We consider Horndeski modified gravity models obeying stability, velocity of gravitational waves $c_T$ equals $c$ and quasistatic approximation (QSA) on subhorizon scales. We assume further a $Λ$CDM background expansion and a monotonic evolution on the cosmic background of the $α$ functions as $α_i= α_{i0}~a^s$ where $i=M,B$, $a$ is the scale factor and $α_{i0}$ ($α_{M0}, α_{B0}$), $s$ are arbitrary parameters. We show that the growth and lensing reduced (dimensionless) gravitational couplings $μ\equiv G_{\rm growth}/G$, $Σ\equiv G_{\rm lensing}/G$ exhibit the following generic properties today: $Σ_0 < 1$ for all viable parameters, $μ_0<1$ (weak gravity today) is favored for small $s$ while $μ_0>1$ is favored for large $s$. We establish also the relation $μ\geq Σ$ at all times. Taking into account the $fσ_8$ and $E_G$ data constrains the parameter $s$ to satisfy $s\lesssim 2$. Hence these data select essentially the weak gravity regime today ($μ_0<1$) when $s<2$, while $μ_0>1$ subsists only marginally for $s\approx 2$. At least the interval $0.5\lesssim s \lesssim 2$ would be ruled out in the absence of screening. We consider further the growth index $γ(z)$ and identify the $(α_{M0},α_{B0},s)$ parameter region that corresponds to specific signs of the differences $γ_0-γ_0^{ΛCDM}$, and $γ_1-γ_1^{ΛCDM}$, where $γ_0\equiv γ\bigl|_{z=0}$ and $γ_1\equiv \frac{{\rm d}γ}{\rm d z}\bigl|_{z=0}$. In this way important information is gained on the past evolution of $μ$. We obtain in particular the signature $γ_0>γ_0^{ΛCDM}$ for $s<2$ in the selected weak gravity region.
We provide an $F(R)$ gravity description of a $Λ$CDM bouncing model, without the need for matter fluids or for cosmological constant. As we explicitly demonstrate, the two cosmological eras that constitute the $Λ$CDM bouncing model, can be generated by $F(R)$ gravity which can lead to accelerating cosmologies. The resulting F(R) gravity has Einstein frame inflationary properties that have concordance to the latest Planck observational data. Both the $F(R)$ gravity stability properties are thoroughly investigated and also, the gravitational particle production, a feature necessary for the viabi…
In the context of the so-called Gauss-Bonnet gravity, where the gravitational action includes function of the Gauss-Bonnet invariant, we study cosmological solutions, especially the well-known $Λ$CDM model. It is shown that the dark energy contribution and even the inflationary epoch can be explained in the frame of this kind of theories with no need of any other kind of component. Other cosmological solutions are constructed and the rich properties that this kind of theories provide are explored.
We present a comprehensive and updated comparison with cosmological observations of two non-local modifications of gravity previously introduced by our group, the so called RR and RT models. We implement the background evolution and the cosmological perturbations of the models in a modified Boltzmann code, using CLASS. We then test the non-local models against the {\em Planck} 2015 TT, TE, EE and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) lensing data, isotropic and anisotropic Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) data, JLA supernovae, $H_0$ measurements and growth rate data, and we perform Bayesian pa…
We study the phenomenology of a class of minimally modified gravity theories called $f(\mathcal{H})$ theories, in which the usual general relativistic Hamiltonian constraint is replaced by a free function of it. After reviewing the construction of the theory and a consistent matter coupling, we analyze the dynamics of cosmology at the levels of both background and perturbations, and present a concrete example of the theory with a $3$-parameter family of the function $f$. Finally, we compare this example model to Planck data as well as some later-time probes, showing that such a realization of …
We propose a novel model in the framework of $f(Q)$ gravity, which is a gravitational modification class arising from the incorporation of non-metricity. The model has General Relativity as a particular limit, it has the same number of free parameters to those of $Λ$CDM, however at a cosmological framework it gives rise to a scenario that does not have $Λ$CDM as a limit. Nevertheless, confrontation with observations at both background and perturbation levels, namely with Supernovae type Ia (SNIa), Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), cosmic chronometers (CC), and Redshift Space Distortion (RS…
A probability of distinguishing between $Λ$CDM model and modified gravity is studied by using the future observations for the growth rate of cosmic structure (Euclid redshift survey). Adopting extended DGP model, Kinetic Gravity Braiding model, and Galileon model as modified gravity, we compare predicted cosmic growth rate by models to the mock observational data. The growth rate $fσ_8$ in the original DGP model is suppressed compared with the $Λ$CDM case, for the same value of the current density parameter of matter $Ω_{m,0}$, because of the suppression of effective gravitational constant. In…
There is a growing interest in utilizing intrinsic alignment (IA) of galaxy shapes as a geometric and dynamical probe of cosmology. In this paper we present the first measurements of IA in a modified gravity model using the gravitational shear-intrinsic ellipticity correlation (GI) and intrinsic ellipticity-ellipticity correlation (II) functions of dark-matter halos from $f(R)$ gravity simulations. By comparing them with the same statistics measured in $Λ$CDM simulations, we find that the IA statistics in different gravity models show distinguishable features, with a trend similar to the case …
