Hubble Rate Research Articles

Relic Density of Asymmetric Dark Matter in Modified Cosmological Scenarios**Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11365022 and 11765021

We discuss the relic abundance of asymmetric Dark Matter particles in modified cosmological scenarios where the Hubble rate is changed with respect to the standard cosmological scenario. The modified Hubble rate leaves its imprint on the relic abundance of asymmetric Dark Matter particles if the asymmetric Dark Matter particles freeze–out in this era. For generality we parameterize the modification of the Hubble rate and then calculate the relic abundance of asymmetric Dark Matter particles and anti–particles. We find the abundances for the Dark Matter particles and anti–particles are enhanced in the modified cosmological models. The indirect detection signal is possible for the asymmetric Dark Matter particles due to the increased annihilation rate in the modified cosmological models. Applying Planck data, we find the constraints on the parameters of the modified cosmological models.

Model-independent reconstruction of the linear anisotropic stress η

In this work, we use recent data on the Hubble expansion rate H(z), the quantity fσ8(z) from redshift space distortions and the statistic Eg from clustering and lensing observables to constrain in a model-independent way the linear anisotropic stress parameter η. This estimate is free of assumptions about initial conditions, bias, the abundance of dark matter and the background expansion. We denote this observable estimator as ηobs. If ηobs turns out to be different from unity, it would imply either a modification of gravity or a non-perfect fluid form of dark energy clustering at sub-horizon scales. Using three different methods to reconstruct the underlying model from data, we report the value of ηobs at three redshift values, z=0.29, 0.58, 0.86. Using the method of polynomial regression, we find ηobs=0.57±1.05, ηobs=0.48±0.96, and ηobs=−0.11±3.21, respectively. Assuming a constant ηobs in this range, we find ηobs=0.49±0.69. We consider this method as our fiducial result, for reasons clarified in the text. The other two methods give for a constant anisotropic stress ηobs=0.15±0.27 (binning) and ηobs=0.53 ± 0.19 (Gaussian Process). We find that all three estimates are compatible with each other within their 1σ error bars. While the polynomial regression method is compatible with standard gravity, the other two methods are in tension with it.

BBN constraints on MeV-scale dark sectors. Part II: Electromagnetic decays

Meta-stable dark sector particles decaying into electrons or photons may non-trivially change the Hubble rate, lead to entropy injection into the thermal bath of Standard Model particles and may also photodisintegrate light nuclei formed in the early universe. We study generic constraints from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis on such a setup, with a particular emphasis on MeV-scale particles which are neither fully relativistic nor non-relativistic during all times relevant for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. We apply our results to a simple model of self-interacting dark matter with a light scalar mediator. This setup turns out to be severely constrained by these considerations in combination with direct dark matter searches and will be fully tested with the next generation of low-threshold direct detection experiments.

Landscape tomography through primordial non-Gaussianity

In this paper, we show how the structure of the landscape potential of the primordial Universe may be probed through the properties of the primordial density perturbations responsible for the origin of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies and the large-scale structure of our Universe. Isocurvature fields -fields orthogonal to the inflationary trajectory- may have fluctuated across the barriers separating local minima of the landscape potential during inflation. We analyze how this process could have impacted the evolution of the primordial curvature perturbations. If the typical distance separating consecutive minima of the landscape potential and the height of the potential barriers are smaller than the Hubble expansion rate parametrizing inflation, the probability distribution function of isocurvature fields becomes non-Gaussian due to the appearance of bumps and dips associated to the structure of the potential. We show that this non-Gaussianity can be transferred to the statistics of primordial curvature perturbations if the isocurvature fields are coupled to the curvature perturbations. The type of non-Gaussian structure that emerges in the distribution of curvature perturbations cannot be fully probed with the standard methods of polyspectra; instead, the probability distribution function is needed. The latter is obtained by summing all the $n$-point correlation functions. To substantiate our claims, we offer a concrete model consisting of an axionlike isocurvature perturbation with a sinusoidal potential and a linear derivative coupling between the isocurvature and curvature fields. In this model, the probability distribution function of the curvature perturbations consists of a Gaussian function with small superimposed oscillations reflecting the isocurvature axion potential.

