We investigate the nonlinear power spectra of density perturbations and acoustic oscillations in growing neutrino quintessence. In this scenario, the neutrino mass has a strong dependence on the quintessence field. The induced coupling stops the evolution of the field when the neutrinos become nonrelativistic, and triggers the transition to the accelerating phase of the cosmological expansion. At redshifts around five, the neutrino fluctuations are still linear and acoustic oscillations are present in the neutrino power spectrum, induced by the acoustic oscillations in the baryonic and dark-matter sectors. The neutrino perturbations become nonlinear at redshifts around three. The mode coupling generated by the nonlinearities erases the oscillations in the neutrino spectrum at some redshift above two. There is a potential danger that at later times the influence of the gravitational potentials induced by the neutrino inhomogeneities could erase the oscillations from the baryonic and dark-matter spectra, making the scenario incompatible with observations. For the scenario to be viable, the neutrino-induced gravitational potentials in the range of baryonic acoustic oscillations should not grow to average values much larger than 10^{-4}. The magnitude of the expected potentials is still not known reliably, as the process of structure formation is poorly understood in growing neutrino quintessence.
Growing neutrino quintessence addresses the "why now" problem of dark energy by assuming that the neutrinos are coupled to the dark energy scalar field. The coupling mediates an attractive force between the neutrinos leading to the formation of large neutrino lumps. This work proposes an effective, simplified description of the subsequent cosmological dynamics. We treat neutrino lumps as effective particles and investigate their properties and mutual interactions. The neutrino lump fluid behaves as cold dark matter coupled to dark energy. The methods developed here may find wider applications …
We investigate the cosmological effects of neutrino lumps in Growing Neutrino Quintessence. The strongly non-linear effects are resolved by means of numerical N-body simulations which include relativistic particles, non-linear scalar field equations and backreaction effects. For the investigated models with a constant coupling between the scalar field and the neutrinos the backreaction effects are so strong that a realistic cosmology is hard to realize. This points towards the necessity of a field dependent coupling in Growing Neutrino Quintessence. In this case realistic models of dynamical D…
Growing neutrino quintessence solves the coincidence problem for dark energy by a growing cosmological value of the neutrino mass which emerges from a cosmon-neutrino interaction stronger than gravity. The cosmon-mediated attraction between neutrinos induces the formation of large scale neutrino lumps in a recent cosmological epoch. We argue that the non-linearities in the cosmon field equations stop the further increase of the neutrino mass within sufficiently dense and large lumps. As a result, we find the neutrino induced gravitational potential to be substantially reduced when compared to …
The origin of the neutrino mass, dark matter (DM), and dark energy (DE) are among the most challenging problems of fundamental physics. We address these questions from analyses of the models where the neutrino mass is generated via Yukawa coupling to the quintessence field which represents the DE. It has been shown in a recent work on the toy model with a single Dirac fermion coupled to the quintessence that by choosing parameters of the DE potential to match the present DE density, the model allows to lock the neutrino mass at m ~0.01 eV and yields consistent estimates for other parameters of…
A dependence of the neutrino masses on the dark energy scalar field could provide a solution to the why now problem of dark energy. The dynamics of the resulting cosmological model, growing neutrino quintessence, include an attractive force between neutrinos substantially stronger than gravity. We present a comprehensive approach towards an understanding of the full cosmological evolution including the formation of large-scale neutrino structures. Important effects we account for are local variations in the dark energy and the backreaction on the background evolution, as well as relativistic n…
We investigate the formation and dissipation of large scale neutrino structures in cosmologies where the time evolution of dynamical dark energy is stopped by a growing neutrino mass. In models where the coupling between neutrinos and dark energy grows with the value of the scalar cosmon field, the evolution of neutrino lumps depends on the neutrino mass. For small masses the lumps form and dissolve periodically, leaving only a small backreaction of the neutrino structures on the cosmic evolution. This process heats the neutrinos to temperatures much above the photon temperature such that neut…
We analyze the Mass Varying Neutrino (MaVaN) scenario. We consider a minimal model of massless Dirac fermions coupled to a scalar field, mainly in the framework of finite temperature quantum field theory. We demonstrate that the mass equation we find has non-trivial solutions only for special classes of potentials, and only within certain temperature intervals. We give most of our results for the Ratra-Peebles Dark Energy (DE) potential. The thermal (temporal) evolution of the model is analyzed. Following the time arrow, the stable, metastable and unstable phases are predicted. The model predi…