We perform for the first time a dynamical system analysis of both the background and perturbation equations, of $Λ$CDM cosmology and quintessence scenario with an exponential potential. In the former case the perturbations do not change the stability of the late-time attractor of the background equations, and the system still results in the dark-energy dominated, de Sitter solution, having passed from the correct dark-matter era with $γ\approx6/11$. However, in the case of quintessence the incorporation of perturbations changes the stability and properties of the background evolution, and the …
In this manuscript, we present a number of fascinating explicit reconstructions for the $f(Q)$ gravity from the background of Friedmann-Laîmatre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) evolution history. We find the more general functions of non-metricity scalar $Q$ that admit exact $Λ$CDM expansion history. Adding extra degrees of freedom to the matter sector is the only method to get the scale factor to behave in this manner for more generic functions of $Q$. In addition, a cosmological reconstruction for modified $f(Q)$ gravity is constructed in terms of e-folding. It is shown how any FLRW cosmology can ar…
Recent anomalies found in cosmological datasets such as the low multipoles of the Cosmic Microwave Background or the low redshift amplitude and growth of clustering measured by e.g., abundance of galaxy clusters and redshift space distortions in galaxy surveys, have motivated explorations of models beyond standard $Λ$CDM. Of particular interest are models where general relativity (GR) is modified on large cosmological scales. Here we consider deviations from $Λ$CDM+GR within the context of Horndeski gravity, which is the most general theory of gravity with second derivatives in the equations o…
We use observations related to the variation of fundamental constants, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used $f(T)$ gravity models. In particular, for the fine-structure constant we use direct measurements obtained by different spectrographic methods, while for the effective Newton's constant we use a model-dependent reconstruction, using direct observational Hubble parameter data, in order to investigate its temporal evolution. We consider two $f(T)$ models and we quantify their deviation from $Λ$CDM cosmology through a sole parameter. Our analysis reveals that this param…
Rather than obtaining cosmic acceleration with a scalar field potential (quintessence) or noncanonical kinetic term (k-essence), we can do it purely through a modified gravity braiding of the scalar and metric, i.e. the $G_3$ Horndeski action term. Such "Horndessence" allows an exact $Λ$CDM cosmological expansion without any cosmological constant, and by requiring shift symmetry we can derive the exact form of $G_3$. We find that this route of deriving $G_3(X)$ leads to a functional form far from the usual simple assumptions such as a power law. Horndessence without any kinetic term or potenti…
We study observational constraints on the non-metricity $f(Q)$-gravity which reproduces an exact $Λ$CDM background expansion history while modifying the evolution of linear perturbations. To this purpose we use Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), redshift-space distortions (RSD), supernovae type Ia (SNIa), galaxy clustering (GC) and weak gravitational lensing (WL) measurements. We set stringent constraints on the parameter of the model controlling the modifications to the gravitational interaction at linear perturbation level. We find the model to…
Within the effective field theory approach to cosmic acceleration, the background expansion can be specified separately from the gravitational modifications. We explore the impact of modified gravity in a background different from a cosmological constant plus cold dark matter ($Λ$CDM) on the stability and cosmological observables, including covariance between gravity and expansion parameters. In No Slip Gravity the more general background allows more gravitational freedom, including both positive and negative Planck mass running. We examine the effects on cosmic structure growth, as well as sh…
We study late-time cosmic accelerating dynamics from Born-Infeld-$f(R)$ gravity in a simplified conformal approach. We find that a variety of cosmic efects such as Little Rip, $Λ$CDM universe and dark energy cosmology with finite-time future singularities may occur. Unlike the convenient Born-Infeld gravity where in the absence of matter only de Sitter expansion may emerge, apparentlly any FRW cosmology maybe reconstructed from this conformal version of the Born-Infeld-$f(R)$ theory. Despite the fact that the explicit form of $f(R)$ is fixed by the conformal ansatz, the relation between the tw…
Forecast constraints for a Symmetric Teleparallel Gravity model with a $Λ$CDM background are made using forthcoming ground and space based gravitational waves observatories. A Bayesian analysis resorting to generated mock catalogs shows that LIGO is not expected to be able to distinguish this model from $Λ$CDM, while both LISA and the ET will, with the ET outperforming LISA. We also show that low redshift events are favored in order to improve the quality of the constrains.
