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Title: Oscillating scalar fields and the Hubble tension: A resolution with novel signatures

Abstract

Here, we present a detailed investigation of a subdominant oscillating scalar field [“early dark energy” (EDE)] in the context of resolving the Hubble tension. Consistent with earlier work, but without relying on fluid approximations, we find that a scalar field frozen due to Hubble friction until log10($$z_c$$) ~ 3.5, reaching $$ρ_{\text{EDE}}(z_c)/ρ_{\text{tot}}$$ ~ 10 % and diluting faster than matter afterwards, can bring cosmic microwave background (CMB), baryonic acoustic oscillations, supernovae luminosity distances, and the late-time estimate of the Hubble constant from the SH0ES Collaboration into agreement. A scalar field potential that scales as $$V (\phi) \propto \phi ^{2n}$$ with 2 ≲ $$\textit{n}$$ ≲ 3.4 around the minimum is preferred at the 68% confidence level, and the Planck polarization places additional constraints on the dynamics of perturbations in the scalar field. In particular, the data prefer a potential that flattens at large field displacements. A Markov-chain Monte Carlo analysis of mock data shows that the next-generation CMB observations (i.e., CMB-S4) can unambiguously detect the presence of the EDE at a very high significance. This projected sensitivity to the EDE dynamics is mainly driven by improved measurements of the E-mode polarization. We also explore new observational signatures of EDE scalar field dynamics: (i) We find that depending on the strength of the tensor-to-scalar ratio, the presence of the EDE might imply the existence of isocurvature perturbations in the CMB. (ii) We show that a strikingly rapid, scale-dependent growth of EDE field perturbations can result from parametric resonance driven by the anharmonic oscillating field for $$\textit{n}$$ ≈ 2. This instability and ensuing potentially nonlinear, spatially inhomogeneous, dynamics may provide unique signatures of this scenario.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA (United States)
  2. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Montpellier (France); Universite deMontpellier (France)
  3. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1803308
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1605632
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0018216; 80NSSC18K0728; 80NSSC20K0518; PHY-1607611
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review D
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 101; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astronomy & Astrophysics; Physics

Citation Formats

Smith, Tristan L., Poulin, Vivian, and Amin, Mustafa A. Oscillating scalar fields and the Hubble tension: A resolution with novel signatures. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1103/physrevd.101.063523.
Smith, Tristan L., Poulin, Vivian, & Amin, Mustafa A. Oscillating scalar fields and the Hubble tension: A resolution with novel signatures. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.101.063523
Smith, Tristan L., Poulin, Vivian, and Amin, Mustafa A. Fri . "Oscillating scalar fields and the Hubble tension: A resolution with novel signatures". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.101.063523. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1803308.
@article{osti_1803308,
title = {Oscillating scalar fields and the Hubble tension: A resolution with novel signatures},
author = {Smith, Tristan L. and Poulin, Vivian and Amin, Mustafa A.},
abstractNote = {Here, we present a detailed investigation of a subdominant oscillating scalar field [“early dark energy” (EDE)] in the context of resolving the Hubble tension. Consistent with earlier work, but without relying on fluid approximations, we find that a scalar field frozen due to Hubble friction until log10($z_c$) ~ 3.5, reaching $ρ_{\text{EDE}}(z_c)/ρ_{\text{tot}}$ ~ 10 % and diluting faster than matter afterwards, can bring cosmic microwave background (CMB), baryonic acoustic oscillations, supernovae luminosity distances, and the late-time estimate of the Hubble constant from the SH0ES Collaboration into agreement. A scalar field potential that scales as $V (\phi) \propto \phi ^{2n}$ with 2 ≲ $\textit{n}$ ≲ 3.4 around the minimum is preferred at the 68% confidence level, and the Planck polarization places additional constraints on the dynamics of perturbations in the scalar field. In particular, the data prefer a potential that flattens at large field displacements. A Markov-chain Monte Carlo analysis of mock data shows that the next-generation CMB observations (i.e., CMB-S4) can unambiguously detect the presence of the EDE at a very high significance. This projected sensitivity to the EDE dynamics is mainly driven by improved measurements of the E-mode polarization. We also explore new observational signatures of EDE scalar field dynamics: (i) We find that depending on the strength of the tensor-to-scalar ratio, the presence of the EDE might imply the existence of isocurvature perturbations in the CMB. (ii) We show that a strikingly rapid, scale-dependent growth of EDE field perturbations can result from parametric resonance driven by the anharmonic oscillating field for $\textit{n}$ ≈ 2. This instability and ensuing potentially nonlinear, spatially inhomogeneous, dynamics may provide unique signatures of this scenario.},
doi = {10.1103/physrevd.101.063523},
journal = {Physical Review D},
number = 6,
volume = 101,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Fri Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}

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