We investigate the general properties of a class of scalar-field dark energy models (i.e., $ϕ$CDM models) which behave like cosmological trackers at early times. Particularly, we choose three $ϕ$CDM models with typical potentials, i.e., $V(ϕ)\propto ϕ^{-α}$ (inverse power-law (IPL) model), $V(ϕ)\propto \coth^αϕ$ (L-model) and $V(ϕ)\propto \cosh(αϕ)$ (Oscillatory tracker model), where the latter two models are based on the $α$-attractors originated from the study of inflation. These models, which reduce to the $Λ$CDM model with $α\to 0$, are studied and compared with the recent observations, including the Pantheon sample of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) measurements extracted from 6dFGS, BOSS and eBOSS, as well as the temperature and polarization anisotropy power spectra data of cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) from Planck 2018 results. The observational constraints from the combining sample (SNe Ia + BAO + CMB) indicate that none of the three $ϕ$CDM models exclude the $Λ$CDM model at $68.3\%$ confidence level. We find that the CMB anisotropy data have obvious advantages in constraining the dark energy models compared with other cosmological probes, which is particularly evident in the L-model. Furthermore, we apply the Bayesian evidence to compare the $ϕ$CDM models and the $Λ$CDM model with the analysis of the combining sample. The concordance $Λ$CDM model is still the most supported one. In addition, among the three $ϕ$CDM models, the IPL model is the most competitive one, while the L-model/Oscillatory tacker model is moderately/strongly disfavored.
This paper aims to introduce a new parameterisation for the coupling Q in interacting dark matter and dark energy models by connecting said models with the Continuous Tower of Scalar Fields model. Based upon the existence of a dark matter and a dark energy sectors in the Continuous Tower of Scalar Fields, a simplification is considered for the evolution of a single scalar field from the tower, validated in this paper. This allows for the results obtained with the Continuous Tower of Scalar Fields model to match those of an interacting dark matter - dark energy system, considering that the ener…
In this work we perform an analysis on the recently proposed conjoined cosmic growth and cosmic expansion diagram [1] to compare several dark energy models using the Figure of Merit showed in [2], which consists in the inverse of the $1σ$ confidence region in the $fσ_8(z)-H(z)$ plot. Our analysis also consists of comparing the models by performing different statistical criteria: Bayes factor [3], the Bayesian Information Criteria [4] and the Akaike Information Criterion [5]. We also developed a 3-dimensional Figure of Merit to account simultaneously for the errors on the growth rate and the Hu…
We explore unification of dark matter and dark energy in a theory containing a scalar field of non-Lagrangian type, obtained by direct insertion of a kinetic term into the energy-momentum tensor. This scalar is different from quintessence, having an equation of state between -1 and 0 and a zero sound speed in its rest frame. We solve the equations of motion for an exponential potential via a rewriting as an autonomous system, and demonstrate the observational viability of the scenario, for sufficiently small exponential potential parameter λ, by comparison to a compilation of kinematical cosmo…
We investigate structure formation for ultralight scalar field dark matter coupled to quintessence, in particular the cosmon-bolon system. The linear power spectrum is computed by a numerical solution of the coupled field equations. We infer the substructure abundance within a Milky Way-like halo. Estimates of dark halo abundances from recent galaxy surveys imply a lower bound on the bolon mass of about $9 \times 10^{-22}$ eV. This seems to exclude a possible detection of scalar field dark matter through time variation in pulsar timing signals in the near future.
