arXiv subjects

Rafael C. Nunes

Publications and source records attributed to Rafael C. Nunes.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Primordial gravitational waves in Horndeski gravity

We investigate the propagation of primordial gravitational waves within the context of the Horndeski theories, for this, we present a generalized transfer function quantifying the sub-horizon evolution of gravitational waves modes after they enter the horizon. We compare the theoretical prediction of the modified primordial gravitational waves spectral density with the aLIGO, Einstein telescope, LISA, gLISA and DECIGO sensitivity curves. Assuming reasonable and different values for the free parameters of the theory (in agreement with the event GW170817 and stability conditions of the theory), we note that the gravitational waves amplitude can vary significantly in comparison with general relativity. We find that in some cases the gravitational primordial spectrum can cross the sensitivity curves for DECIGO detector with the maximum frequency sensitivity to the theoretical predictions around 0.05 - 0.30 Hz. From our results, it is clear that the future generations of space based interferometers can bring new perspectives to probing modifications in general relativity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Forecast on lepton asymmetry from future CMB experiments

We consider a cosmological lepton asymmetry in the form of neutrinos and impose new expected sensitivities on such asymmetry through the degeneracy parameter ($ξ_ν$) by using some future CMB experiment configurations, such as CORE and CMB-S4. Taking the default scenario with three neutrino states, we find $ξ_μ = 0.05 \pm 0.10 \, (\pm \, 0.04)$, from CORE (CMB-S4) at 95 percent CL, respectively. Also, within this scenario, we evaluate the neutrino mass scale, obtaining that the normal hierarchy mass scheme is privileged. Our results are an update concerning on the cosmological lepton asymmetry and the neutrino mass scale within this context, from which can bring a perspective on the null hypothesis for $ξ_ν$ (and its effects on $ΔN_{\rm eff}$), where perhaps, \textbf{$ξ_ν$} may take a non-null value up to 95 percent CL from future experiments such as CMB-S4. Sensitivity results for CMB-S4 obtained here not including all expected systematic errors.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

New observational constraints on $f(T)$ gravity through gravitational-wave astronomy

We investigate the new observational constraints on $f(T)$ gravity that arise from the effects of primordial gravitational waves (GWs) on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies and the BB spectrum. We first show that on the GWs propagation in $f(T)$ gravity we obtain only an amplitude modification and not a phase one, comparing to the case of general relativity in the background of $Λ$CDM cosmology. Concerning primordial GWs we find that the more the model departs from general relativity the larger is the GW amplitude decay, and thus a possible future detection would bring the viable $f(T)$ gravity models five orders of magnitude closer to $Λ$CDM cosmology comparing to standard cosmological constraints. Additionally, we use the CLASS code and both data from the Planck probe, as well as forecasts from the near-future CORE collaboration, and we show that possible non-trivial constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio would offer a clear signature of $f(T)$ gravity. Finally, we discuss on the possibility to use the properties of the GWs that arise from neutron stars mergers in order to extract additional constrains on the theory.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Thermodynamic aspects of dark energy fluids

In this paper we have investigated the limits imposed by thermodynamics on a dark energy fluid. We have obtained the heat capacities and the compressibilities for a dark energy fluid. The thermal and mechanical stabilities require these quantities to be positive. We have shown that dark energy fluids must satisfy the stability conditions and that such requirement put difficulties in the cosmic fluid models with negative constant EoS parameters. We have also shown that the observational constraints imposed by SN Ia, BAO and $H(z)$ data on a general dark energy fluid with a time-dependent EoS parameter are in conflict with the constraints imposed by thermodynamics. This result indicates that dark energy fluid models are unphysical.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Cosmological implications of scale-independent energy-momentum squared gravity: Pseudo nonminimal interactions in dark matter and relativistic relics

In this paper, we introduce a scale-independent energy-momentum squared gravity (EMSG) that allows different gravitational couplings for different types of sources, which may lead to scenarios with many interesting applications/implications in cosmology. In the present study, to begin with, we study a modification of the $Λ$ cold dark matter ($Λ$CDM) model, where photons and baryons couple to the spacetime as in general relativity, while the cold dark matter and relativistic relics (neutrinos and any other relativistic relics) couple to the spacetime in accordance with EMSG. This scenario induces pseudo nonminimal interactions on these components, leading to modification at both the background and perturbative levels. A consequence of this scenario is that the dimensionless free parameter of the theory may induce direct changes on the effective number of the relativistic species, without the need to introduce new extra species. In order to quantify the observational consequences of the cosmological scenario, we use the cosmic microwave background Planck data (temperature, polarization, and lensing power spectrum) and baryonic acoustic oscillations data. We find that the free model parameter is too small to induce statistically significant corrections on the $Λ$CDM model due to EMSG. We deduce that the model presented here is quite rich with promising cosmological applications/implications that deserve further investigations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Tale of stable interacting dark energy, observational signatures, and the $H_0$ tension