Direct constraint on cosmic neutrino mass using observational Hubble parameter data

In order to explore the properties of cosmic neutrinos, i.e. sum of the neutrino mass (∑mυ) and the effective number of neutrino species (Neff), which affects the Hubble expansion rate H(z) and the power of observational Hubble parameter data (OHD) in constraining cosmological parameters under the ΛCDM model, we utilize OHD to constrain the properties of cosmic neutrinos and apply an accurate H(z) function with ∑mυ and Neff. First, we simulate new OHD beyond the existing 43 OHD. According to the predictions of measurements of H0 (the current H(z) value), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) peaks, Sandage-Loeb (SL) test and cosmic microwave background (CMB), we assume observational accuracy up to 2% and redshift 0 < z ≲ 5. With simulated H(z) data obtained from the fiducial model, we constrain the parameters including ∑mυ and Neff. When all parameters are set free, ∑mυ < 0.196 eV (95%) and Neff = 2.984 ± 0.826 (68%) are obtained, and when fixing Neff as the standard baseline 3.046, we attain ∑mυ < 0.240 eV (95%). These constrained results are much tighter than the ones obtained by the current OHD, which makes the prospect of OHD in constraining cosmological parameters more promising as its accuracy and quantity grow.

The Ogievetsky-Polubarinov massive gravity and the benign Boulware-Deser mode

We present our analysis of the theory constructed in 1965 by Ogievetsky and Polubarinov (OP)— the first ever theory of interacting massive gravitons. Its mass term is adjusted in such a way that the non-linear field equations imply as a consequence the linear Hilbert-Lorentz condition, which restricts the spin of states in the theory. Strikingly, for special parameter values this theory coincides with one of the “ghost-free” massive gravity models rediscovered only in 2010. For generic parameter values, however, it propagates 6 degrees of freedom and shows ghost around flat space. Surprizingly, we find that the de Sitter space remains stable for a large region of the parameter space, provided that the Hubble expansion rate is large enough, hence the Boulware-Deser mode is benign in this case. We study also other solutions and find that the Milne universe— a sector of Minkowski space—is stable in the UV limit. This presumably implies that at the non-linear level the ghost instability in flat space develops only for long waves, similarly to the classical Jeans instability.

Dark matter freeze-out during matter domination

We highlight the general scenario of dark matter freeze-out while the energy density of the universe is dominated by a decoupled non-relativistic species. Decoupling during matter domination changes the freeze-out dynamics, since the Hubble rate is parametrically different for matter and radiation domination. Furthermore, for successful Big Bang Nucleosynthesis the state dominating the early universe energy density must decay, this dilutes (or repopulates) the dark matter. As a result, the masses and couplings required to reproduce the observed dark matter relic density can differ significantly from radiation-dominated freeze-out.

Nonlinear perturbations from the coupling of the inflaton to a non-Abelian gauge field, with a focus on Chromo-Natural Inflation

Several models of inflation employing a triplet of SU(2) vectors with spatially orthogonal vacuum expectation values (VEVs) have been recently proposed. One (tensor) combination t of the vector modes is amplified in some momentum range during inflation. Due to the vector VEVs, this combination mixes with gravitational waves (GW) at the linear level, resulting in a GW amplification that has been well studied in the literature. Scalar perturbations in this class of models have been so far studied only at the linear level. We perform a first step toward the nonlinear computation using as an example the original model of Chromo-Natural Inflation. We compute the contribution to the scalar power spectrum arising from the coupling of the combination t to the inflaton. This contribution is mostly controlled by a single parameter of the model (namely, the ratio between the mass of the fluctuations of the vector field and the Hubble rate), and, for a wide range of this parameter, it can significantly affect the phenomenology obtained from the linear theory. This nonlinear contribution is significantly blue, improving the comparison between the two-point function and the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data. This growth can be also relevant for smaller scale phenomenology, such as large scale structure, CMB distortions, and primordial black holes.