An ultralight free scalar field with mass around 10^{-23} - 10^{-22} eV is a viable dark mater candidate, which can help to resolve some of the issues of the cold dark matter on sub-galactic scales. We consider the gravitational field of the galactic halo composed out of such dark matter. The scalar field has oscillating in time pressure, which induces oscillations of gravitational potential with amplitude of the order of 10^{-15} and frequency in the nanohertz range. This frequency is in the range of pulsar timing array observations. We estimate the magnitude of the pulse arrival time residua…
We revisit the calculation of dark matter relic abundances in scalar-tensor gravity using a generic form $A(φ_*) = e^{βφ_*^2/2}$ for the coupling between the scalar field $φ_*$ and the metric, for which detailed Big Bang Nucleosynthesis constraints are available. We find that BBN constraints restrict the modified expansion rate in these models to be almost degenerate with the standard expansion history at the time of dark matter decoupling. In this case the maximum level of enhancement of the dark matter relic density was found to be a factor of $\sim 3$, several orders of magnitude below that…
The dynamics of a cosmological model fueled by scalar field dark matter with a cosh-like potential plus a cosmological constant is investigated in detail. It is revealed that the late-time attractor is always the de Sitter solution, and that, depending on the values of the free parameters, the oscillating solution of the scalar field -- modeling cold dark matter -- mediates between some early stage (say, the radiation-dominated solution) and the accelerating de Sitter attractor.
We present a systematic study of modified gravity (MG) models containing a single scalar field non-minimally coupled to the metric. Despite a large parameter space, exploiting the effective field theory of dark energy (EFT of DE) formulation and imposing simple physical constraints such as stability conditions and (sub-)luminal propagation of perturbations, we arrive at a number of generic predictions about the large scale structures.
The possibility of distinguishing of scalar field models of dark energy with different Lagrangians and time variable equation of state parameter by available observational data is analyzed. The multicomponent cosmological models with the scalar field with either Klein-Gordon or Dirac-Born-Infeld Lagrangians as dark energy and the monotonic decreasing and increasing equation of state parameters are considered. It is concluded that scalar field models of dark energy with decreasing and increasing EoS parameters should be distinguishable at the accuracy level of forthcoming observational data. Th…
We give a scalar field description of two dark energy parameterizations, and we analyze in detail its cosmology both at the level of background evolution and at the level of linear perturbations. In particular, we compute the statefinder parameters and the growth index as functions of the red-shift for both dark energy parameterizations, and the comparison with the $ΛCDM$ model as well as with a few well-known geometrical dark energy models is shown. In addition, the combination parameter $A=f σ_8$ of both models is compared against current data.
In the framework of the minimal quartet-metric gravity/systogravity, a scalar graviton/systolon is stated as a universal dark component, with supplementary manifestations in the different contexts either as dark matter or dark energy. An ensuing extension to the standard ΛCDM model is developed. A modification of the late expansion of the Universe, with an attractor of a scalar master equation defining an effective cosmological constant, which supersedes the true one, is proposed. A new partial solution to the cosmological constant problem is discussed.
This is a review on the brief history of the scalar field dark matter model also known as fuzzy dark matter, BEC dark matter, wave dark matter, or ultra-light axion. In this model ultra-light scalar dark matter particles with mass $m = O(10^{-22})eV$ condense in a single Bose-Einstein condensate state and behave collectively like a classical wave. Galactic dark matter halos can be described as a self-gravitating coherent scalar field configuration called boson stars. At the scale larger than galaxies the dark matter acts like cold dark matter, while below the scale quantum pressure from the un…
Scalar dark energy fields that couple to the Standard Model can give rise to observable signatures at the LHC. In this work we show that $t\bar t+$missing energy and mono-jet searches are suitable probes in the limit where the dark energy scalar is stable on collider distances. We discuss the prospects of distinguishing the dark energy character of new physics signals from dark matter signatures and the possibility of probing the self-interactions of the dark energy sector.
We study the interaction between dark matter and dark energy, with dark energy described by a scalar field having a double exponential effective potential. We discover conditions under which such a scalar field driven solution is a late time attractor. We observe a realistic cosmological evolution which consists of sequential stages of dominance of radiation, matter and dark energy, respectively.
In this work we study rotation curves of spiral galaxies using a model of dark matter based on a scalar-tensor theory of gravity. We show how to estimate the scalar field dark matter parameters using a sample of observed rotation curves.
From a variational action with non-minimal coupling with a scalar field and classical scalar and fermionic interaction, cosmological field equations can be obtained. Imposing a FLRW metric the equations lead directly to a cosmological model consisting of two interacting fluids, where the scalar field fluid is interpreted as dark energy and the fermionic field fluid is interpreted as dark matter. Several cases were studied analytically and numerically. An important feature of the non-minimal coupling is that it allows crossing the barrier from a quintessence to phantom behavior. The insensitivi…
In a recent paper by C. Gao, M. Kunz, A. Liddle and D. Parkinson [arXiv:0912.0949], the unification of dark matter and dark energy was explored within a theory containing a scalar field of non-Lagrangian type. This scalar field, different from the classic quintessence, can be obtained from the scalar field representation of an interacting two-fluid mixture described in the paper by L.P. Chimento and M. Forte [arXiv:0706.4142]
The nature of dark matter and of dark energy which constitute more than $95\%$ of the energy in the Universe remains a great and unresolved question in cosmology. Cold dark matter can be made of an ultralight scalar field dominated by its mass term which interacts only gravitationally. The cosmological constant introduced to explain the recent acceleration of the Universe expansion can be easily replaced by a scalar field dominated by its potential. More generally, scalar fields are ubiquitous in cosmology: inflaton, dilatons, moduli, quintessence, fuzzy dark matter, dark fluid, etc. are some …
The conventional misalignment mechanism for scalar dark matter depends on the initial field value, which governs the oscillation amplitude and present-day abundance. We present a mechanism by which a feeble (Planck-suppressed) coupling of dark matter to a fermion in thermal equilibrium drives the scalar towards its high-temperature potential minimum at large field values, dynamically generating misalignment before oscillations begin. Unlike conventional misalignment production, the dark matter abundance is dictated by microphysics and not by initial conditions. As an application of the generic…
We investigate possible cosmological effects of interacting scalar radiation and dark matter. After its decoupling, scalar radiation can stream freely as neutrinos or self-interact strongly as perfect fluid, highly depending on the magnitude of its self-couplings. We obtain the general and novel structure for self-scattering rate and compare it with the expansion rate of our Universe. If its trilinear/cubic coupling is non-zero, scalar radiation can be eventually treated as perfect fluid. Possible effects on CMB are also discussed. When this scalar also mediates interaction among dark matter p…
We investigate the gravitational constraints imposed to dark matter halos in the context of finite temperature scalar field dark matter. We find constraints to produce multiple images by dark matter only, we show that there are differences with respect to the full Bose Einstein condensate halo when the temperature of the scalar field in dark matter halos is taken into account. The non zero temperature allows the scalar field to be in excited states and recently, their existence has proved to be necessary to fit rotation curves of dark matter dominated galaxies of all sizes, it also explained t…
In this work we consider a singlet scalar propagating in a flat large extra dimension. The first Kaluza-Klein mode associated to this singlet scalar will be a viable dark matter candidate. The tower of new particles enriches the calculation of the relic density due effect of coannihilation. For large mass splitting, the model converges to the predictions of the singlet dark matter model. For nearly degenerate mass spectrum, coannihilations increase the cross sections used for direct and indirect dark matter searches. We investigate the impact of the Kaluza-Klein tower associated to singlet sca…
We study the impact of semi-annihilations x_i x_j <-> x_k X, where x_i is any dark matter and X is any standard model particle, on dark matter phenomenology. We formulate minimal scalar dark matter models with an extra doublet and a complex singlet that predict non-trivial dark matter phenomenology with semi-annihilation processes for different discrete Abelian symmetries Z_N, N>2. We implement two such example models with Z_3 and Z_4 symmetry in micrOMEGAs and work out their phenomenology. We show that both semi-annihilations and annihilations involving only particles from two different dark …
We update the parameter spaces for both a real and complex scalar dark matter via the Higgs portal. In the light of constraints arising from the LUX 2016 data, the latest Higgs invisible decay and the gamma ray spectrum, the dark matter resonant mass region is further restricted to a narrow window between $54.9-62.3$ GeV in both cases, and its large mass region is excluded until $834$ GeV and $3473$ GeV for the real and complex scalar, respectively.
