arXiv subjects

R. Maartens

Publications and source records attributed to R. Maartens.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Beyond {\Lambda}CDM with the SKA Observatory -- I: Probing Gravity on Cosmological Scales

General relativity (GR) is currently the best description of the gravitational interaction at our disposal and is one of the foundations of the concordance cosmological model. For as much as we know that GR is not the final theory of gravitation - we still lack an understanding of its fundamental, quantum nature - it has demonstrated a remarkable success in describing observed phenomena and predicting effects that have later been confirmed by laboratory experiments or astronomical observations. Since gravity is extremely weak compared to the other three fundamental interactions, it has so far been tested with exquisite precision only in the strong-field regime. On the immense scales of the cosmos, on the other hand, the gravitational field is extremely weak and spacetime curvature is almost negligible. But crucially, it is on these scales that we see hints at the need for exotic components, such as dark matter and dark energy. The question of whether they really exist or their presence is but an artefact of the incompleteness of our understanding of gravity on cosmological scales then naturally arises. It is therefore paramount to test the validity of GR on these scales, either to further confirm its robustness or to detect deviations that could lead us to the formulation of a more general and conclusive theory of gravitation. To this purpose, the SKA Observatory is especially suited, thanks both to the enormous volumes it will probe, and to the variety and complementarity of cosmological observables that its surveys will make available to us.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Fundamental Physics with the Square Kilometre Array

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a planned large radio interferometer designed to operate over a wide range of frequencies, and with an order of magnitude greater sensitivity and survey speed than any current radio telescope. The SKA will address many important topics in astronomy, ranging from planet formation to distant galaxies. However, in this work, we consider the perspective of the SKA as a facility for studying physics. We review four areas in which the SKA is expected to make major contributions to our understanding of fundamental physics: cosmic dawn and reionisation; gravity and gravitational radiation; cosmology and dark energy; and dark matter and astroparticle physics. These discussions demonstrate that the SKA will be a spectacular physics machine, which will provide many new breakthroughs and novel insights on matter, energy and spacetime.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

Cosmic Degeneracies III: N-body Simulations of Interacting Dark Energy with Non-Gaussian Initial Conditions

We perform for the first time N-body simulations of Interacting Dark Energy assuming non-Gaussian initial conditions, with the aim of investigating possible degeneracies of these two theoretically independent phenomena in different observational probes. We focus on the large-scale matter distribution, as well as on the statistical and structural properties of collapsed halos and cosmic voids. On very large scales, we show that it is possible to choose the Interaction and non-Gaussian parameters such that their effects on the halo power spectrum cancel, and the power spectrum is indistinguishable from a $\mathrm{ΛCDM}$ model. On small scales, measurements of the non-linear matter power spectrum, halo-matter bias, halo and subhalo mass function and cosmic void number function validate the degeneracy determined on large scales. However, the internal structural properties of halos and cosmic voids, namely halo concentration-mass relation and void density profile, are very different from those measured in the $\mathrm{ΛCDM}$ model, thereby breaking the degeneracy. In practice, the values of $\mathrm{f_{NL}}$ required to cancel the effect of interaction are already ruled by observations. Our results show in principle that the combination of large- and small-scale probes is needed to constrain Interacting Dark Energy and Primordial non-Gaussianity separately.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

Probing the Cosmological Principle in the counts of radio galaxies at different frequencies

According to the Cosmological Principle, the matter distribution on very large scales should have a kinematic dipole that is aligned with that of the CMB. We determine the dipole anisotropy in the number counts of two all-sky surveys of radio galaxies. For the first time, this analysis is presented for the TGSS survey, allowing us to check consistency of the radio dipole at low and high frequencies by comparing the results with the well-known NVSS survey. We match the flux thresholds of the catalogues, with flux limits chosen to minimise systematics, and adopt a strict masking scheme. We find dipole directions that are in good agreement with each other and with the CMB dipole. In order to compare the amplitude of the dipoles with theoretical predictions, we produce sets of lognormal realisations. Our realisations include the theoretical kinematic dipole, galaxy clustering, Poisson noise, simulated redshift distributions which fit the NVSS and TGSS source counts, and errors in flux calibration. The measured dipole for NVSS is $\sim\!2$ times larger than predicted by the mock data. For TGSS, the dipole is almost $\sim\! 5$ times larger than predicted, even after checking for completeness and taking account of errors in source fluxes and in flux calibration. Further work is required to understand the nature of the systematics that are the likely cause of the anomalously large TGSS dipole amplitude.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Cosmic homogeneity: a spectroscopic and model-independent measurement

Cosmology relies on the Cosmological Principle, i.e., the hypothesis that the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales. This implies in particular that the counts of galaxies should approach a homogeneous scaling with volume at sufficiently large scales. Testing homogeneity is crucial to obtain a correct interpretation of the physical assumptions underlying the current cosmic acceleration and structure formation of the Universe. In this Letter, we use the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey to make the first spectroscopic and model-independent measurements of the angular homogeneity scale $θ_{\rm h}$. Applying four statistical estimators, we show that the angular distribution of galaxies in the range 0.46 < z < 0.62 is consistent with homogeneity at large scales, and that $θ_{\rm h}$ varies with redshift, indicating a smoother Universe in the past. These results are in agreement with the foundations of the standard cosmological paradigm.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2016

