English

Constraining Quintessence Models with ISW-tSZ Cross-Correlations: A Comparative Analysis of Thawing, Tracker, and Scaling-Freezing Dynamics

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics 2026-03-04 v2

Abstract

We present constraints on quintessence dark energy models using the observational detection of the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW)--thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) cross-correlation dataset. Our analysis compares three classes of quintessence dynamics: thawing, tracker, and scaling-freezing with the standard Λ\LambdaCDM cosmology. Through a comprehensive likelihood analysis, we derive best-fit values and 68\% confidence intervals for key cosmological parameters, finding Ωm=0.3220.030+0.027\Omega_{\rm m} = 0.322^{+0.027}_{-0.030} and σ8=0.7350.035+0.045\sigma_8 = 0.735^{+0.045}_{-0.035} for Λ\LambdaCDM, with deviations in alternative models consistent within 1σ1\sigma. For the thawing model, we consider an exponential potential with slope λ=0.7360.227+0.270\lambda = 0.736^{+0.270}_{-0.227}, while for the tracker and scaling-freezing models, we use inverse axion-like and double exponential potentials, respectively. Observationally, the tracker model yields n=5.6511.604+1.625n = 5.651^{+1.625}_{-1.604} and f=0.2580.096+0.149f = 0.258^{+0.149}_{-0.096}, and the scaling-freezing model gives λ1=0.4050.322+0.293\lambda_1 = 0.405^{+0.293}_{-0.322} and λ2=23.2267.258+7.975\lambda_2 = 23.226^{+7.975}_{-7.258}. The dimensionless tSZ amplitude (W~SZ\widetilde{W}^{\rm SZ}) and cosmic infrared background (CIB) parameters are tightly constrained across all models, providing additional insights into astrophysical foregrounds. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of ISW--tSZ cross-correlations as a probe of dark energy dynamics, with the Thawing quintessence model yielding the lowest χmin2\chi^2_{\rm min} among the tested scenarios, and highlight the need for future high-precision measurements to distinguish between quintessence models and Λ\LambdaCDM.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2601.17298,
  title  = {Constraining Quintessence Models with ISW-tSZ Cross-Correlations: A Comparative Analysis of Thawing, Tracker, and Scaling-Freezing Dynamics},
  author = {Ayodeji Ibitoye and Shiriny Akthar and Md. Wali Hossain and Amare Abebe and Prabhakar Tiwari and Xuelei Chen and Jackson Said and Jacob Oloketuyi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.17298},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

20 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, accepted in PRD