We investigate the observational consequences of a novel class of stable interacting dark energy (IDE) models, featuring interactions between dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE). In the first part of our work, we start by considering two IDE models which are known to present early-time linear perturbation instabilities. Applying a transformation depending on the dark energy equation of state (EoS) to the DM-DE coupling, we then obtain two novel stable IDE models. Subsequently, we derive robust and accurate constraints on the parameters of these models, assuming a constant EoS $w_x$ for the DE fluid, in light of some of the most recent publicly available cosmological data. These include Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements from the \textit{Planck} satellite, a selection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillation measurements, Supernovae Type-Ia luminosity distance measurements from the JLA sample, and measurements of the Hubble parameter up to redshift $2$ from cosmic chronometers. Our analysis displays a mild preference for the DE fluid residing in the phantom region ($w_x<-1$), with significance up to 95\% confidence level, while we obtain new upper limits on the coupling parameter between the dark components. The preference for a phantom DE suggests a coupling function $Q<0$, thus a scenario where energy flows from the DE to the DM. We also examine the possibility of addressing the $H_0$ and $σ_8$ tensions, finding that only the former can be partially alleviated. Finally, we perform a Bayesian model comparison analysis to quantify the possible preference for the two IDE models against the standard concordance $Λ$CDM model, finding that the latter is always preferred with the strength of the evidence ranging from positive to very strong.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

Cosmological bounds on dark matter-photon coupling

We investigate an extension of the $Λ$CDM model where the dark matter (DM) is coupled to photons, inducing a nonconservation of the numbers of particles for both species, where the DM particles are allowed to dilute throughout the cosmic history with a small deviation from the standard evolution decaying into photons, while the associated scattering processes are assumed to be negligible. In addition, we consider the presence of massive neutrinos with the effective number of species $N_{\rm eff}$ as a free parameter. The effects of the DM-photon coupling on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and matter power spectra are analyzed. We derive the observational constraints on the model parameters by using the data from CMB, baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements, the recently measured new local value of the Hubble constant from the Hubble Space Telescope, and large scale structure (LSS) information from the abundance of galaxy clusters. The DM-photon coupling parameter $Γ_{γ}$ is constrained to $Γ_{γ} \leq 1.3 \times10^{-5}$ (at 95\% C.L.) from the joint analysis carried out by using all the mentioned data sets. The neutrino mass scale $\sum m_ν$ upper bounds at 95\% C.L. are obtained as $\sum m_ν \sim 0.9$ eV and $\sum m_ν \sim 0.4$ eV with and without the LSS data, respectively. We observe that the DM-photon coupling cause significant changes in the best fit value of $N_{\rm eff}$ but yields statistical ranges of $N_{\rm eff}$ compatible with the standard predictions, and we do not find any evidence of dark radiation. Due to nonconservation of photons in our model, we also evaluate and analyze the effects on the BAO acoustic scale at the drag epoch. The DM-photon coupling model yields high values of Hubble constant consistent with the local measurement, and thus alleviates the tension on this parameter.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

Structure formation in $f(T)$ gravity and a solution for $H_0$ tension

We investigate the evolution of scalar perturbations in $f(T)$ teleparallel gravity and its effects on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy. The $f(T)$ gravity generalizes the teleparallel gravity which is formulated on the Weitzenböck spacetime, characterized by the vanishing curvature tensor (absolute parallelism) and the non-vanishing torsion tensor. For the first time, we derive the observational constraints on the modified teleparallel gravity using the CMB temperature power spectrum from Planck's estimation, in addition to data from baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) and local Hubble constant measurements. We find that a small deviation of the $f(T)$ gravity model from the $Λ$CDM cosmology is slightly favored. Besides that, the $f(T)$ gravity model does not show tension on the Hubble constant that prevails in the $Λ$CDM cosmology. It is clear that $f(T)$ gravity is also consistent with the CMB observations, and undoubtedly it can serve as a viable candidate amongst other modified gravity theories.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Probing the properties of relic neutrinos using the cosmic microwave background, the Hubble Space Telescope and galaxy clusters

