arXiv subjects

Eleonora Di Valentino

Publications and source records attributed to Eleonora Di Valentino.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Emergent Dark Energy, neutrinos and cosmological tensions

The Phenomenologically Emergent Dark Energy model, a dark energy model with the same number of free parameters as the flat $Λ$CDM, has been proposed as a working example of a minimal model which can avoid the current cosmological tensions. A straightforward question is whether or not the inclusion of massive neutrinos and extra relativistic species may spoil such an appealing phenomenological alternative. We present the bounds on $M_ν$ and $N_{\rm eff}$ and comment on the long standing $H_0$ and $σ_8$ tensions within this cosmological framework with a wealth of cosmological observations. Interestingly, we find, at $95\%$ confidence level, and with the most complete set of cosmological observations, $M_ν\sim 0.21^{+0.15}_{-0.14}$ eV and $N_{\rm eff}= 3.03\pm 0.32$ i.e. an indication for a non-zero neutrino mass with a significance above $2σ$. The well known Hubble constant tension is considerably easened, with a significance always below the $2σ$ level.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

Dynamical dark energy after Planck CMB final release and $H_0$ tension

In this article we compare a variety of well known dynamical dark energy models using the cosmic microwave background measurements from the 2018 Planck legacy and 2015 Planck data releases, the baryon acoustic oscillations measurements and the local measurements of $H_0$ obtained by the SH0ES (Supernovae, $H_0$, for the Equation of State of Dark energy) collaboration analysing the Hubble Space Telescope data. We discuss the alleviation of $H_0$ tension, that is obtained at the price of a phantom-like dark energy equation of state. We perform a Bayesian evidence analysis to quantify the improvement of the fit, finding that all the dark energy models considered in this work are preferred against the $Λ$CDM scenario. Finally, among all the possibilities analyzed, the CPL model is the best one in fitting the data and solving the $H_0$ tension at the same time. However, unfortunately, this dynamical dark energy solution is not supported by the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) data, and the tension is restored when BAO data are included for all the models.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Interacting Dark Energy in a closed universe

Recent measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Anisotropies power spectra measured by the Planck satellite show a preference for a closed universe at more than $99 \%$ Confidence Level. Such a scenario is however in disagreement with several low redshift observables, including luminosity distances of Type Ia Supernovae. Here we show that Interacting Dark Energy (IDE) models can ease the discrepancies between Planck and Supernovae Ia data in a closed Universe. Therefore IDE cosmologies remain as very appealing scenarios, as they can provide the solution to a number of observational tensions in different fiducial cosmologies. The results presented here strongly favour broader analyses of cosmological data, and suggest that relaxing the usual flatness and vacuum energy assumptions can lead to a much better agreement among theory and observations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

A fake Interacting Dark Energy detection?

Models involving an interaction between the Dark Matter and the Dark Energy sectors have been proposed to alleviate the long standing Hubble constant tension. In this paper we analyze whether the constraints and potential hints obtained for these interacting models remain unchanged when using simulated Planck data. Interestingly, our simulations indicate that a dangerous fake detection for a non-zero interaction among the Dark Matter and the Dark Energy fluids could arise when dealing with current CMB Planck measurements alone. The very same hypothesis is tested against future CMB observations, finding that only cosmic variance limited polarization experiments, such as PICO or PRISM, could be able to break the existing parameter degeneracies and provide reliable cosmological constraints. This paper underlines the extreme importance of confronting the results arising from data analyses with those obtained with simulations when extracting cosmological limits within exotic cosmological scenarios.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cosmology Intertwined III: $f σ_8$ and $S_8$