Viable inflation in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity and reconstruction from observational indices

In this paper the focus is on inflationary dynamics in the context of Einstein Gauss-Bonnet gravitational theories. We investigate the implications of the slow-roll condition on the slow-roll indices and we investigate how the inflationary dynamical evolution is affected by the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet coupling to the scalar field. For exemplification of our analysis we investigate how the dynamics of inflationary cubic, quartic order and also exponential scalar potentials are affected by the non-trivial Gauss-Bonnet coupling to the scalar field. As we demonstrate it is possible to obtain a viable phenomenology compatible with the observational data, although the canonical scalar field theory with cubic and quartic order potentials does not yield phenomenologically acceptable results. In addition, with regard to the exponential potential example, the Einstein Gauss-Bonnet extension of the single canonical scalar field model has an inherent mechanism that can trigger the graceful exit from inflation. Furthermore we introduce a bottom-up reconstruction technique, in the context of which by fixing the tensor-to-scalar ratio and the Hubble rate as a function of the $e$-foldings number, one is capable of reproducing the Einstein Gauss-Bonnet theory which generates the aforementioned quantities. We illustrate how the method works by using some relatively simple examples.

Gravitational wave constraints on dark sector models

We explore the constraints on dark sector models imposed by the recent observation of coincident gravitational waves and gamma rays from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817. Rather than focusing on specific models as has been considered by other authors, we explore this in the context of the equation of state approach of which the specific models are special cases. After confirming the strong constraints found by others for Horndeski, Einstein-Aether and massive gravity models, we discuss how it is possible to construct models which might evade the constraints from GW170817 but still leading to cosmologically interesting modifications to gravity. Possible examples are ``miracle cancellations" such as in $f(R)$ models, nonlocal models and higher-order derivatives. The latter two rely on the dimensionless ratio of the wave number of the observed gravitational waves to the Hubble expansion rate being very large ($\sim10^{19}$) which is used to suppress modifications to the speed of gravitational waves.

Constant-roll inflation in f(T) teleparallel gravity

We investigate in detail the implications of the constant-roll condition on the inflationary era of a scalar field coupled to a teleparallel f(T) gravity. The resulting cosmological equations constitute a reconstruction technique which enables us to find either the f(T) gravity which corresponds to a given cosmological evolution, or the Hubble rate of the cosmological evolution generated by a fixed f(T) gravity. We also analyze in some detail the phase space of the constant-roll teleparallel gravity and we discuss the physical significance of the resulting fixed points and trajectories. Also we calculate the observational indices of a theory with given f(T) gravity, and we discuss all the implications of the constant-roll condition on these. As we demonstrate, the resulting theory can be compatible with the current observational data, for a wide range of values of the free parameters of the theory.

Dark matter and baryon asymmetry from the very dawn of the Universe

We propose a universal mechanism of producing dark matter and baryon (lepton) charge at the stage of the quasi-de Sitter expansion of the Universe---inflation. The key ingredient of the mechanism is a linear coupling of the field, responsible for generation of dark matter or baryon (lepton) charge, to a function of the inflaton. During inflation this induces almost constant force dragging the corresponding field to the non-zero value. This force explicitly breaks quantum numbers associated with dark matter/baryon abundance at later stages. As a particular realization of the mechanism we introduce a super-heavy complex scalar field with the mass larger than the Hubble rate during the last e-folds of inflation. The global U(1)-symmetry is violated due to the linear coupling of the phase of the complex scalar to the inflaton. The symmetry breaking leads to the generation of a non-zero Noether charge. The latter is directly related to the dark matter abundance, or, alternatively, can be converted into baryon asymmetry, if the complex scalar carries the baryon charge.

