arXiv subjects

Alexei A. Starobinsky

Publications and source records attributed to Alexei A. Starobinsky.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Effects of inhomogeneities on apparent cosmological observables: "fake" evolving dark energy

Using the exact Lemaitre-Bondi-Tolman solution with a non-vanishing cosmological constant $Λ$, we investigate how the presence of a local spherically-symmetric inhomogeneity can affect apparent cosmological observables, such as the deceleration parameter or the effective equation of state of dark energy (DE), derived from the luminosity distance under the assumption that the real space-time is exactly homogeneous and isotropic. The presence of a local underdensity is found to produce apparent phantom behavior of DE, while a locally overdense region leads to apparent quintessence behavior. We consider relatively small large scale inhomogeneities which today are not linear and could be seeded by primordial curvature perturbations compatible with CMB bounds. Our study shows how observations in an inhomogeneous $Λ$CDM universe with initial conditions compatible with the inflationary beginning, if interpreted under the wrong assumption of homogeneity, can lead to the wrong conclusion about the presence of "fake" evolving dark energy instead of $Λ$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Inflation and non-minimal scalar-curvature coupling in gravity and supergravity

Inflationary slow-roll dynamics in Einstein gravity with a non-minimal scalar-curvature coupling can be equivalent to that in the certain f(R) gravity theory. We review the correspondence and extend it to N=1 supergravity. The non-minimal coupling in supergravity is rewritten in terms of the standard (`minimal') N=1 matter-coupled supergravity by using curved superspace. The established equivalence between two different inflationary theories means the same inflaton scalar potential, and does not imply the same post-inflationary dynamics and reheating.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Cosmological Constant from Decoherence

We address the issue why a cosmological constant (dark energy) possesses a small positive value instead of being zero. Motivated by the cosmic landscape picture, we mimic the dark energy by a scalar field with potential wells and show that other degrees of freedom interacting with it can localize this field by decoherence in one of the wells. Dark energy can then acquire a small positive value. We also show that the additional degrees of freedom enhance the tunneling rate between the wells. The consideration is performed in detail for the case of two wells and then extended to a large number of wells.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Future Oscillations around Phantom Divide in f(R) Gravity

It is known that scalar-tensor theory of gravity admits regular crossing of the phantom divide line $w_{\DE}=-1$ for dark energy, and existing viable models of present dark energy for its particular case -- $f(R)$ gravity -- possess one such crossing in the recent past, after the end of the matter dominated stage. It was recently noted that during the future evolution of these models the dark energy equation of state $w_{\DE}$ may oscillate with an arbitrary number of phantom divide crossings. In this paper we prove that the number of crossings can be infinite, present an analytical condition for the existence of this effect and investigate it numerically. With the increase of the present mass of the scalaron (a scalar particle appearing in $f(R)$ gravity) beyond the boundary of the appearance of such oscillations, their amplitude is shown to decrease very fast. As a result, the effect quickly becomes small and its beginning is shifted to the remote future.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Auxiliary fields representation for modified gravity models

We consider tensor-multiscalar representations for several types of modified gravity actions. The first example is the theory with the action representing an arbitrary smooth function of the scalar curvature R and (Box R), the integrand of the Gauss-Bonnet term and the square of the Weyl tensor. We present a simple procedure leading to an equivalent theory of a space-time metric and four auxiliary scalars and specially discuss calibration of a cosmological constant and the condition of the existence of dS-like solutions in the case of empty universe. The condition for obtaining a smaller number of independent scalar fields is derived. The second example is the Eddington-like gravity action. In this case we show, in particular, the equivalence of the theory to GR with the cosmological constant term, with or without use of the first-order formalism, and also discuss some possible generalizations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Embedding (R+R^2)-Inflation into Supergravity

We find the natural embedding of the (R+R^2)-inflationary model into the recently constructed N=1 F(\cal R)-supergravity. It gives a simple and viable realization of chaotic inflation in supergravity. The only requirement for a slow-roll inflation is the existence of the (\cal R)^3-term with an anomalously large coefficient in Taylor expansion of the F(\cal R) function, where \cal R is the covariantly-chiral scalar supercurvature superfield.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

f(R) Gravity and its Cosmological Implications

We have investigated the evolution of a homogeneous isotropic background of the Universe and inhomogeneous subhorizon matter density perturbations in viable $f(R)$ models of present dark energy and cosmic acceleration analytically and numerically. It is found that viable $f(R)$ models generically exhibit recent crossing of the phantom boundary $w_{\rm DE}=-1$. Furthermore, it is shown that the growth index of perturbations depends both on time and wavenumber. This anomalous growth may explain properties of the observational matter power spectrum from the SDSS data and can also partially counteract the spectrum suppression by massive neutrinos making larger values of the total sum of neutrino rest masses possible.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Matter power spectrum in f(R) gravity with massive neutrinos

