Phase-resolved scalar distance bounds are derived for ekpyrotic, bouncing, and cyclic cosmologies, yielding a master condition that lower-bounds ε_ek from remaining distance after conversion and bounce.
Can the dark energy equation-of-state parameterwbe less than −1?
9 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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abstract
Models of dark energy are conveniently characterized by the equation-of-state parameter w=p/\rho, where \rho is the energy density and p is the pressure. Imposing the Dominant Energy Condition, which guarantees stability of the theory, implies that w \geq -1. Nevertheless, it is conceivable that a well-defined model could (perhaps temporarily) have w<-1, and indeed such models have been proposed. We study the stability of dynamical models exhibiting w<-1 by virtue of a negative kinetic term. Although naively unstable, we explore the possibility that these models might be phenomenologically viable if thought of as effective field theories valid only up to a certain momentum cutoff. Under our most optimistic assumptions, we argue that the instability timescale can be greater than the age of the universe, but only if the cutoff is at or below 100 MeV. We conclude that it is difficult, although not necessarily impossible, to construct viable models of dark energy with w<-1; observers should keep an open mind, but the burden is on theorists to demonstrate that any proposed new models are not ruled out by rapid vacuum decay.
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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.
An exact operator conservation law from canonical commutation relations bounds second moments of a ghost-coupled oscillator for all time and states, preventing quantum runaway.
Affine ANEC obstructs non-static flat and open FRW from being null geodesically complete while ANEC-satisfying, but allows explicit scalar-field realizations for closed FRW with NEC-respecting matter.
A quantum ghost coupled polynomially to a harmonic oscillator has unitary evolution and a stable vacuum because a conserved quantity possesses a positive discrete spectrum.
Evolving dark energy models lower the tension in DES Y3 Weyl potential measurements with GR+ΛCDM predictions to 1.6-2.2σ by changing the theoretical background evolution.
Bouncing solutions in quadratic curvature gravity with a scalar field satisfy null, weak, and dominant energy conditions but violate the strong one when using the scalar-field energy-momentum tensor, while all four conditions are violated near the bounce in the effective tensor formulation.
Cosmic string networks are constrained to less than ~1% of the energy density using CMB+BAO+SN data, with some models preferring mildly negative densities but no Bayesian evidence favoring them over LambdaCDM.
This review traces the history of dynamical dark energy, presents the no-go theorem against single-field crossing of w = -1, and surveys viable Quintom constructions including multi-field models and modified gravity in light of DESI DR2 hints.
citing papers explorer
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Phase-resolved field-space distance bounds in ekpyrotic, bouncing and cyclic cosmologies
Phase-resolved scalar distance bounds are derived for ekpyrotic, bouncing, and cyclic cosmologies, yielding a master condition that lower-bounds ε_ek from remaining distance after conversion and bounce.
-
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.
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Ghost Degrees of Freedom Without Quantum Runaway: Exact Moment Bounds from an Operator Conservation Law
An exact operator conservation law from canonical commutation relations bounds second moments of a ghost-coupled oscillator for all time and states, preventing quantum runaway.
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Affine ANEC selects the closed FRW branch for geodesically complete cosmology
Affine ANEC obstructs non-static flat and open FRW from being null geodesically complete while ANEC-satisfying, but allows explicit scalar-field realizations for closed FRW with NEC-respecting matter.
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Unitary Time Evolution and Vacuum for a Quantum Stable Ghost
A quantum ghost coupled polynomially to a harmonic oscillator has unitary evolution and a stable vacuum because a conserved quantity possesses a positive discrete spectrum.
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The impact of evolving dark energy on the Weyl potential measured from the Dark Energy Survey Year 3 data
Evolving dark energy models lower the tension in DES Y3 Weyl potential measurements with GR+ΛCDM predictions to 1.6-2.2σ by changing the theoretical background evolution.
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Energy conditions of bouncing solutions in quadratic curvature gravity coupled with a scalar field
Bouncing solutions in quadratic curvature gravity with a scalar field satisfy null, weak, and dominant energy conditions but violate the strong one when using the scalar-field energy-momentum tensor, while all four conditions are violated near the bounce in the effective tensor formulation.
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Cosmic Strings as Dynamical Dark Energy: Novel Constraints
Cosmic string networks are constrained to less than ~1% of the energy density using CMB+BAO+SN data, with some models preferring mildly negative densities but no Bayesian evidence favoring them over LambdaCDM.
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The Quintom theory of dark energy after DESI DR2
This review traces the history of dynamical dark energy, presents the no-go theorem against single-field crossing of w = -1, and surveys viable Quintom constructions including multi-field models and modified gravity in light of DESI DR2 hints.