The quintessence field coupled to the cosmic neutrino background (CNB) has been widely discussed as an alternative mechanism to address the coincidence problem. As it is well known, it is possible to extend such models to obtain quintessential inflation, that is, to incorporate inflationary stage as well. Taking an alternative route, one can start from the well established inflationary models and obtain successful quintessence models at the expense of coupling with the CNB. To Follow this route, we use a slightly reformulated model addressed in PRD95, 123521 (2017). This particular model assum…
The mass-varying neutrino scenario is analyzed for three trial quintessence potentials (Ferreira-Joyce, inverse exponential, and thawing oscillating). The neutrino mass is generated via Yukawa coupling to the scalar field which represents dark energy. The inverse exponential and oscillating potentials are shown to successfully generate the neutrino masses in the range $m \sim 10^{-2}-10^{-3}~$eV and to yield the current dark energy density in the regime of the late-time acceleration of the Universe. Depending on the choice of potentials, the acceleration could occur in two different regimes: (…
Growing Neutrino quintessence describes a form of dynamical dark energy that could explain why dark energy dominates the universe only in recent cosmological times. This scenario predicts the formation of large scale neutrino lumps which could allow for observational tests. We perform for the first time N-body simulations of the nonlinear growth of structures for cold dark matter and neutrino fluids in the context of Growing Neutrino cosmologies. Our analysis shows a pulsation - increase and subsequent decrease - of the neutrino density contrast. This could lead to interesting observational si…
A quintessence scalar field or cosmon interacting with neutrinos can have important effects on cosmological structure formation. Within growing neutrino models the coupling becomes effective only in recent times, when neutrinos become non-relativistic, stopping the evolution of the cosmon. This can explain why dark energy dominates the universe only in a rather recent epoch by relating the present dark energy density to the small mass of neutrinos. Such models predict the presence of stable neutrino lumps at supercluster scales (~200 Mpc and bigger), caused by an attractive force between neutr…
We investigate cosmological models in which dynamical dark energy consists of a scalar field whose present-day value is controlled by a coupling to the neutrino sector. The behaviour of the scalar field depends on three functions: a kinetic function, the scalar field potential, and the scalar field-neutrino coupling function. We present an analytic treatment of the background evolution during radiation- and matter-domination for exponential and inverse power law potentials, and find a relaxation of constraints compared to previous work on the amount of early dark energy in the exponential case…
Revisiting observational constraints on coupled exponential quintessence with energy and momentum transfers: degeneracy with massive neutrinos
Universidad de Salamanca（萨拉曼卡大学）；Instituto Universitario de Física Fundamental y Matemáticas (IUFFyM), Universidad de Salamanca（萨拉曼卡大学基础物理与数学大学研究所）；Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo（奥斯陆大学理论天体物理研究所）；Kobayashi-Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe, Nagoya University（名古屋大学小林-益川粒子宇宙起源研究所）；Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University（名古屋大学高等研究院）；Graduate School of Science, Division of Particle and Astrophysical Science, Nagoya University（名古屋大学理学研究部粒子与天体科学分科）；Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University（北京师范大学天文系）；Institudo de Física Teórica UAM-CSIC, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid（马德里自治大学UAM-CSIC理论物理研究所）；Departamento de Matemática Aplicada a la Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid（马德里理工大学工业工程应用数学系）；Department of Physics, Waseda University（早稻田大学物理学系）
We investigate generalized interacting dark matter-dark energy scenarios with a time-dependent coupling parameter, allowing also for freedom in the neutrino sector. The models are tested in the phantom and quintessence regimes, characterized by an equation of state $w_x<-1$ and $w_x>-1$, respectively. Our analyses show that for some of the scenarios the existing tensions on the Hubble constant $H_0$ and on the clustering parameter $S_8$ can be significantly alleviated. The relief is either due to \textit{(a)} a dark energy component which lies within the phantom region; or \textit{(b)} the pre…
We consider generic models of quintessence and we investigate the influence of massive neutrino matter with field-dependent masses on the matter power spectrum. In case of minimally coupled neutrino matter, we examine the effect in tracker models with inverse power-law and double exponential potentials. We present detailed investigations for the scaling field with a steep exponential potential, non-minimally coupled to massive neutrino matter, and we derive constraints on field-dependent neutrino masses from the observational data.
Resolving the Planck-DESI tension by nonminimally coupled quintessence
Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)（中国科学院理论物理研究所）；University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS)（中国科学院大学）；Institute of Fundamental Physics and Quantum Technology, Ningbo University（宁波大学基础物理与量子技术学院）；School of Fundamental Physics and Mathematical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学杭州高等研究院基础物理与数学科学学院）；Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP)（亚太理论物理中心）
In growing neutrino models, the neutrino mass increases in time and stops the dynamical evolution of a dark energy scalar field, thus explaining the 'why now' problem. A new attractive force, mediated by the 'cosmon' scalar field, makes non relativistic neutrino form lumps on the scales of superclusters and beyond. Nonlinear neutrino lumps are predicted to form at redshift z ~ 1 and, if observed, could be an indication for a new attractive force stronger than gravity.