HIRAX: A Probe of Dark Energy and Radio Transients

The Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) is a new 400-800MHz radio interferometer under development for deployment in South Africa. HIRAX will comprise 1024 six meter parabolic dishes on a compact grid and will map most of the southern sky over the course of four years. HIRAX has two primary science goals: to constrain Dark Energy and measure structure at high redshift, and to study radio transients and pulsars. HIRAX will observe unresolved sources of neutral hydrogen via their redshifted 21-cm emission line (`hydrogen intensity mapping'). The resulting maps of large-scale structure at redshifts 0.8-2.5 will be used to measure Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). HIRAX will improve upon current BAO measurements from galaxy surveys by observing a larger cosmological volume (larger in both survey area and redshift range) and by measuring BAO at higher redshift when the expansion of the universe transitioned to Dark Energy domination. HIRAX will complement CHIME, a hydrogen intensity mapping experiment in the Northern Hemisphere, by completing the sky coverage in the same redshift range. HIRAX's location in the Southern Hemisphere also allows a variety of cross-correlation measurements with large-scale structure surveys at many wavelengths. Daily maps of a few thousand square degrees of the Southern Hemisphere, encompassing much of the Milky Way galaxy, will also open new opportunities for discovering and monitoring radio transients. The HIRAX correlator will have the ability to rapidly and eXperimentciently detect transient events. This new data will shed light on the poorly understood nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs), enable pulsar monitoring to enhance long-wavelength gravitational wave searches, and provide a rich data set for new radio transient phenomena searches. This paper discusses the HIRAX instrument, science goals, and current status.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

Cosmological performance of SKA HI galaxy surveys

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will conduct the biggest spectroscopic galaxy survey ever, by detecting the 21cm emission line of neutral hydrogen (HI) from around a billion galaxies over 3/4 of the sky, out to a redshift of z~2. This will allow the redshift-space matter power spectrum, and corresponding dark energy observables, to be measured with unprecedented precision. In this paper, we present an improved model of the HI galaxy number counts and bias from semi-analytic simulations, and use it to calculate the expected yield of HI galaxies from surveys with a variety of Phase 1 and 2 SKA configurations. We illustrate the relative performance of the different surveys by forecasting errors on the radial and transverse scales of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) feature, finding that the full "billion galaxy survey" with SKA2 will deliver the largest dark energy figure of merit of any current or future large-scale structure survey.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2015

Cosmology on the Largest Scales with the SKA

The study of the Universe on ultra-large scales is one of the major science cases for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The SKA will be able to probe a vast volume of the cosmos, thus representing a unique instrument, amongst next-generation cosmological experiments, for scrutinising the Universe's properties on the largest cosmic scales. Probing cosmic structures on extremely large scales will have many advantages. For instance, the growth of perturbations is well understood for those modes, since it falls fully within the linear regime. Also, such scales are unaffected by the poorly understood feedback of baryonic physics. On ultra-large cosmic scales, two key effects become significant: primordial non-Gaussianity and relativistic corrections to cosmological observables. Moreover, if late-time acceleration is driven not by dark energy but by modifications to general relativity, then such modifications should become apparent near and above the horizon scale. As a result, the SKA is forecast to deliver transformational constraints on non-Gaussianity and to probe gravity on super-horizon scales for the first time.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Probing the accelerating Universe with radio weak lensing in the JVLA Sky Survey

We outline the prospects for performing pioneering radio weak gravitational lensing analyses using observations from a potential forthcoming JVLA Sky Survey program. A large-scale survey with the JVLA can offer interesting and unique opportunities for performing weak lensing studies in the radio band, a field which has until now been the preserve of optical telescopes. In particular, the JVLA has the capacity for large, deep radio surveys with relatively high angular resolution, which are the key characteristics required for a successful weak lensing study. We highlight the potential advantages and unique aspects of performing weak lensing in the radio band. In particular, the inclusion of continuum polarisation information can greatly reduce noise in weak lensing reconstructions and can also remove the effects of intrinsic galaxy alignments, the key astrophysical systematic effect that limits weak lensing at all wavelengths. We identify a VLASS "deep fields" program (total area ~10-20 square degs), to be conducted at L-band and with high-resolution (A-array configuration), as the optimal survey strategy from the point of view of weak lensing science. Such a survey will build on the unique strengths of the JVLA and will remain unsurpassed in terms of its combination of resolution and sensitivity until the advent of the Square Kilometre Array. We identify the best fields on the JVLA-accessible sky from the point of view of overlapping with existing deep optical and near infra-red data which will provide crucial redshift information and facilitate a host of additional compelling multi-wavelength science.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2007