We consider the hypothesis that dark matter and dark energy consists of ultra-light self-interacting scalar particles. It is found that the Klein-Gordon equation with only two free parameters (mass and self-coupling) on a Schwarzschild background, at the galactic length-scales has the solution which corresponds to Bose-Einstein condensate, behaving as dark matter, while the constant solution at supra-galactic scales can explain dark energy.
The simplest Higgs-portal dark matter model is studied in the light of dark matter self-interacting effects on the formation of large scale structures. We show the direct detection limits on the resonant and large mass regions. Finally, we also compare these limits with those at the LHC and Xenon 1T experiments.
We study the formation of structure in the Universe assuming that dark matter can be described by a scalar field $\tildeΦ$ with a potential $V(Φ)=-\mathfrak{m}^{2}\tildeΦ^{2}/2+λ\tildeΦ^4/4$. We derive the evolution equations of the scalar field in the linear regime of perturbations. We investigate the symmetry breaking and possibly a phase transition of this scalar field in the early Universe. At low temperatures, the scalar perturbations have an oscillating growing mode and therefore, this kind of dark matter could lead to the formation of gravitational structures. In order to study the nonl…
We investigate the time evolution of the gravitational potential Phi for a special class of non-adiabatic Unified Dark matter Models described by scalar field lagrangians. These models predict the same background evolution as in the LambdaCDM and possess a non-vanishing speed of sound. We provide a very accurate approximation of Phi, valid after the recombination epoch, in the form of a Bessel function of the first kind. This approximation may be useful for a future deeper analysis of Unified Dark Matter scalar field models.
In this work it is investigated general models with interactions between two canonical scalar fields and between one non-canonical (tachyon-type) and one canonical scalar field. The potentials and couplings to the gravity are selected through the Noether symmetry approach. These general models are employed to describe interactions between dark energy and dark matter, with the fields being constrained by the astronomical data. The cosmological solutions of some cases are compared with the observed evolution of the late Universe.
In the general frameworks of an earlier introduced quartet-metric/multi-component gravity, a theory of a massive scalar graviton supplementing the massless tensor one is consistently deduced. The peculiarities of the scalar-graviton field compared to the canonical scalar one are demonstrated. The light scalar graviton is treated as an emergent dark substance of the Universe: dark matter and/or dark energy depending on the solution. The case with scalar graviton as dark energy responsible for the late-time accelerated expansion of the Universe is studied in more detail. In particular, it is sho…
Gravity takes care of both inflation and subsequent reheating in Starobinsky's R^2-model. The latter is due to inflaton gravitation decays dominated by scalar particle production. It is tempting to suggest that dark matter particles are also produced in this process. Since free scalars being too hot cannot serve as viable dark matter (Phys.Lett.B700:157-162,2011), we further study the issue considering two options: scalars with non-minimal coupling to gravity and superheavy scalars generated at inflationary stage. We found that the first option allows for viable warm or cold dark matter if sca…
One of the simplest extensions of the Standard Model (SM) comprises the inclusion of a massive real scalar field, neutral under the SM gauge groups, to be a dark matter candidate. The addition of a dimension-six term into the potential of the scalar dark matter enables the appearance of a false vacuum that describes the cosmic acceleration. We show that the running of the singlet self-interaction and the Higgs portal coupling differs from the standard scalar singlet dark matter model. If we maintain a positive quartic coupling, it is also possible to describe the accelerated expansion of the U…
A new cosmological scenario is proposed in which a light scalaron of $f (R)$ gravity plays the role of dark matter. In this scenario, the scalaron initially resides at the minimum of its effective potential while the electroweak symmetry is unbroken. At the beginning of the electroweak crossover, the evolving expectation value of the Higgs field triggers the evolution of the scalaron due to interaction between these fields. After the electroweak crossover, the oscillating scalaron can represent cold dark matter. Its current energy density depends on a single free parameter, the scalaron mass $…
General Relativity extended through a dynamical scalar quartet is proposed as a theory of the scalar-vector-tensor gravity, generically describing the unified gravitational dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE). The implementation in the weak-field limit of the Higgs mechanism for the gravity, with a redefinition of metric field, is exposed in a generally covariant form. Under a natural restriction on parameters, the redefined theory possesses in the linearized approximation by a residual transverse-diffeomorphism invariance, and consistently comprises the massless tensor graviton and a massiv…
We point out the possibility to test the simplest scalar dark matter model at gamma-ray telescopes. We discuss the relevant constraints and show the predictions for direct detection, gamma line searches and LHC searches. Since the final state radiation processes are suppressed by small Yukawa couplings one could observe the gamma lines from dark matter annihilation.
