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Title: Parameter splitting in dark energy: is dark energy the same in the background and in the cosmic structures?

Abstract

We perform an empirical consistency test of General Relativity/dark energy by disentangling expansion history and growth of structure constraints. We replace each late-universe parameter that describes the behavior of dark energy with two meta-parameters: one describing geometrical information in cosmological probes, and the other controlling the growth of structure. If the underlying model (a standard wCDM cosmology with General Relativity) is correct, that is under the null hypothesis, the two meta-parameters coincide. If they do not, it could indicate a failure of the model or systematics in the data. We present a global analysis using state-of-the-art cosmological data sets which points in the direction that cosmic structures prefer a weaker growth than that inferred by background probes. This result could signify inconsistencies of the model, the necessity of extensions to it or the presence of systematic errors in the data. We examine all these possibilities. The fact that the result is mostly driven by a specific sub-set of galaxy clusters abundance data, points to the need of a better understanding of this probe.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (ICCUB), Universitat de Barcelona (IEEC-UB), Martí i Franquès 1, Barcelona, E08028 Spain (Spain)
  2. ICREA (Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats), Passeig Lluís Companys, Barcelona, E-23 08010 Spain (Spain)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22524981
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 2016; Journal Issue: 02; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1475-7516
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; COSMOLOGY; EXPANSION; GALAXY CLUSTERS; GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY; GLOBAL ANALYSIS; HYPOTHESIS; LIMITING VALUES; NONLUMINOUS MATTER; PROBES; UNIVERSE

Citation Formats

Bernal, José Luis, Cuesta, Antonio J., and Verde, Licia. Parameter splitting in dark energy: is dark energy the same in the background and in the cosmic structures?. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2016/02/059.
Bernal, José Luis, Cuesta, Antonio J., & Verde, Licia. Parameter splitting in dark energy: is dark energy the same in the background and in the cosmic structures?. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/02/059
Bernal, José Luis, Cuesta, Antonio J., and Verde, Licia. 2016. "Parameter splitting in dark energy: is dark energy the same in the background and in the cosmic structures?". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/02/059.
@article{osti_22524981,
title = {Parameter splitting in dark energy: is dark energy the same in the background and in the cosmic structures?},
author = {Bernal, José Luis and Cuesta, Antonio J. and Verde, Licia},
abstractNote = {We perform an empirical consistency test of General Relativity/dark energy by disentangling expansion history and growth of structure constraints. We replace each late-universe parameter that describes the behavior of dark energy with two meta-parameters: one describing geometrical information in cosmological probes, and the other controlling the growth of structure. If the underlying model (a standard wCDM cosmology with General Relativity) is correct, that is under the null hypothesis, the two meta-parameters coincide. If they do not, it could indicate a failure of the model or systematics in the data. We present a global analysis using state-of-the-art cosmological data sets which points in the direction that cosmic structures prefer a weaker growth than that inferred by background probes. This result could signify inconsistencies of the model, the necessity of extensions to it or the presence of systematic errors in the data. We examine all these possibilities. The fact that the result is mostly driven by a specific sub-set of galaxy clusters abundance data, points to the need of a better understanding of this probe.},
doi = {10.1088/1475-7516/2016/02/059},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22524981}, journal = {Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics},
issn = {1475-7516},
number = 02,
volume = 2016,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}