Cosmology with inhomogeneous magnetic fields

We review spacetime dynamics in the presence of large-scale electromagnetic fields and then consider the effects of the magnetic component on perturbations to a spatially homogeneous and isotropic universe. Using covariant techniques, we refine and extend earlier work and provide the magnetohydrodynamic equations that describe inhomogeneous magnetic cosmologies in full general relativity. Specialising this system to perturbed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models, we examine the effects of the field on the expansion dynamics and on the growth of density inhomogeneities, including non-adiabatic modes. We look at scalar perturbations and obtain analytic solutions for their linear evolution in the radiation, dust and inflationary eras. In the dust case we also calculate the magnetic analogue of the Jeans length. We then consider the evolution of vector perturbations and find that the magnetic presence generally reduces the decay rate of these distortions. Finally, we examine the implications of magnetic fields for the evolution of cosmological gravitational waves.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Cosmological perturbations from braneworld inflation with a Gauss-Bonnet term

Braneworld inflation is a phenomenology related to string theory that describes high-energy modifications to general relativistic inflation. The observable universe is a braneworld embedded in 5-dimensional anti de Sitter spacetime. Whe the 5-dimensional action is Einstein-Hilbert, we have a Randall-Sundrum type braneworld. The amplitude of tensor and scalar perturbations from inflation is strongly increased relative to the standard results, although the ratio of tensor to scalar amplitudes still obeys the standard consistency relation. If a Gauss-Bonnet term is included in the action, as a high-energy correction motivated by string theory, we show that there are important changes to the Randall-Sundrum case. We give an exact analysis of the tensor perturbations. They satisfy the same wave equation and have the same spectrum as in the Randall-Sundrum case, but the Gauss-Bonnet change to the junction conditions leads to a modified amplitude of gravitational waves. The amplitude is no longer monotonically increasing with energy scale, but decreases asymptotically after an initial rise above the standard level. Using an approximation that neglects bulk effects, we show that the amplitude of scalar perturbations has a qualitatively similar behaviour to the tensor amplitude. In addition, the tensor to scalar ratio breaks the standard consistency relation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Scalar perturbations from brane-world inflation

We investigate the scalar metric perturbations about a de Sitter brane universe in a 5-dimensional anti de Sitter bulk. We compare the master-variable formalism, describing metric perturbations in a 5-dimensional longitudinal gauge, with results in a Gaussian normal gauge. For a vacuum brane (with constant brane tension) there is a continuum of normalizable Kaluza-Klein modes, with m>3H/2, which remain in the vacuum state. A light radion mode, with m=\sqrt{2}H, satisfies the boundary conditions for two branes but is not normalizable in the single-brane case. When matter is introduced (as a test field) on the brane, this mode, together with the zero-mode and an infinite ladder of discrete tachyonic modes, become normalizable. However, the boundary condition requires the self-consistent 4-dimensional evolution of scalar field perturbations on the brane and the dangerous growing modes are not excited. These normalizable discrete modes introduce corrections at first-order to the scalar field perturbations computed in a slow-roll expansion. On super-Hubble scales, the correction is smaller than slow-roll corrections to the de Sitter background. However on small scales the corrections can become significant.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

Brane cosmology with curvature corrections

We study the cosmology of the Randall-Sundrum brane-world where the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by curvature correction terms: a four-dimensional scalar curvature from induced gravity on the brane, and a five-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet curvature term. The combined effect of these curvature corrections to the action removes the infinite-density big bang singularity, although the curvature can still diverge for some parameter values. A radiation brane undergoes accelerated expansion near the minimal scale factor, for a range of parameters. This acceleration is driven by the geometric effects, without an inflaton field or negative pressures. At late times, conventional cosmology is recovered.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

CMB limits on large-scale magnetic fields in an inhomogeneous universe

We use the cosmic microwave background temperature anisotropy to place limits on large-scale magnetic fields in an inhomogeneous (perturbed Friedmann) universe. If no assumptions are made about the spacetime geometry, only a weak limit can be deduced directly from the CMB. In the special case where spatial inhomogeneity is neglected to first order, the upper limit is much stronger, i.e. a few nano-G

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Magnetic field amplification in CDM anisotropic collapse

We use the Zel'dovich approximation to analyse the amplification of magnetic fields in gravitational collapse of cold dark matter during the mildly nonlinear regime, and identify two key features. First, the anisotropy of collapse effectively eliminates one of the magnetic components, confining the field in the pancake plane. Second, in agreement with recent numerical simulations, we find that the shear anisotropy can amplify the magnetic field well beyond the isotropic case. Our results suggest that the magnetic strengths observed in spiral and disk galaxies today might have originated from seeds considerably weaker than previous estimates.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Qualitative Viscous Cosmology

The Full (non--truncated) Israel--Stewart theory of bulk viscosity is applied to dissipative FRW spacetimes. Dimensionless variables and dimensionless equations of state are used to write the Einstein--thermodynamic equations as a plane autonomous system and the qualitative behaviour of this system is determined. Entropy production in these models is also discussed.

gr-qc↗