A new parametrization for dark energy density and future deceleration

In this work, we have proposed a general dark energy density parametrization to study the evolution of the universe. We have also constrained the model parameters using the combination of Type Ia supernova (SNIa), baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) and observational [Formula: see text] datasets. For the [Formula: see text] dataset, we have used the direct observations of the Hubble rate, from the radial BAO size and the cosmic chronometer methods. Our result indicates that the [Formula: see text] dataset does not favor the [Formula: see text]CDM model at more than [Formula: see text] confidence level. Furthermore, we have also measured the percentage deviation in the evolution of the normalized Hubble parameter for the present model compared to a [Formula: see text]CDM model, and the corresponding deviation is found to be 4–5% at low redshifts [Formula: see text]. Finally, we have also investigated whether the deceleration parameter [Formula: see text] may have more than one transition during the evolution of the universe. The present model shows a transient accelerating phase, in which the universe was decelerated in the past and is presently accelerating, but will return to a decelerating phase in the near future. This result is in great contrast to the [Formula: see text]CDM scenario, which predicts that the cosmic acceleration must remain forever.

Reannihilation of self-interacting dark matter

We explore the phenomenology of having a second epoch of dark matter annihilation into dark radiation long after the standard thermal freeze-out. Such a hidden reannihilation process could affect visible sectors only gravitationally. As a concrete realization we consider self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) with a light force mediator coupled to dark radiation. We demonstrate how resonantly Sommerfeld enhanced cross sections emerge to induce the reannihilation epoch. The effect is a temporally local modification of the Hubble expansion rate and we show that the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements -- as well as other observations -- have a high sensitivity to observe this phenomenon. Special attention is given to the model region where late kinetic decoupling and strong self-interactions can alleviate several small-scale problems in the cold dark matter paradigm at the same time. Interestingly, we find that reannihilation might here also simultaneously lower the tension between CMB and low-redshift astronomical observations of $H_{0}$ and $\sigma_{8}$. Moreover, we identify reannihilation as a clear signature to discriminate between the phenomenologically otherwise almost identical vector and scalar mediator realizations of SIDM.

Observational constraints on warm quasi-exponential inflation

In the present work we study a warm inflationary model defined by a quasi-exponential inflaton potential and an inflaton decay rate proportional to the Hubble rate. The model is characterized by three free parameters. We compute the power spectrum, the scalar spectral index as well as the tensor-to-scalar ratio within the framework of the model, and we compare with the latest Planck data. On the $r-n_s$ plane we show both the theoretical curves and the contour plots allowed by observations, and we constrain the parameters of the model accordingly. The non-linear parameter $f_{NL}$, corresponding to primordial non-Gaussianities, is also discussed and we found that the value predicted by our model is within the bounds imposed by current observational data.

Super-Eddington accreting massive black holes explore high- z cosmology: Monte-Carlo simulations

In this paper, we simulate Super-Eddington accreting massive black holes (SEAMBHs) as the candles to probe cosmology for the first time. SEAMBHs have been demonstrated to be able to provide a new tool for estimating cosmological distance. Thus, we create a series of mock data sets of SEAMBHs, especially in the high redshift region, to check their abilities to probe the cosmology. To fulfill the potential of the SEAMBHs on the cosmology, we apply the simulated data to three projects. The first is the exploration of their abilities to constrain the cosmological parameters, in which we combine different data sets of current observations such as the cosmic microwave background from {\it Planck} and type Ia supernovae from Joint Light-curve Analysis (JLA). We find that the high redshift SEAMBHs can help to break the degeneracies of the background cosmological parameters constrained by {\it Planck} and JLA, thus giving much tighter constraints of the cosmological parameters. The second uses the high redshift SEAMBHs as the complements of the low redshift JLA to constrain the early expansion rate and the dark energy density evolution in the cold dark matter frame. Our results show that these high redshift SEAMBHs are very powerful on constraining the early Hubble rate and the evolution of the dark energy density; thus they can give us more information about the expansion history of our Universe, which is also crucial for testing the $\Lambda$CDM model in the high redshift region. Finally, we check the SEAMBH candles' abilities to reconstruct the equation of state of dark energy at high redshift. In summary, our results show that the SEAMBHs, as the rare candles in the high redshift region, can provide us a new and independent observation to probe cosmology in the future.