We investigate the observational constraints on the cosmic neutrino background (CNB) given by the extended $Λ$CDM scenario ($Λ$CDM $+ N_{\rm eff} + \sum m_ν + c^2_{\rm eff} + c^2_{\rm vis} + ξ_ν$) using the latest observational data from \textit{Planck} CMB (temperature power spectrum, low-polarisation and lensing reconstruction), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) , the new recent local value of the Hubble constant from\textit{ Hubble Space Telescope} (\textit{HST}) and information of the abundance of galaxy clusters (GCs). We study the constraints on the CNB background using CMB + BAO + \textit{HST} data with and without the GC data. We find $ΔN_{\rm eff} = 0.614 \pm 0.26$ at 68 per cent confidence level when the GC data are added in the analysis. We do not find significant deviation for sound speed in the CNB rest frame. We also analyze the particular case $Λ$CDM $+ N_{\rm eff} + \sum m_ν + ξ_ν$ with the observational data. Within this scenario, we find $ΔN_{\rm eff} = 0.60 \pm 0.28$ at 68 per cent confidence level. In both the scenarios, no mean deviations are found for the degeneracy parameter.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Echo of interactions in the dark sector

We investigate the observational constraints on an interacting vacuum energy scenario with two different neutrino schemes (with and without a sterile neutrino) using the most recent data from CMB temperature and polarization anisotropy, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), type Ia supernovae from JLA sample and structure growth inferred from cluster counts. We find that inclusion of the galaxy clusters data with the minimal data combination CMB + BAO + JLA suggests an interaction in the dark sector, implying the decay of dark matter particles into dark energy, since the constraints obtained by including the galaxy clusters data yield a non-null and negative coupling parameter between the dark components at 99\% confidence level. We deduce that the current tensions on the parameters $H_0$ and $σ_8$ can be alleviated within the framework of the interacting as well as non-interacting vacuum energy models with sterile neutrinos.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Observational constraints on dark matter-dark energy scattering cross section

In this letter, we report precise and robust observational constraints on dark matter-dark energy scattering cross section, using the latest data from cosmic microwave background (CMB) Planck temperature and polarization, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) measurements and weak gravitational lensing data from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS). The scattering scenario consists of a pure momentum exchange between the dark components, and we find $σ_d < 10^{-29} \, {\rm cm^2}$ at 95\% CL from the joint analysis (CMB + BAO + CFHTLenS), for typical dark matter particle mass of the order 1-10 ${\rm GeV}/c^2$. We notice that the scattering among the dark components may influence the growth of large scale structure in the Universe, leaving the background cosmology unaltered.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Nonlocal Teleparallel Cosmology

Even though it is not possible to differentiate General Relativity from Teleparallel Gravity using classical experiments, it could be possible to discriminate between them by quantum gravitational effects. These effects have motivated the introduction of nonlocal deformations of General Relativity, and similar effects are also expected to occur in Teleparallel Gravity. Here, we study nonlocal deformations of Teleparallel Gravity along with its cosmological solutions. We observe that Nonlocal Teleparallel Gravity (like nonlocal General Relativity) is consistent with the present cosmological data obtained by SNe Ia + BAO + CC + $H_0$ observations. Along this track, future experiments probing nonlocal effects could be used to test whether General Relativity or Teleparallel Gravity give the most consistent picture of gravitational interaction.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Gravitational Baryogenesis in Running Vacuum models

We study the gravitational baryogenesis mechanism for generating baryon asymmetry in the context of running vacuum models. Regardless if these models can produce a viable cosmological evolution, we demonstrate that they produce a non-zero baryon-to-entropy ratio even if the universe is filled with conformal matter. This is a sound difference between the running vacuum gravitational baryogenesis and the Einstein-Hilbert one, since in the latter case, the predicted baryon-to-entropy ratio is zero. We consider two well known and most used running vacuum models and show that the resulting baryon-to-entropy ratio is compatible with the observational data. Moreover, we also show that the mechanism of gravitational baryogenesis may constrain the running vacuum models.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Effects of neutrino mass hierarchies on dynamical dark energy models

