69 pages,4 tables,33 figures. Based on the BSc thesis of AT. Published in Universe 7 (2021) 8, 300. The numerical analysis files that were used for the production of the figures may be downloaded from: https://github.com/TasosTheodoropoulos/M_crisis
We present a detailed and pedagogical analysis of recent cosmological data, including CMB, BAO, SnIa and the recent local measurement of $H_0$. We thus obtain constraints on the parameters of standard dark energy parameterizations, including $ΛCDM$, and $H(z)$ deformation models such as $wCDM$ (constant equation of state $w$ of dark energy), and the CPL model (corresponding to the evolving dark energy equation-of-state parameter $w(z) = w_0 + w_a \frac{z}{1+z}$). The fitted parameters include the dark matter density $Ω_{0m}$, the SnIa absolute magnitude $M$, the Hubble constant $H_0$ and the dark energy parameters (e.g., $w$ for $wCDM$). All models considered lead to a best-fit value of $M$ that is inconsistent with the locally determined value obtained by Cepheid calibrators ($M$ tension). We then use the best-fit dark energy parameters to reconstruct the quintessence Lagrangian that would be able to reproduce these best-fit parameterizations. Due to the derived late phantom behavior of the best-fit dark energy equation-of-state parameter $w(z)$, the reconstructed quintessence models have a negative kinetic term and are therefore plagued with instabilities.
We consider a quintessence field which transitions from a matter-like to a cosmological constant behavior between recombination and the present time. We aim at easing the tension in the measurement of the present Hubble rate, and we assess the $Λ$CDM model properly enlarged to include our quintessence field against cosmological observations. The model does not address the scope we proposed. This result allows us to exclude a class of quintessential models as a solution to the tension in the Hubble constant measurements.
A well-known problem of the $Λ$CDM model is the tension between the relatively high level of clustering, as quantified by the parameter $σ_8$, found in cosmic microwave background experiments and the smaller one obtained from large-scale observations in the late Universe. In this paper we show that coupled quintessence, i.e. a single dark energy scalar field conformally coupled to dark matter through a constant coupling, can solve this problem if the background is taken to be identical to the $Λ$CDM one. We show that two competing effects arise. On one hand, the additional scalar force is attr…
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）
We present a model in which the question about a nature of the dark energy and the recently raised Hubble tension can be addressed at once. We consider the electroweak axion in the minimal supersymmetric standard model where the axion energy density is identified with the observed dark energy. Along with this, imposing a gauged $Z_{10}$ symmetry makes it possible to have a gravitino dark matter whose mass amounts to $\sim\mathcal{O}(1)\,\,{\rm GeV}$. We find that the gravitino with mass $\sim\mathcal{O}(1)\,\,{\rm GeV}$ can be a good candidate of a decaying dark matter of which decay after rec…
Decay of $f(R)$ quintessence into dark matter: mitigating the Hubble tension?
ENEA - C. R. Frascati（恩瑞亚国家新能源与可再生能源技术研究中心）；Nuclear Department, ENEA - C. R. Frascati（恩瑞亚国家新能源与可再生能源技术研究中心核能部）；Physics Department, “Sapienza” University of Rome（罗马大学物理系）；“Sapienza” University of Rome（罗马大学）；Department of Physics, Istanbul Technical University（伊斯坦布尔理工大学物理系）；Istanbul Technical University（伊斯坦布尔理工大学）；School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield（谢菲尔德大学数学与统计学院）；University of Sheffield（谢菲尔德大学）
The recent GW170817 measurement favors the simplest dark energy models, such as a single scalar field. Quintessence models can be classified in two classes, freezing and thawing, depending on whether the equation of state decreases towards $-1$ or departs from it. In this paper we put observational constraints on the parameters governing the equations of state of tracking freezing, scaling freezing and thawing models using updated data, from the Planck 2015 release, joint light-curve analysis and baryonic acoustic oscillations. Because of the current tensions on the value of the Hubble paramet…
De Sitter solutions have been recently conjectured to be incompatible with quantum gravity. In this paper we critically assess the progress and challenges of different mechanisms to obtain de Sitter vacua in string compactifications and compare them to quintessence models. We argue that, despite recent criticisms, de Sitter models reached a level of concreteness and calculational control which has been improving over time. On the other hand, building string models of quintessence appears to be more challenging and requires additional fine-tuning. We discuss the tension between the swampland co…
Early dark energy, as a proposed solution to the Hubble tension, faces an additional "why now" problem. Why should dark energy emerge just prior to recombination, billions of years before the onset of cosmic acceleration? Assisted quintessence explains this connection by positing that multiple scaling fields build up over time to drive the present-day cosmic acceleration. In this framework, early dark energy is inevitable. Yet, we show that scaling also leads to the demise of the scenario: the same feature that solves the coincidence problem then spoils a concordance of the Hubble constant inf…