The standard $Λ$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model provides a wonderful fit to current cosmological data, but a few tensions and anomalies became statistically significant with the latest data analyses. While these anomalies could be due to the presence of systematic errors in the experiments, they could also indicate the need for new physics beyond the standard model. In this Letter of Interest we focus on the tension of the Planck data with weak lensing measurements and redshift surveys, about the value of the matter energy density $Ω_m$, and the amplitude or rate of the growth of structure ($σ_8,fσ_8$). We list a few interesting models for solving this tension, and we discuss the importance of trying to fit with a single model a full array of data and not just one parameter at a time.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cosmology Intertwined II: The Hubble Constant Tension

The current cosmological probes have provided a fantastic confirmation of the standard $Λ$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model, that has been constrained with unprecedented accuracy. However, with the increase of the experimental sensitivity a few statistically significant tensions between different independent cosmological datasets emerged. While these tensions can be in portion the result of systematic errors, the persistence after several years of accurate analysis strongly hints at cracks in the standard cosmological scenario and the need for new physics. In this Letter of Interest we will focus on the $4.4σ$ tension between the Planck estimate of the Hubble constant $H_0$ and the SH0ES collaboration measurements. After showing the $H_0$ evaluations made from different teams using different methods and geometric calibrations, we will list a few interesting new physics models that could solve this tension and discuss how the next decade experiments will be crucial.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cosmology Intertwined I: Perspectives for the Next Decade

The standard $Λ$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model provides an amazing description of a wide range of astrophysical and astronomical data. However, there are a few big open questions, that make the standard model look like a first-order approximation to a more realistic scenario that still needs to be fully understood. In this Letter of Interest we will list a few important goals that need to be addressed in the next decade, also taking into account the current discordances present between the different cosmological probes, as the Hubble constant $H_0$ value, the $σ_8 - S_8$ tension, and the anomalies present in the Planck results. Finally, we will give an overview of upgraded experiments and next-generation space-missions and facilities on Earth, that will be of crucial importance to address all these questions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cosmology Intertwined IV: The Age of the Universe and its Curvature

A precise measurement of the curvature of the Universe is of primeval importance for cosmology since it could not only confirm the paradigm of primordial inflation but also help in discriminating between different early Universe scenarios. The recent observations, while broadly consistent with a spatially flat standard $Λ$ Cold Dark Matter ($Λ$CDM) model, are showing tensions that still allow (and, in some cases, even suggest) a few percent deviations from a flat universe. In particular, the Planck Cosmic Microwave Background power spectra, assuming the nominal likelihood, prefer a closed universe at more than 99\% confidence level. While new physics could be in action, this anomaly may be the result of an unresolved systematic error or just a statistical fluctuation. However, since a positive curvature allows a larger age of the Universe, an accurate determination of the age of the oldest objects provides a smoking gun in confirming or falsifying the current flat $Λ$CDM model.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

CMB-S4: Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves

CMB-S4---the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment---is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe, from the highest energies at the dawn of time through the growth of structure to the present day. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semi-analytic projection tool, targeted explicitly towards optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r$, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2--3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semi-analytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for $r > 0.003$ at greater than $5σ$, or, in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of $r < 0.001$ at $95\%$ CL.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Modified Emergent Dark Energy and its Astronomical Constraints

We introduce a modified form of the Phenomenologically Emergent Dark Energy (PEDE) model by showing a very elegant approach. The model is named as Modified Emergent Dark Energy (MEDE) to distinguish from PEDE model and it includes $Λ$CDM, PEDE model, Chevallier-Polarski-Linder model and other cosmological models of interest. We show that the present article offers a very fantastic route to construct other PEDE models in a simple but very elegant way. The model has seven free parameters where the six parameters are the same as in $Λ$CDM or PEDE model and the remaining one parameter `$α$' quantifies the generalization. The present model predicts that dark energy equation of state at present assumes, $w_{\rm DE}\; (z=0) = -1 - \fracα{3 \ln (10)}$ and in the far future (i.e., for $z \longrightarrow -1$), it will evolve asymptotically to $w_{\rm DE} \longrightarrow -1$. We perform a very robust observational analysis of the model using various observational datasets including cosmic microwave background radiation, baryon acoustic oscillations distance measurements, a local value of the Hubble constant and the pantheon sample of Supernovae Type Ia. We find that the $H_0$ tension here is alleviated but not solved, while the only free parameter, $α$ could recover the $Λ$CDM or PEDE for different datasets. In summary, the present article describes a novel route to construct other modified versions of the PEDE model in a very simplified manner.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Fitting string inflation to real cosmological data: the Fibre Inflation case

