English

Alternatives to $\Lambda$: Torsion, Generalized Couplings, and Scale Invariance

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics 2021-11-17 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

We present a comparative analysis of current observational constraints on three recently discussed alternative models for explaining the low-redshift acceleration of the universe: the so-called steady-state torsion model, the generalized coupling model, and the scale invariant model by Maeder (an example of a broader class which we also briefly study) These are compared to the traditional parameterization of Chevallier, Polarski and Linder. Each of the candidate models is studied under two different assumptions: as genuine alternatives to Λ\LambdaCDM (where a new degree of freedom would be expected to explain the recent acceleration of the universe without any cosmological constant) and as parametric extensions of Λ\LambdaCDM (where both a cosmological constant and the new mechanism can coexist, and the relative contributions of both are determined by the data). Our comparative analysis suggests that, from a phenomenological point of view, all such models neatly divide into two classes, with different observational consequences.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2111.08086,
  title  = {Alternatives to $\Lambda$: Torsion, Generalized Couplings, and Scale Invariance},
  author = {C. J. A. P. Martins and C. M. J. Marques and C. B. D. Fernandes and J. S. J. S. Oliveira and D. A. R. Pinheiro and B. A. R. Rocha},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2111.08086},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

Summary of a talk given at the Theories of Gravity: Alternatives to the Cosmological and Particle Standard Models parallel session of the Sixteenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting, partially summarizing work previously reported in arXiv:1911.08232 and arXiv:2012.10513. To appear in the proceedings

R2 v1 2026-06-24T07:39:37.859Z