Related papers: Testing for w<-1 in the Solar System
Binary pulsars provide some of the tightest current constraints on modified theories of gravity and these constraints will only get tighter as radio astronomers continue timing these systems. These binary pulsars are particularly good at…
The value of scalar field coupled to gravity should be less than the Planck scale in the consistent theory of quantum gravity. It provides a theoretic constraint on the equation of state parameter for the quintessence. In some cases our…
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…
Constraining the Dark Energy (DE) equation of state, w, is one of the primary science goals of ongoing and future cosmological surveys. In practice, with imperfect data and incomplete redshift coverage, this requires making assumptions…
We establish analogues of the Hawking and Penrose singularity theorems based on (a) averaged energy conditions with exponential damping; (b) conditions on local stress-energy averages inspired by the Quantum Energy Inequalities satisfied by…
We explore possible extensions of the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) to scalar field theories. To avoid charged black hole remnants, the WGC requires the existence of a particle with a mass $m < g q M_P$, with charge $q$ and U(1) gauge…
We point out that theories of cosmological acceleration which have equation of state, w, such that 1+w is small but positive may still secretly violate the null energy condition. This violation implies the existence of observers for whom…
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…
We investigate the radiative stability of Horndeski scalar-tensor theories with luminally propagating gravitational waves (as extensively discussed in the wake of GW170817) and show that in general there is a tension between obtaining…
We report the constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state w(z) using the latest 'Constitution' SNe sample combined with the WMAP5 and SDSS data. Based on the localized principal component analysis and the model selection criteria, we…
We study the dynamical aspects of dark energy in the context of a non-minimally coupled scalar field with curvature and torsion. Whereas the scalar field acts as the source of the trace mode of torsion, a suitable constraint on the torsion…
The problem of dark energy arises due to its self-gravitating properties. Therefore explaining vacuum energy may become a question for the realm of quantum gravity, that can be addressed within string theory context. In this talk I…
We consider a scalar-tensor theory of gravitation with the scalar source being the trace of the stress-energy tensor of the scalar field itself and matter. We obtain an example of a numerical solution of the cosmological equations which…
Certain scalar-tensor theories of gravity that generalize Jordan-Fierz-Brans-Dicke theory are known to predict non-trivial phenomenology for neutron stars. In these theories, first proposed by Damour and Esposito-Far\`ese, the scalar field…
We study the cosmology of canonically normalized scalar fields that lead to an equation of state parameter of w_\phi=p_\phi/\rho_\phi<-1 without violating the weak energy condition: rho=\Sigma_i\rho_i \geq 0 and \rho_i+p_i\geq 0. This kind…
We propose a new version of the scalar Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) which would apply to any scalar field coupled to quantum gravity. For a single scalar it is given by the differential constraint $V''\leq…
We propose a generalisation of the Weak Gravity Conjecture in de Sitter space by studying charged black-holes and comparing the gravitational and an abelian gauge forces. Using the same condition as in flat space, namely the absence of…
The recent simultaneous detection of gravitational waves and a gamma ray burst from a neutron star merger significantly shrank the space of viable scalar-tensor theories by demanding that the speed of gravity is equal to that of light. The…
We consider late-time cosmology in a (phantom) scalar-tensor theory with an exponential potential, as a dark energy model with equation of state parameter close to -1 (a bit above or below this value). Scalar (and also other kinds of)…
Scalar-tensor theories of gravity can lead to modifications of the gravitational force inside astrophysical objects. We exhibit that compact stars such as white dwarfs provide a unique set-up to test beyond Horndeski theories of ${\rm G}^3$…