We examine the evolution of peculiar velocities of cold dark matter (CDM) in localized arrays of inhomogeneous cosmic structures in a $Λ$CDM background that can be identified as a frame comoving with the Cosmic Microwave (CMB). These arrays are constructed by smoothly matching to this cosmological background regions of Szekeres-II models whose source is an imperfect fluid reinterpreted as non-comoving dust, keeping only first order terms in $v/c$. Considering a single Szekeres-II region matched along two comoving interfaces to a $Λ$CDM background, the magnitudes of peculiar velocities within t…
Noether's theory offers us a useful tool to research the conserved quantities and symmetries of the modified gravity theories, among which the $f(T)$ theory, a generally modified teleparallel gravity, has been proposed to account for the dark energy phenomena. By the Noether symmetry approach, we investigate the power-law, exponential and polynomial forms of $f(T)$ theories. All forms of $f(T)$ concerned in this work possess the time translational symmetry, which is related with energy condition or Hamilton constraint. In addition, we find out that the performances of the power-law and exponen…
We re-analyze the nonlocal gravity model of Deser and Woodard which was proposed to account for the current phase of cosmic acceleration. We show that the growth of perturbations predicted by this nonlocal gravity model when its background evolution is fixed by some particular non-$Λ$CDM models can be substantially lower than when its background is fixed by $Λ$CDM. This can be seen when we consider the background expansion by a dark energy model with a slightly less negative equation of state with respect to cosmological constant. Our results hints towards a fact that the choice of the backgro…
We propose a connection between global physics and local galactic dynamics via quantum gravity. The salient features of cold dark matter (CDM) and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) are combined into a unified scheme by introducing the concept of MONDian dark matter which behaves like CDM at cluster and cosmological scales but emulates MOND at the galactic scale.
We use the local value of the Hubble constant recently measured with 2.4% precision, as well as the latest compilation of cosmic chronometers data, together with standard probes such as Supernovae Type Ia and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation distance measurements, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used f(T) gravity models, where T is the torsion scalar in teleparallel gravity. In particular, we consider three f(T) models with two parameters, out of which one is independent, and we quantify their deviation from $Λ$CDM cosmology through a sole parameter. Our analysis reveals that …
We study the cosmological predictions of two recently proposed non-local modifications of General Relativity. Both models have the same number of parameters as $Λ$CDM, with a mass parameter $m$ replacing the cosmological constant. We implement the cosmological perturbations of the non-local models into a modification of the CLASS Boltzmann code, and we make a full comparison to CMB, BAO and supernova data. We find that the non-local models fit these datasets as well as $Λ$CDM. For both non-local models parameter estimation using Planck+JLA+BAO data gives a value of $H_0$ higher than in $Λ$CDM,…
We analyze Brans-Dicke gravity with a cosmological constant, $Λ$, and cold dark matter (BD-$Λ$CDM for short) in the light of the latest cosmological observations on distant supernovae, Hubble rate measurements at different redshifts, baryonic acoustic oscillations, large scale structure formation data, gravitational weak-lensing and the cosmic microwave background under full Planck 2015 CMB likelihood. Our analysis includes both the background and perturbations equations. We find that BD-$Λ$CDM is observationally favored as compared to the concordance $Λ$CDM model, which is traditionally defin…
Recent analyses \cite{Nesseris:2017vor,Kazantzidis:2018rnb} have indicated that an effective Newton's constant $G_{\rm eff}(z)$ decreasing with redshift may relieve the observed tension between the Planck15 best fit $Λ$CDM cosmological background ({\it i.e.} Planck15/$Λ$CDM) and the corresponding $Λ$CDM background favored by growth $fσ_8$ and weak lensing data. We investigate the consistency of such a decreasing $G_{\rm eff}(z)$ with some viable scalar-tensor models and $f(R)$ theories. We stress that $f(R)$ theories generically can not lead to a decreasing $G_{\rm eff}(z)$ for any cosmologica…
