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Breaking a Dark Degeneracy with Gravitational Waves

5 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

5 Pith papers citing it
abstract

We identify a scalar-tensor model embedded in the Horndeski action whose cosmological background and linear scalar fluctuations are degenerate with the concordance cosmology. The model admits a self-accelerated background expansion at late times that is stable against perturbations with a sound speed attributed to the new field that is equal to the speed of light. While degenerate in scalar fluctuations, self-acceleration of the model implies a present cosmological tensor mode propagation at < 95% of the speed of light with a damping of the wave amplitude that is > 5% less efficient than in general relativity. We show that these discrepancies are endemic to self-accelerated Horndeski theories with degenerate large-scale structure and are tested with measurements of gravitational waves emitted by events at cosmological distances. Hence, gravitational-wave cosmology breaks the dark degeneracy in observations of the large-scale structure between two fundamentally different explanations of cosmic acceleration - a cosmological constant and a scalar-tensor modification of gravity. The gravitational wave event GW150914 recently detected with the aLIGO instruments and its potential association with a weak short gamma-ray burst observed with the Fermi GBM experiment may have provided this crucial measurement.

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representative citing papers

Planck 2018 results. VI. Cosmological parameters

astro-ph.CO · 2018-07-17 · accept · novelty 5.0

Final Planck CMB data confirms the flat 6-parameter ΛCDM model with Ω_c h² = 0.120 ± 0.001, Ω_b h² = 0.0224 ± 0.0001, n_s = 0.965 ± 0.004, τ = 0.054 ± 0.007, H_0 = 67.4 ± 0.5 km/s/Mpc, and no strong evidence for extensions.

Quintom Model Perturbations

astro-ph.CO · 2026-06-25 · unverdicted · novelty 4.0

A two-field quintom model reproduces w0waCDM perturbation features and is mildly favored over it in Bayesian fits to BAO, CMB, and SNIa data.

Cosmological searches for the neutrino mass scale and mass ordering

astro-ph.CO · 2019-07-18 · unverdicted · novelty 4.0

Thesis summarizing an upper limit of 0.12 eV on the neutrino mass sum, bias calibration via CMB lensing cross-correlations, and tighter limits plus stronger normal-ordering preference in non-phantom dynamical dark energy models.

Science Case for the Einstein Telescope

astro-ph.CO · 2019-12-05 · unverdicted · novelty 3.0

The Einstein Telescope will enable gravitational-wave observations up to cosmological distances, opening avenues for discoveries in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics.

citing papers explorer

Showing 5 of 5 citing papers.

  • Inspiral gravitational waveforms from charged compact binaries with scalar hair gr-qc · 2026-05-13 · unverdicted · none · ref 106 · internal anchor

    In Einstein-scalar-Maxwell theories, charged compact binaries produce gravitational waveforms containing a leading -1 post-Newtonian dipole correction controlled by one deviation parameter b.

  • Planck 2018 results. VI. Cosmological parameters astro-ph.CO · 2018-07-17 · accept · none · ref 224

    Final Planck CMB data confirms the flat 6-parameter ΛCDM model with Ω_c h² = 0.120 ± 0.001, Ω_b h² = 0.0224 ± 0.0001, n_s = 0.965 ± 0.004, τ = 0.054 ± 0.007, H_0 = 67.4 ± 0.5 km/s/Mpc, and no strong evidence for extensions.

  • Quintom Model Perturbations astro-ph.CO · 2026-06-25 · unverdicted · none · ref 28 · internal anchor

    A two-field quintom model reproduces w0waCDM perturbation features and is mildly favored over it in Bayesian fits to BAO, CMB, and SNIa data.

  • Cosmological searches for the neutrino mass scale and mass ordering astro-ph.CO · 2019-07-18 · unverdicted · none · ref 141 · internal anchor

    Thesis summarizing an upper limit of 0.12 eV on the neutrino mass sum, bias calibration via CMB lensing cross-correlations, and tighter limits plus stronger normal-ordering preference in non-phantom dynamical dark energy models.

  • Science Case for the Einstein Telescope astro-ph.CO · 2019-12-05 · unverdicted · none · ref 201 · internal anchor

    The Einstein Telescope will enable gravitational-wave observations up to cosmological distances, opening avenues for discoveries in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics.