arXiv subjects

Spyros Basilakos

Publications and source records attributed to Spyros Basilakos.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Using newest VLT-KMOS HII Galaxies and other cosmic tracers to test the $Λ$CDM tension

We place novel constraints on the cosmokinetic parameters by using a joint analysis of the newest VLT-KMOS HII galaxies (HIIG) with the Supernovae Type Ia (SNIa) Pantheon sample. We combine the latter datasets in order to reconstruct, in a model-independent way, the Hubble diagram to as high redshifts as possible. Using a Gaussian process we derive the basic cosmokinetic parameters and compare them with those of $Λ$CDM. In the case of SNIa, we find that the extracted values of the cosmokinetic parameters are in agreement with the predictions of $Λ$CDM model. Combining SNIa with high redshift tracers of the Hubble relation, namely HIIG data, we obtain consistent results with those based on $Λ$CDM as far as the present values of the cosmokinetic parameters are concerned, but find significant deviations in the evolution of the cosmokinetic parameters with respect to the expectations of the concordance $Λ$CDM model.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

Barrow Holographic Dark Energy in non-flat Universe

We construct Barrow holographic dark energy in the case of non-flat universe. In particular, considering closed and open spatial geometry we extract the differential equations that determine the evolution of the dark-energy density parameter, and we provide the analytical expression for the corresponding dark energy equation-of-state parameter. We show that the scenario can describe the thermal history of the universe, with the sequence of matter and dark energy epochs. Comparing to the flat case, where the phantom regime is obtained for relative large Barrow exponents, the incorporation of positive curvature leads the universe into the phantom regime for significantly smaller values. Additionally, in the case of negative curvature we find a reversed behavior, namely for increased Barrow exponent we acquire algebraically higher dark-energy equation-of-state parameters. Furthermore, we confront the scenario with Hubble parameter measurements and supernova type Ia data. Hence, the incorporation of slightly non-flat spatial geometry to Barrow holographic dark energy improves the phenomenology while keeping the new Barrow exponent to smaller values.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

The generalized second law of thermodynamics with Barrow entropy

We investigate the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics, applying Barrow entropy for the horizon entropy. The former arises from the fact that the black-hole surface may be deformed due to quantum-gravitational effects, quantified by a new exponent $Δ$. We calculate the entropy time-variation in a universe filled with the matter and dark energy fluids, as well as the corresponding quantity for the apparent horizon. We show that although in the case $Δ=0$, which corresponds to usual entropy, the sum of the entropy enclosed by the apparent horizon plus the entropy of the horizon itself is always a non-decreasing function of time and thus the generalized second law of thermodynamics is valid, in the case of Barrow entropy this is not true anymore, and the generalized second law of thermodynamics may be violated, depending on the universe evolution. Hence, in order not to have violation, the deformation from standard Bekenstein-Hawking expression should be small as expected.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

First evidence that non-metricity f(Q) gravity could challenge $Λ$CDM

We propose a novel model in the framework of $f(Q)$ gravity, which is a gravitational modification class arising from the incorporation of non-metricity. The model has General Relativity as a particular limit, it has the same number of free parameters to those of $Λ$CDM, however at a cosmological framework it gives rise to a scenario that does not have $Λ$CDM as a limit. Nevertheless, confrontation with observations at both background and perturbation levels, namely with Supernovae type Ia (SNIa), Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), cosmic chronometers (CC), and Redshift Space Distortion (RSD) data, reveals that the scenario, according to AIC, BIC and DIC information criteria, is in some datasets slightly preferred comparing to $Λ$CDM cosmology, although in all cases the two models are statistically indiscriminate. Finally, the model does not exhibit early dark energy features, and thus it immediately passes BBN constraints, while the variation of the effective Newton's constant lies well inside the observational bounds.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Cosmological Constraints using the newest VLT-KMOS HII Galaxies and the full Planck CMB spectrum

We present novel cosmological constraints based on a joint analysis of our HII galaxies (HIIG) Hubble relation with the full Planck Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropy spectrum and the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) probes. The HII galaxies span a large redshift range $(0.088 \le z \le 2.5)$, reaching significantly higher redshifts than available SNIa and hence they probe the cosmic expansion at earlier times. Our independent constraints compare well with those based on the Pantheon compilation of SNIa data, which we also analyse. We find our results to be in agreement with the conformal $Λ$CDM model within 1$σ$. We also use our HIIG data to examine the behaviour of the dark energy equation of state parameter under the CPL parameterisation, $w = w_0+w_a \frac{z}{1+z}$, and find consistent results with those based on SNIa, although the degeneracy in the parameter space as well as the individual parameter uncertainties, when marginalizing one over the other, are quite large.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2021

Studying Lagrangian theories with machine learning: a toy model

The existence or not of pathologies in the context of Lagrangian theory is studied with the aid of Machine Learning algorithms. Using an example in the framework of classical mechanics, we make a proof of concept, that the construction of new physical theories using machine learning is possible. Specifically, we utilize a fully-connected, feed-forward neural network architecture, aiming to discriminate between ``healthy'' and ``non-healthy'' Lagrangians, without explicitly extracting the relevant equations of motion. The network, after training, is used as a fitness function in the concept of a genetic algorithm and new healthy Lagrangians are constructed. These new Lagrangians are different from the Lagrangians contained in the initial data set. Hence, searching for Lagrangians possessing a number of pre-defined properties is significantly simplified within our approach. The framework employed in this work can be used to explore more complex physical theories, such as generalizations of General Relativity in gravitational physics, or constructions in solid state physics, in which the standard procedure can be laborious.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2021

Observational constraints on Myrzakulov gravity

We use data from Supernovae (SNIa) Pantheon sample, from Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), and from cosmic chronometers measurements of the Hubble parameter (CC), alongside arguments from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), in order to extract constraints on Myrzakulov $F(R,T)$ gravity. This is a connection-based theory belonging to the Riemann-Cartan subclass, that uses a specific but non-special connection, which then leads to extra degrees of freedom. Our analysis shows that both considered models lead to $\sim 1 σ$ compatibility in all cases. For the involved dimensionless parameter we find that it is constrained to an interval around zero, however the corresponding contours are slightly shifted towards positive values. Furthermore, we use the obtained parameter chains so to reconstruct the corresponding Hubble function, as well as the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter, as a function of redshift. As we show, Model 1 is very close to $Λ$CDM scenario, while Model 2 resembles it at low redshifts, however at earlier times deviations are allowed. Finally, applying the AIC, BIC and the combined DIC criteria, we deduce that both models present a very efficient fitting behavior, and are statistically equivalent with $Λ$CDM cosmology, despite the fact that Model 2 does not contain the latter as a limit.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Independent cosmological constraints from high-z HII galaxies: new results from VLT-KMOS data

We present independent determinations of cosmological parameters using the distance estimator based on the established correlation between the Balmer line luminosity, L(H$β$), and the velocity dispersion ($σ$) for HII galaxies (HIIG). These results are based on new VLT-KMOS high spectral resolution observations of 41 high-z ($1.3 \leq$ z $\leq 2.6$) HIIG combined with published data for 45 high-z and 107 z $\leq 0.15$ HIIG, while the cosmological analysis is based on the MultiNest MCMC procedure not considering systematic uncertainties. Using only HIIG to constrain the matter density parameter ($Ω_m$), we find $Ω_m = 0.244^{+0.040}_{-0.049}$ (stat), an improvement over our best previous cosmological parameter constraints, as indicated by a 37% increase of the FoM. The marginalised best-fit parameter values for the plane $\{Ω_m; w_0\}$ = $\{0.249^{+0.11}_{-0.065}; -1.18^{+0.45}_{-0.41}\}$ (stat) show an improvement of the cosmological parameters constraints by 40%. Combining the HIIG Hubble diagram, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) probes yields $Ω_m=0.298 \pm 0.012$ and $w_0=-1.005 \pm 0.051$, which are certainly compatible -- although less constraining -- than the solution based on the joint analysis of SNIa/CMB/BAO. An attempt to constrain the evolution of the dark energy with time (CPL model), using a joint analysis of the HIIG, CMB and BAO measurements, shows a degenerate 1$σ$ contour of the parameters in the $\{w_0,w_a\}$ plane.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

String-Inspired Running Vacuum, the "Vacuumon", and the Swampland Criteria

We elaborate further on the compatibility of the "vacuumon potential" that characterises the inflationary phase of the Running Vacuum Model (RVM) with the Swampland criteria. The work is motivated by the fact that, as demonstrated recently by the authors [1-3], the RVM framework can be derived as an effective gravitational field theory stemming from underlying microscopic (critical) string theory models with gravitational anomalies, involving condensation of primordial gravitational waves. Although believed to be a classical scalar field description, not representing a fully fledged quantum field, nonetheless we show here that the vacuumon potential satisfies certain Swampland criteria for the relevant regime of parameters and field range. We link the criteria to the Gibbons-Hawking entropy that has been argued to characterise the RVM during the de Sitter phase. These results imply that the vacuumon may, after all, admit under certain conditions, a rôle as a quantum field during the inflationary (almost de Sitter) phase of the running vacuum. The conventional slow-roll interpretation of this field, however, fails just because it satisfies the Swampland criteria. The RVM effective theory derived from the low-energy effective action of string theory does, however, successfully describe inflation thanks to the $\sim H^4$ terms induced by the gravitational anomalous condensates. In addition, the stringy version of the RVM involves the Kalb-Ramond (KR) axion field, which, in contrast to the vacuumon, does perfectly satisfy the slow-roll condition. We conclude that the vacuumon description is not fully equivalent to the stringy formulation of the RVM.