Tensor non-Gaussianity from axion-gauge-fields dynamics: parameter search

We calculate the bispectrum of scale-invariant tensor modes sourced by spectator SU(2) gauge fields during inflation in a model containing a scalar inflaton, a pseudoscalar axion and SU(2) gauge fields. A large bispectrum is generated in this model at tree-level as the gauge fields contain a tensor degree of freedom, and its production is dominated by self-coupling of the gauge fields. This is a unique feature of non-Abelian gauge theory. The shape of the tensor bispectrum is approximately an equilateral shape for 3≲ mQ≲ 4, where mQ is an effective dimensionless mass of the SU(2) field normalised by the Hubble expansion rate during inflation. The amplitude of non-Gaussianity of the tensor modes, characterised by the ratio Bh/P2h, is inversely proportional to the energy density fraction of the gauge field. This ratio can be much greater than unity, whereas the ratio from the vacuum fluctuation of the metric is of order unity. The bispectrum is effective at constraining large mQ regions of the parameter space, whereas the power spectrum constrains small mQ regions.

Interacting Dark Energy in the Dark SU(2) R Model

We explore the cosmological implications of the interactions among the dark particles in the dark $SU(2)_R$ model. It turns out that the relevant interaction is between dark energy and dark matter, through a decay process. With respect to the standard $\Lambda$CDM model, it changes only the background equations. We note that the observational aspects of the model are dominated by degeneracies between the parameters that describe the process. Thus, only the usual $\Lambda$CDM parameters, such as the Hubble expansion rate and the dark energy density parameter (interpreted as the combination of the densities of the dark energy doublet) could be constrained by observations at this moment.

More on the holographic Ricci dark energy model: smoothing Rips through interaction effects?

The background cosmological dynamics of the late Universe is analysed on the framework of a dark energy model described by an holographic Ricci dark energy component. Several kind of interactions between the dark energy and the dark matter components are considered herein. We solve the background cosmological dynamics for the different choices of interactions with the aim to analyse not only the current evolution of the universe but also its asymptotic behaviour and, in particular, possible future singularities removal. We show that in most of the cases, the Big Rip singularity, a finger print of this model in absence of an interaction between the dark sectors, is substituted by a de Sitter or a Minkowski state. Most importantly, we found two new future bouncing solutions leading to two possible asymptotic behaviours, we named Little Bang and Little Sibling of the Big Bang. At a Little Bang, as the size of the universe shrinks to zero in an infinite cosmic time, the Hubble rate and its cosmic time derivative blow up. In addition, at a Little sibling of the Big Bang, as the size of the universe shrinks to zero in an infinite cosmic time, the Hubble rate blows up but its cosmic time derivative is finite. These two abrupt events can happen as well in the past.

Effects of Low Anisotropy on Generalized Ghost Dark Energy in Galileon Gravity

The definition of the Galileon gravity form is extended to the Brans-Dicke theory. Given, the framework of the Galileon theory, the generalized ghost dark energy model in an anisotropic universe is investigated. We study the cosmological implications of this model. In particular, we obtain the equation of state and the deceleration parameters and a differential equation governing the evolution of this dark energy in Bianchi type I model. We also probe observational constraints by using the latest observational data on the generalized ghost dark energy models as the unification of dark matter and dark energy. In order to do so, we focus on observational determinations of the Hubble expansion rate (namely, the expansion history) H(z). As a result, we show the influence of the anisotropy (although low) on the evolution of the universe in the statefinder diagrams for Galileon gravity.