We construct a generalization of the standard $Λ$CDM model, wherein we simultaneously replace the spatially flat Robertson-Walker metric with its simplest anisotropic generalization (LRS Bianchi I metric), and couple the cold dark matter to the gravity in accordance with the energy-momentum squared gravity (EMSG) of the form $f(T_{μν}T^{μν})\propto T_{μν}T^{μν}$. These two modifications -- namely, two new stiff fluid-like terms of different nature -- can mutually cancel out, i.e., the shear scalar can be screened completely, and reproduce mathematically exactly the same Friedmann equation of t…
We proposed five $f(Q,T)$ models, which are an extension of symmetric teleparallel gravity, where $Q$ is the non-metricity and $T$ is the trace of the stress-energy tensor. By taking specific values of their parameters, these models have a $Λ$CDM limit. Using cosmic chronometers and supernovae Ia data, we found that our models are consistent with $Λ$CDM at a 95\% confidence level. To see whether one of these models can challenge $Λ$CDM at a background perspective, we computed the Bayesian evidence for them and $Λ$CDM. According to it, the concordance model is preferred over four of them, showi…
In this paper, we make a comparison for the impacts of smooth dynamical dark energy, modified gravity, and interacting dark energy on the cosmological constraints on the total mass of active neutrinos. For definiteness, we consider the $Λ$CDM model, the $w$CDM model, the $f(R)$ model, and two typical interacting vacuum energy models, i.e., the I$Λ$CDM1 model with $Q=βHρ_{\rm c}$ and the I$Λ$CDM2 model with $Q=βHρ_Λ$. In the cosmological fits, we use the Planck 2015 temperature and polarization data, in combination with other low-redshift observations including the baryon acoustic oscillations,…
We present an analysis of the Brans-Dicke cosmological model with a cosmological constant and cold dark matter (BD-$Λ$CDM). We find that the BD-$Λ$CDM is favored by the overall cosmological data (SNIa+BAO+$H(z)$+LSS+CMB) when it is compared with the standard model of cosmology. The BD-$Λ$CDM model can be viewed from the GR perspective as a Running Vacuum Model (RVM) with a time evolving vacuum energy density. Due to this fact and also to its time evolving effective gravitational coupling, the model can alleviate the $σ_8$ and the $H_0$ tensions at a time. We also present the results for differ…
In this work, we extend previous analyses of the structure formation in the $f(\Box^{-1}R)$ model of nonlocal gravity proposed by Deser and Woodard (DW), which reproduces the background expansion of $Λ$CDM with no need of a cosmological constant nor of any dimensional constant beside Newton's one. A previous analysis based on redshift-space distortions (RSD) data concluded that the model was ruled out. In this work we revisit the issue and find that, when recast in a localized model, the DW model is not ruled out and actually gives a better fit to RSD data than $Λ$CDM. At the same time, the mo…
On the basis of a previously established scalar-tensor extension of the $Λ$CDM model we develop an effective fluid approach for the matter growth function. This extended $Λ$CDM (henceforth $e_ΦΛ$CDM) cosmology takes into account deviations from the standard model both via a modified background expansion and by the inclusion of geometric anisotropic stresses as well as of perturbations of the geometric dark-energy equivalent. The background dynamics is governed by an explicit analytic expression for the Hubble rate in which modifications of the standard model are given in terms of a single cons…
Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens（雅典国家天文台天文学、天体物理学、空间应用与遥感研究所）；Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Católica del Norte（北天主教学院数学系）；CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学院星系与宇宙学重点实验室，中国科学技术大学天文与空间科学学院）
We present a detailed investigation of the Rastall gravity extension of the standard $Λ$CDM model. We review the model for two simultaneous modifications of different nature in the Friedmann equation due to the Rastall gravity: the new contributions of the material (actual) sources (considered as effective source) and the altered evolution of the material sources. We discuss the role/behavior of these modifications with regard to some low redshift tensions, including the so-called $H_0$ tension, prevailing within the standard $Λ$CDM. We constrain the model at the level of linear perturbations,…
Comparative Analysis of Perturbed $f(R)$ Gravity and Perturbed Rastall Gravity Models in Describing Cosmic Evolution from Early to Late Universe Relative to the $Λ$CDM Model
It has been long known that by appropriately modifying gravity one can always reproduce the expansion history of any dark energy model, e.g. the $Λ$CDM. This degeneracy cannot be broken with geometric probes like the Type Ia supernovae, the cosmic microwave background or the baryon acoustic oscillations since they are based on the measurement of distances and scales and therefore require the expansion history $H(z)$, so one may only hope to break this degeneracy by using dynamic probes like the growth rate data that track the matter density perturbations. We demonstrate that breaking this dege…