The effect of massive neutrinos on matter power spectrum is discussed in the context of $f(R)$ gravity. It is shown that the anomalous growth of density fluctuations on small scales due to the scalaron force can be compensated by free streaming of neutrinos. As a result, models which predict observable deviation of the equation-of-state parameter $w_\DE$ from $w_\DE=-1$ can be reconciled with observations of matter clustering if the total neutrino mass is $O(0.5 \eV)$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Phantom boundary crossing and anomalous growth index of fluctuations in viable f(R) models of cosmic acceleration

Evolution of a background space-time metric and sub-horizon matter density perturbations in the Universe is numerically analyzed in viable $f(R)$ models of present dark energy and cosmic acceleration. It is found that viable models generically exhibit recent crossing of the phantom boundary $w_{\rm DE}=-1$. Furthermore, it is shown that, as a consequence of the anomalous growth of density perturbations during the end of the matter-dominated stage, their growth index evolves non-monotonically with time and may even become negative temporarily.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Phantom behaviour and growth index anomalous evolution in viable f(R) gravity models

We present numerical calculation of the evolution of a background space-time metric and sub-horizon matter density perturbations in viable $f(R)$ gravity models of present dark energy and cosmic acceleration. We found that viable models generically exhibit recent crossing of the phantom boundary $w_{DE}=-1$. Moreover, as a consequence of the anomalous growth of density perturbations during the end of the matter-dominated stage, their growth index evolves non-monotonically with time and may even become negative.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Analytic solution for matter density perturbations in a class of viable cosmological f(R) models

For a class of viable cosmological models in $f(R)$ gravity which deviation from the Einstein gravity decreases as a inverse power law of the Ricci scalar $R$ for large $R$, an analytic solution for density perturbations in the matter component during the matter dominated stage is obtained in terms of hypergeometric functions. An analytical expression for the matter transfer function at scales much less than the present Hubble scale is also obtained.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Is cosmic acceleration slowing down?

We investigate the course of cosmic expansion in its `recent past' using the Constitution SN Ia sample (which includes CfA data at low redshifts), jointly with signatures of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the galaxy distribution and fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Earlier SN Ia data sets could not address this issue because of a paucity of data at low redshifts. Allowing the equation of state of dark energy (DE) to vary, we find that a coasting model of the universe (q_0=0) fits the data about as well as LCDM. This effect, which is most clearly seen using the recently introduced `Om' diagnostic, corresponds to an increase of Om(z) and q(z) at redshifts z \lleq 0.3. In geometrical terms, this suggests that cosmic acceleration may have already peaked and that we are currently witnessing its slowing down. The case for evolving DE strengthens if a subsample of the Constitution set consisting of SNLS+ESSENCE+CfA SN Ia data is analysed in combination with BAO+CMB using the same statistical methods. The effect we observe could correspond to DE decaying into dark matter (or something else). A toy model which mimics this process agrees well with the combined SN Ia+BAO+CMB data.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Reconstructing Cosmological Matter Perturbations using Standard Candles and Rulers

For a large class of dark energy (DE) models, for which the effective gravitational constant is a constant and there is no direct exchange of energy between DE and dark matter (DM), knowledge of the expansion history suffices to reconstruct the growth factor of linearized density perturbations in the non-relativistic matter component on scales much smaller than the Hubble distance. In this paper we develop a non-parametric method for extracting information about the perturbative growth factor from data pertaining to the luminosity or angular size distances. A comparison of the reconstructed density contrast with observations of large scale structure and gravitational lensing can help distinguish DE models such as the cosmological constant and quintessence from models based on modified gravity theories as well as models in which DE and DM are either unified, or interact directly. We show that for current SNe data, the linear growth factor at z = 0.3 can be constrained to 5%, and the linear growth rate to 6%. With future SNe data, such as expected from the JDEM mission, we may be able to constrain the growth factor to 2-3% and the growth rate to 3-4% at z = 0.3 with this unbiased, model-independent reconstruction method. For future BAO data which would deliver measurements of both the angular diameter distance and Hubble parameter, it should be possible to constrain the growth factor at z = 2.5 to 9%. These constraints grow tighter with the errors on the datasets. With a large quantity of data expected in the next few years, this method can emerge as a competitive tool for distinguishing between different models of dark energy.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2009

