Crossing the phantom divide in scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tsujikawa, Shinji
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866915768112775168
author Tsujikawa, Shinji
author_facet Tsujikawa, Shinji
contents DESI observations of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs), combined with cosmic microwave background (CMB) and type-Ia supernova (SN Ia) data, suggest that the dark energy equation of state $w_{\rm DE}$ crosses the phantom divide from $w_{\rm DE} < -1$ to $w_{\rm DE} > -1$ at low redshifts. In shift-symmetric Horndeski and generalized Proca theories with luminal gravitational-wave speed and no direct couplings to dark matter, we show that such a phantom-divide crossing is generically difficult without theoretical pathologies. Breaking the shift symmetry in Horndeski theories allows this transition. We construct an explicit model with broken shift symmetry, in which the scalar field has a potential in addition to a Galileon self-interaction and a quadratic kinetic term. This model realizes the desired phantom-divide crossing at low redshifts without introducing ghosts and Laplacian instabilities.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_17231
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Crossing the phantom divide in scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories
Tsujikawa, Shinji
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
DESI observations of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs), combined with cosmic microwave background (CMB) and type-Ia supernova (SN Ia) data, suggest that the dark energy equation of state $w_{\rm DE}$ crosses the phantom divide from $w_{\rm DE} < -1$ to $w_{\rm DE} > -1$ at low redshifts. In shift-symmetric Horndeski and generalized Proca theories with luminal gravitational-wave speed and no direct couplings to dark matter, we show that such a phantom-divide crossing is generically difficult without theoretical pathologies. Breaking the shift symmetry in Horndeski theories allows this transition. We construct an explicit model with broken shift symmetry, in which the scalar field has a potential in addition to a Galileon self-interaction and a quadratic kinetic term. This model realizes the desired phantom-divide crossing at low redshifts without introducing ghosts and Laplacian instabilities.
title Crossing the phantom divide in scalar-tensor and vector-tensor theories
topic Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.17231