Non-parametric reconstruction of non-minimally coupled gravity with a smoothness prior on CMB, DESI BAO, supernovae, and DES data yields a 2.8σ hint for coupling and a preference for phantom divide crossing stabilized by the coupling.
Canonical reference
Non-minimally coupled quintessence with sign-switching interaction
Canonical reference. 83% of citing Pith papers cite this work as background.
abstract
We propose a new non-minimally coupled quintessence model to account for the late-time dark energy dynamics indicated by recent DESI measurements. Within this framework, the quintessence density begins to decrease only when it starts to dominate the universe, which naturally accounts for the late-time onset of dark energy weakening. The coupling also induces a sign change in the effective energy transfer between dark matter and dark energy during cosmic evolution. While the scalar field itself remains canonical and never crosses the phantom divide, the modified evolution of the dark matter density gives rise to an effective crossing behavior in the observationally inferred dark energy sector. Compared with both $\Lambda$CDM and $w_0w_a$CDM models, our model is favored more strongly by current cosmological data. This work may provide a promising avenue for understanding the observational late-time weakening of dark energy and the origin of its dynamics.
citation-role summary
citation-polarity summary
fields
astro-ph.CO 8years
2026 8verdicts
UNVERDICTED 8representative citing papers
Modified gravity below O(10) Mpc in a CPL dynamical dark energy background is required to suppress structure growth at low redshifts while satisfying CMB constraints from ISW and lensing.
Coupled SUGRA quintessence is preferred by current data at >4σ over the uncoupled case, with sign-changing interaction producing phantom-crossing behavior statistically similar to the CPL parametrization.
The ΛsCDM model with coupled dark sectors reduces the Hubble tension to 1.2σ via late-time expansion changes while keeping the early-universe sound horizon nearly unchanged.
Tensions in the supernova intercept a_B at z~0.01 in PantheonPlus and z~0.1 in DES-Y5 point to data systematics or inter-survey inconsistencies rather than new physics, aligning H0 measurements and reducing support for dynamical dark energy.
New cosmological data mildly favor a small coupling between dark matter and a scalar dark energy field at |β| ≈ 0.03 while allowing an effective phantom-crossing equation of state.
Coupled quintessence-dark matter models can produce an apparent phantom-crossing effective equation of state matching DESI preferences if the scalar field begins frozen in the radiation era.
Global Bayesian evidence shows no statistically significant support for dynamical dark energy or phantom crossing despite limited local fit improvements in the w0wa parametrization.
citing papers explorer
-
Late-time reconstruction of non-minimally coupled gravity with a smoothness prior
Non-parametric reconstruction of non-minimally coupled gravity with a smoothness prior on CMB, DESI BAO, supernovae, and DES data yields a 2.8σ hint for coupling and a preference for phantom divide crossing stabilized by the coupling.
-
Signatures of Modified Gravity Below $\mathcal{O}(10)$ Mpc in a Dynamical Dark Energy Background
Modified gravity below O(10) Mpc in a CPL dynamical dark energy background is required to suppress structure growth at low redshifts while satisfying CMB constraints from ISW and lensing.
-
Coupled quintessence with a potential from supergravity exhibits sign-changing interaction
Coupled SUGRA quintessence is preferred by current data at >4σ over the uncoupled case, with sign-changing interaction producing phantom-crossing behavior statistically similar to the CPL parametrization.
-
Alleviating the Hubble Tension Using $\Lambda$sCDM Model: A Coupled Dark Energy - Dark Matter Interaction
The ΛsCDM model with coupled dark sectors reduces the Hubble tension to 1.2σ via late-time expansion changes while keeping the early-universe sound horizon nearly unchanged.
-
Cosmological intercept tension
Tensions in the supernova intercept a_B at z~0.01 in PantheonPlus and z~0.1 in DES-Y5 point to data systematics or inter-survey inconsistencies rather than new physics, aligning H0 measurements and reducing support for dynamical dark energy.
-
Constraints on Coupled Dark Energy in the DESI Era
New cosmological data mildly favor a small coupling between dark matter and a scalar dark energy field at |β| ≈ 0.03 while allowing an effective phantom-crossing equation of state.
-
Coupled Dark Energy and Dark Matter for DESI: An Effective Guide to the Phantom Divide
Coupled quintessence-dark matter models can produce an apparent phantom-crossing effective equation of state matching DESI preferences if the scalar field begins frozen in the radiation era.
-
No evidence for phantom crossing: local goodness-of-fit improvements do not persist under global Bayesian model comparison
Global Bayesian evidence shows no statistically significant support for dynamical dark energy or phantom crossing despite limited local fit improvements in the w0wa parametrization.