English

$\Lambda_{\rm s}$CDM cosmology from a type-II minimally modified gravity

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics 2026-04-29 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

We integrate Λs\Lambda_{\rm s}CDM, a promising scenario for alleviating cosmological tensions, into VCDM, a type-II minimally modified gravity. This promotes the scenario to a fully predictive model (dubbed Λs\Lambda_{\rm s}VCDM) that specifies the cosmological evolution self-consistently, including through the late-time AdS-to-dS transition epoch. In this theory, an auxiliary scalar field generates an effective cosmological constant with either a constant or a linear potential. This allows an abrupt mirror AdS-to-dS transition via a piecewise-linear potential with a sudden slope change. To remove the associated sudden singularity and ensure stable evolution, we smooth the junction using a blended sigmoid interpolant, obtaining rapid but continuous transitions. We identify two qualitatively distinct smooth mirror AdS-to-dS realisations of Λs\Lambda_{\rm s}: (i) an agitated transition, in which the potential interpolates between equal-magnitude AdS and dS plateaus and Λs\Lambda_{\rm s} develops a central bump; and (ii) a quiescent transition, in which the potential remains continuous but changes slope across the transition layer, so that Λs(a)\Lambda_{\rm s}(a) can remain monotone, with possible shallow shoulders, and a central bump is not automatic. Depending on type and sharpness, a finite-width transition can induce a transient accelerated-expansion interval (a¨>0\ddot a>0) around z1.52z\sim 1.5-2, in addition to present-day acceleration, and, if the background enters a region where V,ϕϕ>2/3V_{,\phi\phi}>2/3, a nested super-acceleration episode. These distinct transient histories can imprint signatures on background and perturbation evolution. Our construction enables a self-consistent observational assessment of smooth Λs\Lambda_{\rm s}CDM realisations and motivates multi-probe analyses to test transition dynamics and reassess cosmological tensions.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2402.07716,
  title  = {$\Lambda_{\rm s}$CDM cosmology from a type-II minimally modified gravity},
  author = {Özgür Akarsu and Antonio De Felice and Eleonora Di Valentino and Suresh Kumar and Rafael C. Nunes and Emre Özülker and J. Alberto Vazquez and Anita Yadav},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2402.07716},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

28 pages (including appendices), 4 figures, and no tables; matches the version published in MNRAS

R2 v1 2026-06-28T14:46:05.383Z