Despite its dominance in the present universe's energy budget, dark energy is the least understood component in the universe. Although there is a popular model for the dynamical dark energy, the quintessence scalar, the investigation is limited because of its highly elusive character. We present a model where the quintessence is gauged by an Abelian gauge symmetry. The quintessence is promoted to be a complex scalar whose real part is the dark energy field while the imaginary part is the longitudinal component of a new gauge boson. It brings interesting characters to dark energy physics. We st…
Dynamical dark energy has been recently suggested as a promising and physical way to solve the 3.4 sigma tension on the value of the Hubble constant $H_0$ between the direct measurement of Riess et al. (2016) (R16, hereafter) and the indirect constraint from Cosmic Microwave Anisotropies obtained by the Planck satellite under the assumption of a $Λ$CDM model. In this paper, by parameterizing dark energy evolution using the $w_0$-$w_a$ approach, and considering a $12$ parameter extended scenario, we find that: a) the tension on the Hubble constant can indeed be solved with dynamical dark energy…
We present a novel dark energy candidate, based upon the existence and dynamics of Ghost D-branes in a warped compactification of type IIB string theory. Gp-branes cancel the combined BPS sectors of the Dp-branes, while they preserve the same supersymmetries. We show that this scenario can naturally lead to either quintessence or phantom-like behaviors, depending on the form of the involved potentials and brane tension.
In this paper, we investigate the possible theoretical constraint on the parameter $n$ of the agegraphic quintessence model by considering the requirement of the weak gravity conjecture that the variation of the quintessence scalar field $ϕ$ should be less than the Planck mass $M_{\rm{p}}$. We obtain the theoretical upper bound $n\lesssim 2.5$ that is inconsistent with the current observational constraint result $2.637<n<2.983$ (95.4% CL). The possible implications of the tension between observational and theoretical constraint results are discussed.
We revisit the phenomenology of quintessence models in light of the recently refined version of the de Sitter Swampland conjecture, which includes the possibility of unstable de Sitter critical points. We show that models of quintessence can evade previously derived lower bounds on $(1+w)$, albeit with very finely-tuned initial conditions. In the absence of such tuning or other rolling quintessence fields, a field with mass close to Hubble is required, which has a generic prediction for $(1+w)$. Slow-roll single field inflation models remain in tension. Other phenomenological constraints arisi…
The quest for understanding the late-time acceleration is haunted by an immense freedom in the analysis of dynamical models for dark energy in extended parameter spaces. Often-times having no prior knowledge at our disposal, arbitrary choices are implemented to reduce the degeneracies between parameters. We also encounter this issue in the case of quintessence fields, where a scalar degree of freedom drives the late-time acceleration. In this study, we implement a more physical prescription, the \textit{flow} condition, to fine-tune the quintessence evolution for several field potentials. We f…
We explore whether non-standard dark sector physics might be required to solve the existing cosmological tensions. The properties we consider in combination are an interaction between the dark matter and dark energy components, and a dark energy equation of state $w$ different from that of the canonical cosmological constant $w=-1$. In principle, these two parameters are independent. In practice, to avoid early-time, superhorizon instabilities, their allowed parameter spaces are correlated. We analyze three classes of extended interacting dark energy models in light of the 2019 Planck CMB resu…
The string theory swampland proposes that there is no UV-completion for an effective field theory with an exact (metastable) de Sitter vacua, thereby ruling out standard $Λ$CDM cosmology if the conjecture is taken seriously. The swampland criteria have also been shown to be in sharp tension with quintessence models under current and forthcoming observational bounds. As a logical next step, we introduce higher derivative self-interactions in the low-energy effective Lagrangian and show that one can satisfy observational constraints as well as the swampland criteria for some specific models. In …
We put forward a pressure-parametric model to study the tiny deviation from cosmological constant(CC) behavior of the dark sector accelerating the expansion of the Universe. Data from cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies, baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) observation are applied to constrict the model parameters. The constraint results show that such model suffers with $H_0$ tension as well. To realize this model more physically, we reconstruct it with the quintessence and phantom scalar fields, and find out that although the model predicts a quintessen…
The recent local measurement of Hubble constant leads to a more than $3σ$ tension with Planck + $Λ$CDM (Riess {\it et al} 2018). In this article we study the $H_0$ tension in non-flat QCDM cosmology, where Q stands for a minimally coupled and slowly-or-moderately rolling quintessence field $ϕ$ with a smooth potential $V(ϕ)$. By generalizing the QCDM one-parameter and three-parameter parametrizations in Huang {\it et al} 2011 to non-flat universe and using the latest cosmological data, we find that the $H_0$ tension remains above $3.2σ$ level for this class of model.
