Cosmographic bounds on the cosmological deceleration-acceleration transition redshift inf(R)gravity

Abstract

We examine the observational viability of a class of $f(\mathcal{R})$ gravity cosmological models. Particular attention is devoted to constraints from the recent observational determination of the redshift of the cosmological deceleration-acceleration transition. Making use of the fact that the Ricci scalar is a function of redshift $z$ in these models, $\mathcal{R}=\mathcal{R}(z)$, and so is $f(z)$, we use cosmography to relate a $f(z)$ test function evaluated at higher $z$ to late-time cosmographic bounds. First, we consider a model-independent procedure to build up a numerical $f(z)$ by requiring that at $z=0$ the corresponding cosmological model reduces to standard $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$. We then infer late-time observational constraints on $f(z)$ in terms of bounds on the Taylor expansion cosmographic coefficients. In doing so we parametrize possible departures from the standard $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ model in terms of a two-parameter logarithmic correction. The physical meaning of the two parameters is also discussed in terms of the post-Newtonian approximation. Second, we provide numerical estimates of the cosmographic series terms by using type Ia supernova apparent magnitude data and Hubble parameter measurements. Finally, we use these estimates to bound the two parameters of the logarithmic correction. We find that the deceleration parameter in our model changes sign at a redshift consistent with what is observed.