The coupled quintessence model with disformal couplings is treated here to mimic the $Λ$CDM background. Using this approach, the quintessence potential does not have to be specified. The model considers a generic fluid coupled to the quintessence, which is specified to be either dark matter or a relativistic fluid. The background consists of a cosmological constant and another uncoupled generic fluid, to cater for three studied scenarios. The cosmological dynamics is investigated for the coupled quintessence model, whose disformal couplings depend on the equation of state of both generic fluid…
In this paper, we have studied the dynamical aspects of some cosmological models in an isotropic space-time within the framework of an extended gravity theory. Two accelerating cosmological models are presented with quasi-de Sitter (QDS) and linear combination of exponential (LCE) scale factors. The geometrical testing mechanism has been performed and analysed. While the results of the QDS model show a departure from the concordant $Λ$CDM model, the resulting behavior of the LCE model seems to be compatible with the $Λ$CDM model only at the present epoch and is incompatible in the near past.
We present an explicit detailed theoretical and observational investigation of an anisotropic massive Brans-Dicke (BD) gravity extension of the standard $Λ$CDM model, wherein the extension is characterized by two additional degrees of freedom; the BD parameter, $ω$, and the present day density parameter corresponding to the shear scalar, $Ω_{σ^2,0}$. The BD parameter, determining the deviation from general relativity (GR), by alone characterizes both the dynamics of the effective dark energy (DE) and the redshift dependence of the shear scalar. These two affect each other depending on $ω$, nam…
We present a model of $F(R)$ gravity in the presence of a string theory motivated misalignment axion like particle materialized in terms of a canonical scalar field minimally coupled with gravity, and we study the cosmological phenomenology of the model, emphasizing mainly on the late-time era. The main result of the paper is that inflation and the dark energy era may be realized in a geometric way by an $F(R)$ gravity, while the axion is the dark matter constituent of the Universe. The $F(R)$ gravity model consists of an $R^2$ term, which as we show dominates the evolution during the early ti…
We study a new model of Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity (EMSG), called Energy-Momentum Log Gravity (EMLG), constructed by the addition of the term $f(T_{μν}T^{μν})=α\ln(λ\,T_{μν}T^{μν})$, envisaged as a correction, to the Einstein-Hilbert action with cosmological constant $Λ$. The choice of this modification is made as a specific way of including new terms in the right-hand side of the Einstein field equations, resulting in constant effective inertial mass density and, importantly, leading to an explicit exact solution of the matter energy density in terms of redshift. We look for viable cosmo…
We reconstruct the $Λ$CDM model for $f(T,\mathcal{T})$ Theory, where $T$ is the torsion scalar and $\mathcal{T}$ the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. The result shows that the action of $Λ$CDM is a combination of a linear term, a constant ($-2Λ$) and a non-linear term given by the product $\sqrt{-T}F_g\left[(T^{1/3}/16πG)\left(16πG\mathcal{T}+T+8Λ\right)\right]$, with $F_g$ being a generic function. We show that to maintain conservation of energy-momentum tensor should impose that $F_g[y]$ must be linear on the trace $\mathcal{T}$. This reconstruction decays in the $f(T)$ Theory for $F_g\e…
We use the recently released cosmic chronometer data and the latest measured value of the local Hubble parameter, combined with the latest joint light curves of Supernovae Type Ia, and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation distance measurements, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used $f(R)$ gravity models. We consider four $f(R)$ models, namely the Hu-Sawicki, the Starobinsky, the Tsujikawa, and the exponential one, and we parametrize them introducing a distortion parameter $b$ that quantifies the deviation from $Λ$CDM cosmology. Our analysis reveals that a small but non-zero deviati…
Absent any indirect tests on the thermal history of the Universe prior to the formation of light nuclear elements, it is legitimate to investigate situations where, before nucleosyntheis, the sound speed of the plasma was larger than $c/\sqrt{3}$, at most equalling the speed of light $c$. In this plausible extension of the current cosmological paradigm, hereby dubbed Tensor-$Λ$CDM (i.e. T$Λ$CDM) scenario, high-frequency gravitons are copiously produced. Without conflicting with the bounds on the tensor to scalar ratio stemming from the combined analysis of the three standard cosmological data …
