Non-minimally Coupled Running Curvaton for DESI-preferred Dynamical Dark Energy and Hubble Tension

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Main Authors: Li, Bichu, Liu, Lei-Hua
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Li, Bichu
Liu, Lei-Hua
author_facet Li, Bichu
Liu, Lei-Hua
contents Recent DESI 2025 results have renewed interest in dynamical dark energy models with phantom crossing. In this work, we extend the running curvaton scenario by introducing a non-minimal gravitational coupling, $ξχ^2 R$. We show that this coupling can drive the late-time equation of state into the DESI-preferred region in the $(w_0,w_a)$ plane. We further find that, at leading order, the early-universe predictions of the original running curvaton model can be preserved through a parameter redefinition, while the scalar sector remains free of gradient instability in the regime considered. A parameter scan identifies viable regions and a benchmark solution that also shifts the background-inferred value of $H_0$ upward. These results suggest that the non-minimally coupled running curvaton provides a viable framework for DESI-motivated dark energy evolution, with possible implications for the Hubble tension.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_09705
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Non-minimally Coupled Running Curvaton for DESI-preferred Dynamical Dark Energy and Hubble Tension
Li, Bichu
Liu, Lei-Hua
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Recent DESI 2025 results have renewed interest in dynamical dark energy models with phantom crossing. In this work, we extend the running curvaton scenario by introducing a non-minimal gravitational coupling, $ξχ^2 R$. We show that this coupling can drive the late-time equation of state into the DESI-preferred region in the $(w_0,w_a)$ plane. We further find that, at leading order, the early-universe predictions of the original running curvaton model can be preserved through a parameter redefinition, while the scalar sector remains free of gradient instability in the regime considered. A parameter scan identifies viable regions and a benchmark solution that also shifts the background-inferred value of $H_0$ upward. These results suggest that the non-minimally coupled running curvaton provides a viable framework for DESI-motivated dark energy evolution, with possible implications for the Hubble tension.
title Non-minimally Coupled Running Curvaton for DESI-preferred Dynamical Dark Energy and Hubble Tension
topic Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09705