Late-time Background Constraints on Linear and Non-linear Interacting Dark Energy after DESI DR2

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Main Authors: Figueruelo, David, van der Westhuizen, Marcel, Abebe, Amare, Di Valentino, Eleonora
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Figueruelo, David
van der Westhuizen, Marcel
Abebe, Amare
Di Valentino, Eleonora
author_facet Figueruelo, David
van der Westhuizen, Marcel
Abebe, Amare
Di Valentino, Eleonora
contents In this study, we present observational constraints on a class of phenomenological interacting dark energy (IDE) models that admit analytical solutions for the Hubble parameter $H(z)$. We consider a set of five linear and three non-linear IDE scenarios, encompassing both interactions proportional to the dark matter and/or dark energy densities, as well as non-linear combinations of the two. For all eight IDE models, we find a better fit than $Λ$CDM from a $Δχ^2$ analysis for both combinations of datasets considered. When using the Akaike Information Criterion ($Δ$AIC), we find a similarly improved fit in all cases, except for one dataset combination in $Q=3Hδρ_{\rm de}$. Our analysis also shows a preference for sign-switching interactions, with energy transfer from dark energy to dark matter at low redshift, reversing direction at higher redshift. These results should be interpreted with caution, as the latter direction of energy transfer is accompanied by negative dark energy densities in the past, which may be unphysical. Models that do not allow sign-changing behaviour instead show a preference for energy flow from dark matter to dark energy, and hence negative dark energy densities. The only exceptions are $Q=3Hδρ_{\rm de}$ and $Q=3Hδ\left(\tfrac{ρ_{\rm de}^2}{ρ_{\rm dm}+ρ_{\rm de}}\right)$, which exhibit energy flow in the opposite direction. Furthermore, for all interactions considered, we find a phantom-divide crossing in the effective dark energy equation of state $w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}$, with the dark energy density decreasing ($w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}>-1$) at present and at low redshift, while increasing ($w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}<-1$) in the past at high redshift. These results highlight the promising, but problematic, nature of dark sector interactions, as well as the need to extend the analysis using early-time physics and datasets.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_03122
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Late-time Background Constraints on Linear and Non-linear Interacting Dark Energy after DESI DR2
Figueruelo, David
van der Westhuizen, Marcel
Abebe, Amare
Di Valentino, Eleonora
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
In this study, we present observational constraints on a class of phenomenological interacting dark energy (IDE) models that admit analytical solutions for the Hubble parameter $H(z)$. We consider a set of five linear and three non-linear IDE scenarios, encompassing both interactions proportional to the dark matter and/or dark energy densities, as well as non-linear combinations of the two. For all eight IDE models, we find a better fit than $Λ$CDM from a $Δχ^2$ analysis for both combinations of datasets considered. When using the Akaike Information Criterion ($Δ$AIC), we find a similarly improved fit in all cases, except for one dataset combination in $Q=3Hδρ_{\rm de}$. Our analysis also shows a preference for sign-switching interactions, with energy transfer from dark energy to dark matter at low redshift, reversing direction at higher redshift. These results should be interpreted with caution, as the latter direction of energy transfer is accompanied by negative dark energy densities in the past, which may be unphysical. Models that do not allow sign-changing behaviour instead show a preference for energy flow from dark matter to dark energy, and hence negative dark energy densities. The only exceptions are $Q=3Hδρ_{\rm de}$ and $Q=3Hδ\left(\tfrac{ρ_{\rm de}^2}{ρ_{\rm dm}+ρ_{\rm de}}\right)$, which exhibit energy flow in the opposite direction. Furthermore, for all interactions considered, we find a phantom-divide crossing in the effective dark energy equation of state $w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}$, with the dark energy density decreasing ($w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}>-1$) at present and at low redshift, while increasing ($w^{\rm eff}_{\rm de}<-1$) in the past at high redshift. These results highlight the promising, but problematic, nature of dark sector interactions, as well as the need to extend the analysis using early-time physics and datasets.
title Late-time Background Constraints on Linear and Non-linear Interacting Dark Energy after DESI DR2
topic Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.03122