Once again on thin-shell wormholes in scalar-tensor gravity

It is proved that all thin-shell wormholes built from two identical regions of vacuum static, spherically symmetric space-times have a negative shell surface energy density in any scalar-tensor theory of gravity with a non-ghost massless scalar field and a non-ghost graviton.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Is a step in the primordial spectral index favored by CMB data ?

A sudden small change in the second derivative of the inflaton potential can result in a universal local feature in the spectrum of primordial perturbations generated during inflation. The exact solution describing this feature \cite{minu} is characterized by a step in the spectral index modulated by characteristic oscillations and results in a large running of the spectral index localized over a few e-folds of scale. In this paper we confront this step-like feature with the 5 year WMAP results and demonstrate that it provides a better fit to this data than a featureless initial spectrum. If such a feature exists at all, then it should lie at sufficiently large scales $k_0 \lesssim 0.003 {\rm Mpc}^{-1}$ corresponding to $l \lesssim 40$. The sign of the effect is shown to correspond to the negative running of $n_s$ localized near this scale. This feature could arise as a result of a `mini-waterfall'-type fast second order phase transition experienced by an auxiliary heavy field during inflation, in a model similar to hybrid inflation (though for a different choice of parameters). If this is the case, then the auxiliary field should be positively coupled to the inflaton.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Two new diagnostics of dark energy

We introduce two new diagnostics of dark energy (DE). The first, Om, is a combination of the Hubble parameter and the cosmological redshift and provides a "null test" of dark energy being a cosmological constant. Namely, if the value of Om(z) is the same at different redshifts, then DE is exactly cosmological constant. The slope of Om(z) can differentiate between different models of dark energy even if the value of the matter density is not accurately known. For DE with an unevolving equation of state, a positive slope of Om(z) is suggestive of Phantom (w < -1) while a negative slope indicates Quintessence (w > -1). The second diagnostic, "acceleration probe"(q-probe), is the mean value of the deceleration parameter over a small redshift range. It can be used to determine the cosmological redshift at which the universe began to accelerate, again without reference to the current value of the matter density. We apply the "Om" and "q-probe" diagnostics to the Union data set of type Ia supernovae combined with recent data from the cosmic microwave background (WMAP5) and baryon acoustic oscillations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

New Universal Local Feature in the Inflationary Perturbation Spectrum

A model is developed in which the inflaton potential experiences a sudden small change in its second derivative (the effective mass of the inflaton). An exact treatment demonstrates that the resulting density perturbation has a quasi-flat power spectrum with a break in its slope (a step in n_s). The step in the spectral index is modulated by characteristic oscillations and results in large running of the spectral index localised over a few e-folds of scales. A field-theoretic model giving rise to such behaviour of the inflationary potential is based on a fast phase transition experienced by a second scalar field weakly coupled to the inflaton. Such a transition is similar to that which terminates inflation in the hybrid inflationary scenario. This scenario suggests that the observed running of the spectral index in the WMAP data may be caused by a fast second order phase transition which occurred during inflation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

What do WMAP and SDSS really tell about inflation?

We derive new constraints on the Hubble function H(phi) and subsequently on the inflationary potential V(phi) from WMAP 3-year data combined with the Sloan Luminous Red Galaxy survey (SDSS-LRG), using a new methodology which appears to be more generic, conservative and model-independent than in most of the recent literature, since it depends neither on the slow-roll approximation, nor on any extrapolation scheme for the potential beyond the observable e-fold range, nor on additional assumptions about initial conditions for the inflaton velocity. This last feature represents the main improvement of this work, and is made possible by the reconstruction of H(phi) prior to V(phi). Our results only rely on the assumption that within the observable range, corresponding to ~ 10 e-folds, inflation is not interrupted and the function H(phi) is smooth enough for being Taylor-expanded at order one, two or three. We conclude that the variety of potentials allowed by the data is still large. However, it is clear that the first two slow-roll parameters are really small while the validity of the slow-roll expansion beyond them is not established.

astro-ph↗