatini cosmology, we investigate a simple cosmological homogeneous and isotropic model with matter in the Einstein frame. We show that in this model during cosmic evolution, it appears the early inflation and the accelerating phase of the expansion for the late times. In this frame we obtain the Friedmann equation with matter and dark energy in the form of a scalar field with the potential whose form is determined in a covariant way by the Ricci scalar of the FRW metric. The energy density of matter and dark energy are also parametrized through the Ricci scalar. The early inflation is obtained only for an infinitesimally small fraction of energy density of matter. Between the matter and dark energy, there exists interaction because the dark energy is decaying. For characterization of inflation we calculate the slow roll parameters and the constant roll parameter in terms of the Ricci scalar. We have found a characteristic behaviour of the time dependence of density of dark energy on the cosmic time following the logistic-like curve which interpolates two almost constant value phases. From the required numbers of $N$-folds we have found a bound on model parameter.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Chasing Lambda

Recent astronomical observations of SNIa, CMB, as well as BAO in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, suggest that the current Universe has entered a stage of an accelerated expansion with the transition redshift at $z \simeq 0.5$. While the simplest candidates to explain this fact is cosmological constant/vacuum energy, there exists a serious problem of coincidence. In theoretical cosmology we can find many possible approaches alleviating this problem by applying new physics or other conception of dark energy. We consider state of art candidates for the description of accelerating Universe in the framework of the Bayesian model selection. We point out advantages as well as troubles of this approach. We find that the combination of four data bases gives a stringent posterior probability of the $\Lambda$CDM model which is 74%. This fact is a quantitative exemplification of a turmoil in modern cosmology over the $\Lambda$ problem.Comment: Talk presented at the "A Century of Cosmology - Past, Present and Future" conference, S.Servolo(Venice), Italy, August 27-31 2007. To be published in Il Nuovo Ciment

Cosmological dynamics with non-minimally coupled scalar field and a constant potential function

Dynamical systems methods are used to investigate global behavior of the spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological model in gravitational theory with a non-minimally coupled scalar field and a constant potential function. We show that the system can be reduced to an autonomous three-dimensional dynamical system and additionally is equipped with an invariant manifold corresponding to an accelerated expansion of the universe. Using this invariant manifold we find an exact solution of the reduced dynamics. We investigate all solutions for all admissible initial conditions using theory of dynamical systems to obtain a classification of all evolutional paths. The right-hand sides of the dynamical system depend crucially on the value of the non-minimal coupling constant therefore we study bifurcation values of this parameter under which the structure of the phase space changes qualitatively. We found a special bifurcation value of the non-minimal coupling constant which is distinguished by dynamics of the model and may suggest some additional symmetry in matter sector of the theory.Comment: 39 pages, 8 multiple figs; v2. 41 pages, 8 multiple figs. published versio