Related papers: Constraining scalar-tensor quintessence by cosmic …
Gravitational lensing time delays are well known to depend on cosmological parameters, but they also depend on the details of the mass distribution of the lens. It is usual to model the mass distribution and use time-delay observations to…
We look at observational constraints on the thawing class of scalar field models proposed to explain the late time acceleration of the universe. Using the recently introduced `Statefinder Hierarchy', we compare these thawing class of models…
This talk discusses the relation between spacetime-dependent scalars, such as couplings or fields, and the violation of Lorentz symmetry. A specific cosmological supergravity model demonstrates how scalar fields can acquire time-dependent…
Terrestrial timescales show instabilities due to the physical limitations of the atomic clocks. Stricter environmental isolation and increased numbers of improved cesium clocks and cavity-tuned hydrogen masers have resulted in time scales…
We study cosmic strings in the complex symmetron model, a scalar-tensor theory with a spontaneously broken local $U(1)$ symmetry in low matter density regions. Using numerical simulations, we show that these strings preferentially attach to…
Many ambitious experiments have been proposed to constrain dark energy and detect its evolution. At present, observational constraints are consistent with a cosmological constant and there is no firm evidence for any evolution in the dark…
It is a known fact that a quintessence model with $w_q < -1$ fits the publicly available Super Nova (SN) type Ia data better than a model with cosmological constant or $w_q > -1$. Two types of models have this property: Scalar fields with…
We study observational bounds in a class of scalar-tensor gravity theories recently proposed. Either an upper or lower bound on a conformal factor in these theories is derived from null observation in composition dependent fifth force…
We study the solutions of the semiclassical Einstein equation in flat cosmological spacetimes driven by a massive conformally coupled scalar field. In particular, we show that it is possible to give initial conditions at finite time to get…
We construct a family of viable scalar-tensor models of dark energy (DE) which possess a phase of late-time acceleration preceded by a standard matter era, while at the same time satisfying the local gravity constraints (LGC). The coupling…
The discovery of cosmic acceleration motivated extensive studies of dynamical dark energy and modified gravity models. Of particular interest are the scalar-tensor theories, with a scalar field dark energy non-minimally coupled to matter.…
Determining the physical Hilbert space is often considered the most difficult but crucial part of completing the quantization of a constrained system. In such a situation it can be more economical to use effective constraint methods, which…
We propose that whatever quantity controls the Heisenberg uncertainty relations (for a given complementary pair of observables) it should be identified with an effective Planck parameter. With this definition it is not difficult to find…
It is often conjectured that a choice of time function merely sets up a frame for the quantum evolution of gravitational field, meaning that all choices should be in some sense compatible. In order to explore this conjecture (and the…
Attention has been recently drawn towards models in which inflation and quintessence schemes are unified. In such `quintessential inflation' models, a unique scalar field is required to play both the role of the inflaton and of the…
We use some of the recently released observational data to test the viability of two classes of minimally coupled scalar field models of quintessence with exponential potentials for which exact solutions of the Einstein equations are known.…
We investigate the prior dependence of constraints on cosmic tensor perturbations. Commonly imposed is the strong prior of the single-field inflationary consistency equation, relating the tensor spectral index nT to the tensor-to-scalar…
I describe a new class of quintessence+CDM models in which late time scalar field oscillations can give rise to both quintessence and cold dark matter. Additionally, a versatile ansatz for the luminosity distance is used to reconstruct the…
We use three strong lensing clusters to constrain the cosmological parameters Omega_m and Omega_lambda. Recent HST observations of galaxy clusters reveal a large number of multiple images, which are predicted to be at different redshifts.…
In this paper, we use quasars calibrated from type Ia supernova (SN Ia) to constrain cosmological models. We consider three different X-ray luminosity ($L_{X}$) - ultraviolet luminosity ($L_{UV}$) relations of quasars, i.e., the standard…