We propose a new framework for studying the cosmology of $f(R)$ gravity which completely avoids using the reconstruction programme. This allows us to easily obtain a qualitative feel of how much the $Λ$CDM model differs from other $f(R)$ theories of gravity at the level of linear perturbation theory for theories that share the same background dynamics. This is achieved by using the standard model independent cosmographic parameters to develop a new dynamical system formulation of $f(R)$ gravity which is free from the limitation of having to first specify the functional form of $f(R)$. By consi…
In this work we study the growth of cold dark matter density perturbations in the nonlinear regime on a conformally coupled quintessence model in which the background is designed to mimic a $Λ$CDM cosmology. The spherical collapse of overdense regions is analyzed. We highlight the role of the coupling on the overall dynamics, trace the evolution of the density contrast throughout the cosmic history and compute perturbative parameters such as the critical density contrast. We find that the coupling has the influence of delaying the collapse due to the slower growth of matter perturbations. We f…
A type of exponential correction to General Relativity gives viable modified gravity model of dark energy. The model behaves as $R-2Λ$ at large curvature where an effective cosmological constant appears, but it becomes zero in flat space time. The cosmic evolution of the main density parameters is consistent with current observations. The thin shell conditions for the Solar system were analyzed. Apart from satisfying cosmological and local gravity restrictions, the model may also show measurable differences with $Λ$CDM at recent times. The current value of the deviation parameter $m$ for scale…
The geodesic deviation equation has been investigated in the framework of $f(T,\mathcal{T})$ gravity, where $T$ denotes the torsion and $\mathcal{T}$ is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor, respectively. The FRW metric is assumed and the geodesic deviation equation has been established following the General Relativity approach in the first hand and secondly, by a direct method using the modified Friedmann equations. Via fundamental observers and null vector fields with FRW background, we have generalized the Raychaudhuri equation and the Mattig relation in $f(T,\mathcal{T})$ gravity. Furth…
A complete analysis of the dynamics of the Hu-Sawicki modification to General Relativity is presented. In particular, the full phase-space is given for the case in which the model parameters are taken to be n=1, c1=1, and several stable de Sitter equilibrium points together with an unstable "matter-like" point are identified. We find that if the cosmological parameters are chosen to take on their Lambda CDM values today, this results in a universe which, until very low redshifts, is dominated by an equation of state parameter equal t1/3, leading to an expansion history very different from Lamb…
Several authors have argued that self-consistent $f(R)$ gravity models distinct from $Λ$CDM are almost ruled out. Confronting such claims, we present a particular two-parameter $f(R)$ model that: (a) is cosmologically viable and distinguishable from $Λ$CDM; (b) is compatible with the existence of relativistic stars; (c) is free of singularities of the Ricci scalar during the cosmological evolution and (d) allows the addition of high curvature corrections that could be relevant for inflation.
We study the cosmology of a specific class of nonlocal model of modified gravity, the so-called Deser-Woodard (DW) model, modifying the Einstein-Hilbert action by a term $\sim R f(\Box^{-1}R)$, where $f$ is a free function. Choosing $f$ so as to reproduce the $Λ{\rm CDM}$ cosmological background expansion history within the nonlocal model, we implement the model in a cosmological linear Einstein--Boltzmann solver and study the deviations to GR the model induces in the scalar and tensor perturbations. We observe that the DW nonlocal model describes a modified propagation for the gravitational w…
We derive the most general mimetic scalar-tensor theory assuming a healthy "seed" action and accounting for the constraints on the speed of gravitational-wave propagation arising from the GW170817 event. By analysing linear perturbations around a flat FLRW background in this model, we obtain a suitable form of the Poisson equation, which allows us to calculate the effective gravitational constant felt by "ordinary" matter. By restricting to a minimally coupled model, such an effective gravitational constant is equivalent to that obtained within General Relativity, with cold dark matter plus a …
