Late-time dark energy dynamics in $f(Q)$ gravity: A data-driven analysis
The increasing precision and complementarity of late-time cosmological observations provide new opportunities to test modified gravity against the observed expansion history of the universe. The combination of DESI DR2 BAO measurements with cosmic chronometers (CC) and independent Type Ia supernova compilations provides a data-driven test of cosmic acceleration. Motivated by this progress, we investigate late-time dark energy dynamics in symmetric teleparallel $f(Q)$ gravity by adopting the power-law form $f(Q)=βQ^{m+1}$ and characterizing cosmic evolution through the effective equation of state (EoS) parameter. The model is constrained using CC, DESI DR2 BAO and three independent Type Ia supernova compilations, namely Pantheon+, DES-SN5YR and Union3. The inferred Hubble constant values are mutually consistent, yielding $H_0=67.60^{+1.60}_{-1.66}$, $67.08^{+1.66}_{-1.61}$ and $68.16^{+1.46}_{-1.43}\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}}$, respectively. Statistically, the proposed $f(Q)$ model yields lower $χ^2_{\min}$ values and is favored by the AIC for all dataset combinations, whereas the BIC favors $Λ$CDM for the CC + DESI DR2 + Pantheon+ and CC + DESI DR2 + DES-SN5YR combinations and indicates no meaningful preference between the two models for the CC + DESI DR2 + Union3 dataset combinations. The reconstructed EoS indicates quintessence-like behavior, while the negative deceleration parameter confirms the current accelerated expansion. The transition from deceleration to acceleration occurs within $0.680\leq z_t\leq0.745$. Higher-order cosmographic parameters and the Statefinder and $Om(z)$ diagnostics consistently support this quintessence-like behavior, with the Statefinder trajectories approaching the $Λ$CDM fixed point in the far future. Overall, the power-law $f(Q)$ model provides a viable and competitive description of late-time cosmic acceleration.