We investigate how three different possibilities of neutrino mass hierarchies, namely normal, inverted, and degenerate, can affect the observational constraints on three well known dynamical dark energy models, namely the Chevallier-Polarski-Linder, logarithmic, and the Jassal-Bagla-Padmanabhan parametrizations. In order to impose the observational constraints on the models, we performed a robust analysis using Planck 2015 temperature and polarization data, Supernovae type Ia from Joint Light curve analysis, baryon acoustic oscillations distance measurements, redshift space distortion characterized by $f(z)σ_8(z)$ data, weak gravitational lensing data from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey, and cosmic chronometers data plus the local value of the Hubble parameter. We find that different neutrino mass hierarchies return similar fit on almost all model parameters and mildly change the dynamical dark energy properties.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Observational Constraints on $f(T)$ gravity from varying fundamental constants

We use observations related to the variation of fundamental constants, in order to impose constraints on the viable and most used $f(T)$ gravity models. In particular, for the fine-structure constant we use direct measurements obtained by different spectrographic methods, while for the effective Newton's constant we use a model-dependent reconstruction, using direct observational Hubble parameter data, in order to investigate its temporal evolution. We consider two $f(T)$ models and we quantify their deviation from $Λ$CDM cosmology through a sole parameter. Our analysis reveals that this parameter can be slightly different from its $Λ$CDM value, however the best-fit value is very close to the $Λ$CDM one. Hence, $f(T)$ gravity is consistent with observations, nevertheless, as every modified gravity, it may exhibit only small deviations from $Λ$CDM cosmology, a feature that must be taken into account in any $f(T)$ model-building.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Running vacuum in the Universe and the time variation of the fundamental constants of Nature

We compute the time variation of the fundamental constants (such as the ratio of the proton mass to the electron mass, the strong coupling constant, the fine structure constant and Newton's constant) within the context of the so-called running vacuum models (RVM's) of the cosmic evolution. Recently, compelling evidence has been provided showing that these models are able to fit the main cosmological data (SNIa+BAO+H(z)+LSS+BBN+CMB) significantly better than the concordance $Λ$CDM model. Specifically, the vacuum parameters of the RVM (i.e. those responsible for the dynamics of the vacuum energy) prove to be nonzero at a confidence level $\gtrsim3σ$. Here we use such remarkable status of the RVM's to make definite predictions on the cosmic time variation of the fundamental constants. It turns out that the predicted variations are close to the present observational limits. Furthermore, we find that the time variation of the dark matter particles should be crucially involved in the total mass variation of our Universe. A positive measurement of this kind of effects could be interpreted as strong support to the "micro and macro connection" (viz. the dynamical feedback between the evolution of the cosmological parameters and the time variation of the fundamental constants of the microscopic world), previously proposed by two of us (HF and JS).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

A new interacting two fluid model and its consequences

In the background of a homogeneous and isotropic spacetime with zero spatial curvature, we consider interacting scenarios between two barotropic fluids, one is the pressureless dark matter (DM) and the other one is dark energy (DE), in which the equation of state (EoS) in DE is either constant or time dependent. In particular, for constant EoS in DE, we show that the evolution equations for both fluids can be analytically solved. For all these scenarios, the model parameters have been constrained using the current astronomical observations from Type Ia Supernovae, Hubble parameter measurements, and baryon acoustic oscillations distance measurements. Our analysis shows that both for constant and variable EoS in DE, a very small but nonzero interaction in the dark sector is favored while the EoS in DE can predict a slight phantom nature, i.e. the EoS in DE can cross the phantom divide line `$-1$'. On the other hand, although the models with variable EoS describe the observations better, but the Akaike Information Criterion supports models with minimal number of parameters. However, it is found that all the models are very close to the $Λ$CDM cosmology.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Tsallis and Kaniadakis statistics from the viewpoint of entropic gravity formalism

It has been shown in the literature that effective gravitational constants, which are derived from Verlinde's formalism, can be used to introduce the Tsallis and Kaniadakis statistics. This method provides a simple alternative to the usual procedure normally used in these non-Gaussian statistics. We have applied our formalism in the Jeans mass criterion of stability and in the free fall time collapsing of a self-gravitating system where new results are obtained. A possible connection between our formalism and deviations of Newton's law of gravitation in a submillimeter range is made.

gr-qc↗