In this paper we show how the string landscape can be constrained using observational data. We illustrate this idea by focusing on Fibre Inflation which is a promising class of string inflationary models in type IIB flux compactifications. We determine the values of the microscopic flux-dependent parameters which yield the best fit to the most recent cosmological datasets.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Metastable dark energy models in light of Planck 2018: Alleviating the $H_0$ tension

We investigate the recently introduced metastable dark energy (DE) models after the final Planck 2018 legacy release. The essence of the present work is to analyze their evolution at the level of perturbations. Our analyses show that both the metastable dark energy models considered in this article, are excellent candidates to alleviate the $H_0$ tension. In particular, for the present models, Planck 2018 alone can alleviate the $H_0$ tension within 68\% CL. Along with the final cosmic microwave background data from the Planck 2018 legacy release, we also include external cosmological datasets in order to asses the robustness of our findings.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Dynamical Dark sectors and Neutrino masses and abundances

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 presence of a dynamical coupling in quintessence scenarios. The inclusion of massive neutrinos into the interaction schemes does not affect neither the constraints on the cosmological parameters nor the bounds on the total number or relativistic degrees of freedom $N_{\rm eff}$, which are found to be extremely robust and, in general, strongly consistent with the canonical prediction $N_{\rm eff}=3.045$. The most stringent bound on the total neutrino mass $M_ν$ is $M_ν<0.116$ eV and it is obtained within a quintessence scenario in which the matter mass-energy density is only mildly affected by the presence of a dynamical dark sector coupling.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Interacting dark energy in the early 2020s: a promising solution to the $H_0$ and cosmic shear tensions

We examine interactions between dark matter and dark energy in light of the latest cosmological observations, focusing on a specific model with coupling proportional to the dark energy density. Our data includes Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements from the Planck 2018 legacy data release, late-time measurements of the expansion history from Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) and Supernovae Type Ia (SNeIa), galaxy clustering and cosmic shear measurements from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 results, and the 2019 local distance ladder measurement of the Hubble constant $H_0$ from the Hubble Space Telescope. Considering Planck data both in combination with BAO or SNeIa data reduces the $H_0$ tension to a level which could possibly be compatible with a statistical fluctuation. The very same model also significantly reduces the $Ω_{\rm m}-σ_8$ tension between CMB and cosmic shear measurements. Interactions between the dark sectors of our Universe remain therefore a promising joint solution to these persisting cosmological tensions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

$H_0$ Ex Machina: Vacuum Metamorphosis and Beyond $H_0$

We do not solve tensions with concordance cosmology; we do obtain $H_0\approx 74\,$km/s/Mpc from CMB+BAO+SN data in our model, but that is not the point. Discrepancies in Hubble constant values obtained by various astrophysical probes should not be viewed in isolation. While one can resolve at least some of the differences through either an early time transition or late time transition in the expansion rate, these introduce other changes. We advocate a holistic approach, using a wide variety of cosmic data, rather than focusing on one number, $H_0$. Vacuum metamorphosis, a late time transition physically motivated by quantum gravitational effects and with the same number of parameters as \lcdm, can successfully give a high $H_0$ value from cosmic microwave background data but fails when combined with multiple distance probes. We also explore the influence of spatial curvature, and of a conjoined analysis of cosmic expansion and growth.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Soundness of Dark Energy properties