The de Sitter Swampland conjecture compels us to consider dark energy models where $λ(ϕ) \equiv |\nabla_ϕ V|/V$ is bounded below by a positive constant. Moreover, it has been argued for Quintessence models that the constant $λ$ scenario is the least constrained. Here we demonstrate that increasing $λ$ only exacerbates existing tension in the Hubble constant $H_0$. The identification of dark energy models that both evade observational bounds and alleviate $H_0$ tension constitutes a robust test for the Swampland program.
Phantom-Crossing Dark Energy and the $Ω_m$ Tug-of-War
Princeton University（普林斯顿大学）；Laboratoire univers et particules de Montpellier (LUPM), Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) et Université de Montpellier（蒙彼利埃大学与法国国家科学研究中心联合宇宙与粒子物理实验室）
The Hubble tension seems to be a crisis with $\sim5σ$ discrepancy between the most recent local distance ladder measurement from type Ia supernovae calibrated by Cepheids and the global fitting constraint from the cosmic microwave background data. To narrow down the possible late-time solutions to the Hubble tension, we have used in a recent study [Phys. Rev. D 105, L021301 (2022)] an improved inverse distance ladder method calibrated by the absolute measurements of the Hubble expansion rate at high redshifts from the cosmic chronometer data, and found no appealing evidence for new physics at …
Recent low-redshift observations give value of the present-time Hubble parameter $H_{0}\simeq 74~\rm{km s}^{-1}\rm{Mpc}^{-1}$, roughly 10\% higher than the predicted value $H_{0}=67.4~\rm{km s}^{-1}\rm{Mpc}^{-1}$ from Planck's observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation~(CMB) and the $Λ$CDM model. Phenomenologically, we show that by adding an extra component X with negative density in the Friedmann equation, it can relieve the Hubble tension without changing the Planck's constraint on the matter and dark energy densities. For the extra negative density to be sufficiently small, i…
The Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action from string theory provides several new classes of dark energy behavior beyond quintessence due to its relativistic kinematics. We constrain parameters of natural potentials and brane tensions with cosmological observations as well as showing how to design these functions for a desired expansion history. We enlarge the attractor solutions, including new ways of obtaining cosmological constant behavior, to the case of generalized DBI theory with multiple branes. An interesting novel signature of DBI attractors is that the sound speed is driven to zero, unlike …
In this work we present a further investigation about Teleparallel Gravity Cosmology. We demonstrate that according the current astrophysical data (CC+Pantheon+BAO samplers with late universe measurements SH0ES+H0LiCOW), an $f(T,B)$ theory can provide another interpretation to the oscillatory behaviour of the dark energy equation of state when applied to late times. The four $f(T,B)$ cosmological viable models proposed here can undergo an epoch of late-time acceleration and reproduce quintessence and phantom regimes with a transition along the phantom-divided line, making this theory a good ap…
We consider a varieties of quintessence scalar field models in a homogeneous and isotropic geometry of the universe with zero spatial curvature aiming to provide stringent constraints using a series of cosmological data sets, namely, the cosmic microwave background observations (CMB), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), joint light curve analysis (JLA) from supernovae type Ia, redshift space distortions (RSD), and the cosmic chronometers (CC). From the qualitative evolution of the models, we find all of them are able to execute a fine transition from the past decelerating phase to the presentl…
Many cosmological models invoke rolling scalar fields to account for the observed acceleration of the expansion of the universe. These theories generally include a potential V(phi) which is a function of the scalar field phi. Although V(phi) can be represented by a very diverse set of functions, recent work has shown the under some conditions, such as the slow roll conditions, the equation of state parameter w is either independent of the form of V(phi) or is part of family of solutions with only a few parameters. In realistic models of this type the scalar field couples to other sectors of th…
Dynamical Dark Energy and the Unresolved Hubble Tension: Multi-model Constraints from DESI 2025 and Other Probes
National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院国家天文台）；College of Astronomy and Space Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学天文学与空间科学学院）；School of Physics and Astronomy, Sun Yat-Sen University（中山大学物理学院）
Reconstructing the slope of a nearly flat quintessence potential from cosmography
Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University（发展研究院）；Faculty of Natural Sciences, Duy Tan University（自然科学学院）；Centre for Space Research, North-West University（空间研究中心）；Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town（数学与应用数学系）；South African Astronomical Observatory（南非天文台）；Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University（物理与天文学系）
Ningbo University（宁波大学）；Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)（中国科学院理论物理研究所）；Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP)（亚太理论物理中心）
Gravitational transitions at low redshifts ($z_t<0.1$) have been recently proposed as a solution to the Hubble and growth tensions. Such transitions would naturally lead to a transition in the absolute magnitude $M$ of type Ia supernovae (SnIa) at $z_t$ (Late $M$ Transitions - $LMT$) and possibly in the dark energy equation of state parameter $w$ (Late $w-M$ Transitions - $LwMT$). Here, we compare the quality of fit to cosmological data of this class of models, with the corresponding quality of fit of the cosmological constant model ($Λ$CDM) and some of the best smooth $H(z)$ deformation model…
Several cosmological tensions have emerged in light of recent data, most notably in the inferences of the parameters $H_0$ and $σ_8$. We explore the possibility of alleviating both these tensions {\it simultaneously} by means of the Albrecht-Skordis ``quintessence'' potential. The field can reduce the size of the sound horizon $r_s^*$ while concurrently suppressing the power in matter density fluctuations before it comes to dominate the energy density budget today. Interestingly, this rich set of dynamics is governed entirely by one free parameter that is of $\mathcal{O}(10)$ in Planck units. …
Many late time approaches for the solution of the Hubble tension use late time smooth deformations of the Hubble expansion rate $H(z)$ of the Planck18/$Λ$CDM best fit to match the locally measured value of $H_0$ while effectively keeping the comoving distance to the last scattering surface and $Ω_{0m} h^2$ fixed to maintain consistency with Planck CMB measurements. A well known problem of these approaches is that they worsen the fit to low $z$ distance probes. Here we show that another problem of these approaches is that they worsen the level of the $Ω_{0m}-σ_8$ growth tension. We use the gene…
Study of the cosmological tensions and DESI-DR2 in the framework of the Little Rip model
University of Mohammed first（穆罕默德一世大学）；Mohammed I University（穆罕默德一世大学）；Laboratory of Physics of Matter and Radiation（物质与辐射物理实验室）；Astrophysical and Cosmological Center（天体物理与宇宙学中心）；Faculty of Sciences（理学院）；Higher School of Education and Training（教育与培训高等学院）
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 examine the decay vacuum model with a parameter $ε$ that indicates the vacuum energy decay rate. By constraining this model with cosmic microwave background radiation, baryon acoustic oscillation, type Ia supernovae and 30 H(z) cosmic chronometer data points, we find that $ε=-0.0003\pm0.00024$ with the best fitted $χ^{2}$ value slightly smaller than that in the $Λ$CDM model. A negative value of $ε$ suggesting dark matter energy decay into vacuum energy. We also obtain the Hubble constant $H_{0}=68.05\pm0.56$ that can alleviate the current $H_{0}$ tension between the local observation by the…
Many attempts to solve the Hubble tension with extended cosmological models combine an enhanced relic radiation density, acting at the level of background cosmology, with new physical ingredients affecting the evolution of cosmological perturbations. Several authors have pointed out the ability of combined Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) data to probe the background cosmological history independently of both CMB maps and supernovae data. Using state-of-the-art assumptions on BBN, we confirm that combined BAO, deuterium, and helium data are in tension with t…
We investigate various scenarios which include interaction forms between dark matter and dark energy that exhibit sign reverse, namely where the transfer of energy between the dark fluids changes sign during evolution. We study the large-scale inhomogeneities in such interacting scenarios and we confront them with the latest astronomical data. Our analysis shows that the sign-changeable interaction models are able to produce stable perturbations. Additionally, the data seem to slightly favor a non-zero interaction, however, within $1σ$ confidence level (CL) the scenarios cannot be distinguishe…
In this Letter, we study the implications of string Swampland criteria for dark energy in view of ongoing and future cosmological observations. If string theory should be the ultimate quantum gravity theory, there is evidence that exact de Sitter solutions with a positive cosmological constant cannot describe the fate of the late-time universe. Even though cosmological models with dark energy given by a scalar field $π$ evolving in time are not in direct tension with string theory, they have to satisfy the Swampland criteria $|Δπ|<d\sim\mathcal{O}(1)$ and $|V'|/V>c\sim\mathcal{O}(1)$, where $V…
