Is the dynamics of scaling dark energy detectable?

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2008/07/007· OSTI ID:22156677

Bassett, Bruce A; Hlozek, Renee ^[1]; Brownstone, Mike; Fantaye, Yabebal; Kotze, Jacques; Okouma, Patrice ^[2]; Cardoso, Antonio ^[3]; Cortes, Marina ^[4]

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1. South African Astronomical Observatory, Observatory, Cape Town (South Africa)
2. Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town (South Africa)
3. Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2EG (United Kingdom)
4. Astronomy Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH (United Kingdom)

We highlight the unexpected impact of nucleosynthesis and other early universe constraints on the detectability of scaling quintessence dynamics at late times, showing that such dynamics may well be invisible until the unveiling of the Stage-IV dark energy experiments (DUNE, JDEM, LSST, SKA). Nucleosynthesis strongly limits potential deviations from {Lambda}CDM. Surprisingly, the standard Chevallier-Polarski-Linder parametrization, w(z) = w{sub 0}+w{sub a}z/(1+z), cannot match the nucleosynthesis bound for minimally coupled scaling fields. Given that such models are arguably the best-motivated alternatives to a cosmological constant these results may significantly impact future cosmological survey design and imply that dark energy may well be dynamical even if we do not detect any dynamics in the next decade.

• OSTI ID: 22156677
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 07 Vol. 2008; ISSN 1475-7516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT
LIMITING VALUES
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
POTENTIALS
SCALING
UNIVERSE