We explore the cosmic evolution of a scalar field which is identified with the four dimensional spacetime volume. Given a specific form for the Lagrangian of the scalar field, a new holographic dark energy model is present. The energy density of dark energy is reversely proportional to the square of the radius of the cosmic null hypersurface which is present as a new infrared cutoff for the Universe. We find this holographic dark energy belongs to the phantom dark energy for some appropriate parameters in order to interpret the current acceleration of the Universe.
We compare perturbations in a fluid model of dark energy with those in a scalar field. As compared to the $Λ$CDM model, large scale matter power spectrum is suppressed in fluid model as well as in a generic quintessence dark energy model.To check the efficacy of fluid description of dark energy in emulating a scalar field, we consider a potential which gives the same background evolution as a fluid with a constant equation of state. We show that for sub-Hubble scales, a fluid model effectively emulates a scalar field model. At larger scales, where dark energy perturbations may play a significa…
Scalar cosmological perturbations are investigated in the framework of a model with interacting dark energy and dark matter. In addition to these constituents, the inhomogeneous Universe is supposed to be filled with the standard noninteracting constituents corresponding to the conventional $Λ$CDM model. The interaction term is chosen in the form of a linear combination of dark sector energy densities with evolving coefficients. The methods of discrete cosmology are applied, and strong theoretical constraints on the parameters of the model are derived. A brief comparison with observational dat…
In the report, the theory of unimodular bimode gravity built on principles of unimodular gauge invariance/relativity and general covariance is exposed. Besides the massless tensor graviton of General Relativity, the theory includes an (almost) massless scalar graviton treated as the gravitational dark matter. A spherically symmetric vacuum solution, describing the coherent scalar-graviton field for the soft-core dark halos with the asymptotically flat rotation curves, is demonstrated.
We propose an extension of the scalaron-Higgs model by a non-minimal coupling of the Standard Model Higgs boson to the quadratic Ricci scalar resulting in a Higgs-dependent scalaron mass. The model predicts a successful stage of effective single-field Starobinsky inflation. It features a multi-field amplification mechanism leading to a peak in the inflationary power spectrum at small wavelengths which enhances the production of primordial black holes. The extended scalaron-Higgs model unifies inflationary cosmology with elementary particle physics and explains the origin of cold dark matter in…
Matos, Guzman and Nunez proposed a model of galactic halo based on an exponential-potential scalar field that could induce a rotation curve that is constant for all radii. We demonstrate that with suitable boundary conditions, such scalar field dark matter (SDM) can not only produce the observed constant rotation curve at large radius but also give rise to the correct power-law scaling near the galactic core region. This solves the existing cusp-core problem faced by the conventional cold dark matter (CDM) model.
Using very simple arguments we show that the quantum effects of an ultra-light particle as the Scalar Field Dark Matter $m_{SFDM}\sim10^{-22}$eV cannot be neglected at classical scales. We show that the effective density of this effect is constant in the space and for such a mass, it is of the order of magnitude of the critical mass of the universe. Thus, we can interpret the effective density of this quantum effect as the cosmological constant.
In this proceeding, we show that when we combined WMAP and the most recent results of XENON100, the invisible width of the Higgs to scalar dark matter is negligible(<10%), except in a small region with very light dark matter (< 10 GeV) not yet excluded by XENON100 or around 60 GeV where the ratio can reach 50% to 60%. The new results released by the Higgs searches of ATLAS and CMS set very strong limits on the elastic scattering cross section.
