Related papers: Uncertainty on w from large-scale structure
We argue that there is an intrinsic noise on measurements of the equation of state parameter $w=p/\rho$ from large-scale structure around us. The presence of the large-scale structure leads to an ambiguity in the definition of the…
I consider some of the issues we face in trying to understand dark energy. Huge fluctuations in the unknown dark energy equation of state can be hidden in distance data, so I argue that model-independent tests which signal if the…
A mildly inhomogeneous universe with a cosmological constant may look like it contains evolving dark energy. We show that could be the case by modelling the inhomogeneities and their effects in three different ways: as clumped matter…
We focus on uncertainties in supernova measurements, in particular of individual magnitudes and redshifts, to review to what extent supernovae measurements of the expansion history of the universe are likely to allow us to constrain a…
There is now strong evidence that the current energy density of the Universe is dominated by dark energy with an equation of state w<-1/3, which is causing accelerated expansion. The build-up of structure within such Universes is subject to…
Constraints on models of the late time acceleration of the universe assume the cosmological principle of homogeneity and isotropy on large scales. However, small scale inhomogeneities can alter observational and dynamical relations,…
Dark energy is now one of the most important and topical problems in cosmology. The first step to reveal its nature is to detect the evolution of dark energy or to prove beyond doubt that the cosmological constant is indeed constant.…
A wide range of large scale observations hint towards possible modifications on the standard cosmological model which is based on a homogeneous and isotropic universe with a small cosmological constant and matter. These observations, also…
We explore the properties of dark energy models for which the equation-of-state, w, defined as the ratio of pressure to energy density, crosses the cosmological-constant boundary w = -1. We adopt an empirical approach, treating the dark…
Recent data advances offer the exciting prospect of a first look at whether dark energy has a dynamical equation of state or not. While formally theories exist with a constant equation of state, they are nongeneric -- Einstein's…
The critical issue in cosmology today lies in determining if the cosmological constant is the underlying ingredient of dark energy. Our profound lack of understanding of the physics of dark energy places severe constrains on our ability to…
We have studied constraints on the equation of state, $w$, and speed of sound, c_s, of the dark energy from a joint analysis of data from the cosmic microwave background, large scale structure and type-Ia supernovae. We find that current…
The current standard model of cosmology, the LambdaCDM model, is based on the homogeneous FLRW solutions of the Einstein equations to which some perturbations are added to account for the CMB features and structure formation at large…
We explore local consequences of a non-zero cosmological constant on astrophysical structures. We find that the effects are not only sensitive to the density of the configurations but also to the geometry. For non-homogeneous…
We explore the effects of a positive cosmological constant on astrophysical and cosmological configurations described by a polytropic equation of state. We derive the conditions for equilibrium and stability of such configurations and…
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…
Recent cosmological observations suggest that nearly seventy per cent of the energy density in the universe is unclustered and has negative pressure. Several conceptual issues related to the modeling of this component (`dark energy'), which…
We combine recent measurements of Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies, Supernovae luminosity distances and Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations to derive constraints on the dark energy equation of state w in the redshift range 0<z<2, using a…
Using the exact Lemaitre-Bondi-Tolman solution with a non-vanishing cosmological constant $\Lambda$, we investigate how the presence of a local spherically-symmetric inhomogeneity can affect apparent cosmological observables, such as the…
We use the recent type Ia supernova, cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure data to shed light on the temporal evolution of the dark energy equation of state $w(z)$ out to redshift one. We constrain the most flexible…