gr-qc↗

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

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis constraints on Barrow entropy

We use Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) data in order to impose constraints on the exponent of Barrow entropy. The latter is an extended entropy relation arising from the incorporation of quantum-gravitational effects on the black-hole structure, parameterized effectively by the new parameter $Δ$. When considered in a cosmological framework and under the light of the gravity-thermodynamics conjecture, Barrow entropy leads to modified cosmological scenarios whose Friedmann equations contain extra terms. We perform a detailed analysis of the BBN era and we calculate the deviation of the freeze-out temperature comparing to the result of standard cosmology. We use the observationally determined bound on $ |\frac{δ{T}_f}{{T}_f}|$ in order to extract the upper bound on $Δ$. As we find, the Barrow exponent should be inside the bound $Δ\lesssim 1.4\times 10^{-4}$ in order not to spoil the BBN epoch, which shows that the deformation from standard Bekenstein-Hawking expression should be small as expected.

gr-qc↗

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

Does $Λ$CDM really be in tension with the Hubble diagram data?

In this article, we elaborate further on the $Λ$CDM "tension", suggested recently by the authors \cite{Lusso:2019akb,Risaliti:2018reu}. We combine Supernovae type Ia (SNIa) with quasars (QSO) and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) data in order to reconstruct a model independent Hubble diagram to as high redshifts as possible. Specifically, in the case of either SNIa or SNIa/QSO data, we find that current values of the cosmokinetic parameters extracted from the Gaussian process are consistent with those of $Λ$CDM. Including GRBs, in the analysis, we find a tension, which however is not as significant as that mentioned in \cite{Lusso:2019akb, Risaliti:2018reu}. Finally, we argue that the choice of the kernel function used in extracting the luminosity distance might affect the amount of tension.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Observational constraints on Barrow holographic dark energy

We use observational data from Supernovae (SNIa) Pantheon sample, as well as from direct measurements of the Hubble parameter from the cosmic chronometers (CC) sample, in order to extract constraints on the scenario of Barrow holographic dark energy. The latter is a holographic dark energy model based on the recently proposed Barrow entropy, which arises from the modification of the black-hole surface due to quantum-gravitational effects. We first consider the case where the new deformation exponent $Δ$ is the sole model parameter, and we show that although the standard value $Δ=0$, which corresponds to zero deformation, lies within the 1$σ$ region, a deviation is favored. In the case where we let both $Δ$ and the second model parameter to be free we find that a deviation from standard holographic dark energy is preferred. Additionally, applying the Akaike, Bayesian and Deviance Information Criteria, we conclude that the one-parameter model is statistically compatible with $Λ$CDM paradigm, and preferred comparing to the two-parameter one. Finally, concerning the present value of the Hubble parameter we find that it is close to the Planck value.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Internal kinematics of giant H II regions in M101 with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager

We study the kinematics of the giant H II regions NGC 5455 and NGC 5471 located in the galaxy M101, using integral field observations that include the Hbeta and [O III] 5007 emission lines, obtained with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager. We analyse the line profiles using both single and multiple Gaussian curves, gathering evidence for the presence of several expanding shells and moving filaments. The line decomposition shows that a broad (sigma = 30-50 km/s) underlying component is ubiquitous, extending across hundreds of pc, while a large fraction of the narrow components have subsonic line widths. The supersonic turbulence inferred from the global line profiles is consistent with the velocity dispersion of the individual narrow components, i.e. the global profiles likely arise from the combined contribution of discrete gas clouds. We confirm the presence of very extended (400 - 1200 km/s) low-intensity line components in three bright star-forming cores in NGC 5471, possibly representing kinematic signatures of supernova remnants. For one of these, the known supernova remnant host NGC 5471 B, we find a significantly reduced [O III]/Hbeta line ratio relative to the surrounding photoionized gas, due to the presence of a radiative shock at low metallicity. We explore the systematic width discrepancy between H I and [O III] lines, present in both global and individual spaxel spectra. We argue that the resolution of this long-standing problem lies in the physics of the line-emitting gas rather than in the smearing effects induced by the different thermal widths.

astro-ph.GA↗