Type Ia Supernovae (SNeIa) used as standardizable candles have been instrumental in the discovery of cosmic acceleration, usually attributed to some form of dark energy (DE). Recent studies have raised the issue of whether intrinsic SNeIa luminosities might evolve with redshift. While the evidence for cosmic acceleration is robust to this possible systematic, the question remains of how much the latter can affect the inferred properties of the DE component responsible for cosmic acceleration. This is the question we address in this work. We use SNeIa distance moduli measurements from the Pantheon and JLA samples. We consider models where the DE equation of state is a free parameter, either constant or time-varying, as well as models where DE and dark matter interact, and finally a model-agnostic parametrization of effects due to modified gravity (MG). When SNeIa data are combined with Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements, we find strong degeneracies between parameters governing the SNeIa systematics, the DE parameters, and the Hubble constant $H_0$. These degeneracies significantly broaden the DE parameter uncertainties, in some cases leading to ${\cal O}(σ)$ shifts in the central values. However, including low-redshift Baryon Acoustic Oscillation and Cosmic Chronometer measurements, as well as CMB lensing measurements, considerably improves the previous constraints, and the only remaining effect of the examined systematic is a $\lesssim 40\%$ broadening of the uncertainties on the DE parameters. The constraints we derive on the MG parameters are instead basically unaffected by the systematic in question. We therefore confirm the overall soundness of dark energy properties.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Addendum to: Global constraints on absolute neutrino masses and their ordering

We revisit our previous work [Phys. Rev. D 95, 096014 (2017)] where neutrino oscillation and nonoscillation data were analyzed in the standard framework with three neutrino families, in order to constrain their absolute masses and to probe their ordering (either normal, NO, or inverted, IO). We include updated oscillation results to discuss best fits and allowed ranges for the two squared mass differences $δm^2$ and $Δm^2$, the three mixing angles $θ_{12}$, $θ_{23}$ and $θ_{13}$, as well as constraints on the CP-violating phase $δ$, plus significant indications in favor of NO vs IO at the level of $Δχ^2=10.0$. We then consider nonoscillation data from beta decay, from neutrinoless double beta decay (if neutrinos are Majorana), and from various cosmological input variants (in the data or the model) leading to results dubbed as default, aggressive, and conservative. In the default option, we obtain from nonoscillation data an extra contribution $Δχ^2 = 2.2$ in favor of NO, and an upper bound on the sum of neutrino masses $Σ< 0.15$ eV at $2σ$; both results - dominated by cosmology - can be strengthened or weakened by using more aggressive or conservative options, respectively. Taking into account such variations, we find that the combination of all (oscillation and nonoscillation) neutrino data favors NO at the level of $3.2-3.7σ$, and that $Σ$ is constrained at the $2σ$ level within $Σ< 0.12-0.69$ eV. The upper edge of this allowed range corresponds to an effective $β$-decay neutrino mass $m_β= Σ/3 = 0.23$ eV, at the sensitivity frontier of the KATRIN experiment.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Reconciling $H_0$ tension in a six parameter space?

Consistent observations indicate that some of the important cosmological parameters measured through the local observations are in huge tension with their measurements from the global observations (within the minimal $Λ$CDM cosmology). The tensions in those cosmological parameters have been found to be either weakened or reconciled with the introduction of new degrees of freedom that effectively increases the underlying parameter space compared to the minimal $Λ$CDM cosmology. It might be interesting to investigate the above tensions within the context of an emergent dark energy scenario proposed recently by Li and Shafieloo~\cite{Li:2019yem}. We find that the tension on $H_0$ is clearly alleviated within 68\% confidence level with an improvement of the $χ^2$ for CMB, for the above emergent dark energy model having only six free parameters similar to the spatially flat $Λ$CDM model. The tension on $H_0$ is still alleviated for every combined datasets considered in the work, however, such alleviation occurs by worsening the $χ^2$ compared to the $χ^2$ for $Λ$CDM model obtained for the same combined dataset.

astro-ph.CO↗