We propose to search for scalar dark matter via its effects on the electromagnetic fine-structure constant and particle masses. Scalar dark matter that forms an oscillating classical field produces `slow' linear-in-time drifts and oscillating variations of the fundamental constants, while scalar dark matter that forms topological defects produces transient-in-time variations of the constants of Nature. These variations can be sought for with atomic clock, laser interferometer and pulsar timing measurements. Atomic spectroscopy and Big Bang nucleosynthesis measurements already give improved bou…
Stable scalars can be copiously produced in the Early Universe even if they have no coupling to other fields. We study production of such scalars during and after (high scale) inflation, and obtain strong constraints on their mass scale. Quantum gravity-induced Planck-suppressed operators make an important impact on the abundance of dark relics. Unless the corresponding Wilson coefficients are very small, they normally lead to overproduction of dark states. In the absence of a quantum gravity theory, such effects are uncontrollable, bringing into question predictivity of many non-thermal dark …
We discuss the dynamics and phenomenology of an oscillating scalar field coupled to the Higgs boson that accounts for the dark matter in the Universe. The model assumes an underlying scale invariance such that the scalar field only acquires mass after the electroweak phase transition, behaving as dark radiation before the latter takes place. While for a positive coupling to the Higgs field the dark scalar is stable, for a negative coupling it acquires a vacuum expectation value after the electroweak phase transition and may decay into photon pairs, albeit with a mean lifetime much larger than …
In this paper, we study the effects of an interaction between dark matter and dark energy through a two scalar field model with a potential $V(ϕ,χ)=e^{-λϕ}P(ϕ,χ)$, where $P(ϕ,χ)$ is a polynomial. We show that the cosmic expansion dynamics of the Universe is reproduced for a large range of the bare mass of the dark matter field and that there exist solutions with transient accelerated expansion. A modification in the exponential behavior of the potential is studied, with important physical implications, including the possibility of more realistic transient acceleration solutions.
We present a framework for discussing the cosmology of dark energy and dark matter based on two scalar degrees of freedom. An effective field theory of cosmological perturbations is employed. A unitary gauge choice renders the dark energy field into the gravitational sector, for which we adopt a generic Lagrangian depending on three-dimensional geometrical scalar quantities arising in the ADM decomposition. We add to this dark-energy associated gravitational sector a scalar field $ϕ$ and its kinetic energy $X$ as dark matter variables. Compared to the single-field case, we find that there are …
In this work we analyze and review cosmological models in which the dynamics of a single scalar field accounts for a unified description of the Dark Matter and Dark Energy sectors, dubbed Unified Dark Matter (UDM) models. In this framework, we consider the general Lagrangian of k-essence, which allows to find solutions around which the scalar field describes the desired mixture of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. We also discuss static and spherically symmetric solutions of Einstein's equations for a scalar field with non-canonical kinetic term, in connection with galactic halo rotation curves.
Non-canonical scalar fields with the Lagrangian ${\cal L} = X^α- V(ϕ)$, possess the attractive property that the speed of sound, $c_s^{2} = (2\,α- 1)^{-1}$, can be exceedingly small for large values of $α$. This allows a non-canonical field to cluster and behave like warm/cold dark matter on small scales. We demonstrate that simple potentials including $V = V_0\coth^2ϕ$ and a Starobinsky-type potential can unify dark matter and dark energy. Cascading dark energy, in which the potential cascades to lower values in a series of discrete steps, can also work as a unified model. In all of these mod…
The existence and detection of scalar fields could provide solutions to long-standing puzzles about the nature of dark matter, the dark compact objects at the centre of most galaxies, and other phenomena. Yet, self-interacting scalar fields are very poorly constrained by astronomical observations, leading to great uncertainties in estimates of the mass $m_ϕ$ and the self-interacting coupling constant $λ$ of these fields. To counter this, we have systematically employed available astronomical observations to develop new constraints, considerably restricting this parameter space. In particular, …