We present the results of the first N-body simulations of the Growing Neutrino scenario, as recently discussed in Baldi et al. (2011). Our results have shown for the first time how neutrino lumps forming in the context of Growing Neutrino cosmologies are expected to pulsate as a consequence of the rapid oscillations of the dark energy scalar field. We have also computed for the first time a realistic statistical distribution of neutrino halos and determined their impact on the underlying Cold Dark Matter structures.
We examine a quintessence model with a modified exponential potential given by $V(ϕ) = V_0(1+e^{-λϕ})$. Unlike quintessence with a standard exponential potential, our model can yield an acceptable accelerated expansion at late times, while producing a distinct "early dark energy" signature at high redshift. We determine the evolution of the equation of state parameter, $w_ϕ$, and the density parameter, $Ω_ϕ$, as a function of the scale factor. The strongest constraints on the model come from cosmic microwave background observations rather than supernova data. The former give the limit $λ> 13$.…
Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)（高能加速器研究机构粒子核研究所在）；The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)（综合研究大学院大学）；Department of Physics, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University（日本大学文理学部物理学科）；Center for Gravitational Physics and Quantum Information, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University（京都大学汤川理论物理研究所引力物理与量子信息研究中心）；Kobayashi-Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe, Nagoya University（名古屋大学小林-益川粒子宇宙起源研究所）
The energy scale of Dark Energy, $\sim 2 \times 10^{-3}$ eV, is a long way off compared to all known fundamental scales - except for the neutrino masses. If Dark Energy is dynamical and couples to neutrinos, this is no longer a coincidence. The time at which Dark Energy starts to behave as an effective cosmological constant can be linked to the time at which the cosmic neutrinos become nonrelativistic. This naturally places the onset of the Universe's accelerated expansion in recent cosmic history, addressing the why-now problem of Dark Energy. We show that these mechanisms indeed work in the …
Sterile neutrinos produced through oscillations are a well motivated dark matter candidate, but recent constraints from observations have ruled out most of the parameter space. We analyze the impact of new interactions on the evolution of keV sterile neutrino dark matter in the early Universe. Based on general considerations we find a mechanism which thermalizes the sterile neutrinos after an initial production by oscillations. The thermalization of sterile neutrinos is accompanied by dark entropy production which increases the yield of dark matter and leads to a lower characteristic momentum.…
We present a comprehensive and gauge invariant treatment of perturbations around cosmological scaling solutions for two canonical scalar fields coupled through a common potential in the early universe, in the presence of neutrinos, photons and baryons, but excluding cold dark matter. This setup is relevant for analyzing cosmic perturbations in scalar field models of dark matter with a coupling to a quintessence field. We put strong restrictions on the shape of the common potential and adopt a matrix-eigensystem approach to determine the dominant perturbations modes in such models. Similar to r…
We aim to constrain mass-varying neutrino models using large scale structure observations and produce forecast for the Euclid survey. We investigate two models with different scalar field potential and both positive and negative coupling parameters β. These parameters correspond to growing or decreasing neutrino mass, respectively. We explore couplings up to |β|<5. In the case of the exponential potential, we find an upper limit on $Ω_νh^2$<0.004 at 2-$σ$ level. In the case of the inverse power law potential the null coupling can be excluded with more than 2-σsignificance; the limits on the co…
Dark Matter (DM) models providing possible alternative solutions to the small- scale crisis of standard cosmology are nowadays of growing interest. We consider DM interacting with light hidden fermions via well motivated fundamental operators showing the resultant matter power spectrum is suppressed on subgalactic scales within a plausible parameter region. Our basic description of the evolution of cosmological perturbations relies on a fully consistent first principles derivation of a perturbed Fokker-Planck type equation, generalizing existing literature. The cosmological perturbation of the…
In this paper, we show that the idea of growing neutrino can result in a modulated reheating effect and produce detectable non-Gaussianity in the model where the Higgs triplet from type II seesaw mechanism plays the role of the inflaton in chaotic inflation.
Phasing out of Darkness: From Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter to Neutrino Masses via Time-Dependent Mixing
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik（马克斯·普朗克核物理研究所）；Centro de Astrofísica e Gravitação - CENTRA, Departamento de Física, Instituto Superior Técnico - IST, Universidade de Lisboa - UL（里斯本大学高等技术学院物理系天体物理学与引力中心）；Departamento de Física Teórica and Instituto de Física de Partículas y del Cosmos (IPARCOS-UCM), Universidad Complutense de Madrid（马德里康普顿斯大学理论物理系及粒子与宇宙物理研究所）
Tomographic constraints on the high-energy cosmic neutrino emission rate
CEICO, Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences（捷克科学院物理研究所）；Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University（查理大学数学与物理学院理论物理研究所）；Department of Physics, University of Oxford（牛津大学物理系）
