Cosmological model with viscosity media (dark fluid) described by an effective equation of state

A generally parameterized equation of state (EOS) is investigated in the cosmological evolution with bulk viscosity media modelled as dark fluid, which can be regarded as a unification of dark energy and dark matter. Compared with the case of the perfect fluid, this EOS has possessed four additional parameters, which can be interpreted as the case of the non-perfect fluid with time-dependent viscosity or the model with variable cosmological constant. From this general EOS, a completely integrable dynamical equation to the scale factor is obtained with its solution explicitly given out. (i) In this parameterized model of cosmology, for a special choice of the parameters we can explain the late-time accelerating expansion universe in a new view. The early inflation, the median (relatively late time) deceleration, and the recently cosmic acceleration may be unified in a single equation. (ii) A generalized relation of the Hubble parameter scaling with the redshift is obtained for some cosmology interests. (iii) By using the SNe Ia data to fit the effective viscosity model we show that the case of matter described by p=0$p=0$ plus with effective viscosity contributions can fit the observational gold data in an acceptable level.     

The non-adiabatic pressure in general scalar field systems

We discuss the non-adiabatic or entropy perturbation, which controls the evolution of the curvature perturbation in the uniform density gauge, for a scalar field system minimally coupled to gravity with non-canonical action. We highlight the differences between the sound and the phase speed in these systems, and show that the non-adiabatic pressure perturbation vanishes in the single field case, resulting in the conservation of the curvature perturbation on large scales.     

Exact scaling solutions and fixed points for general scalar field

We show that the most general dark energy model that possesses a scaling solution ρ?∝an${\rho }_{?}\propto a^n$ is the k-essence model, which includes both of the quintessence and tachyon models. The exact scaling solutions are then derived. The potential that gives the tracking solution in which dark energy exactly tracks the background matter field is the inverse squared potential. The quintessence field with exponential potential can be obtained from the k-essence field with the inverse squared potential. We also find the fixed points and study their main properties, whereby the scalar field dominant fixed point is identified.     

Signature of the interaction between dark energy and dark matter in galaxy clusters

We investigate the influence of an interaction between dark energy and dark matter upon the dynamics of galaxy clusters. We obtain the general Layser–Irvine equation in the presence of interactions, and find how, in that case, the virial theorem stands corrected. Using optical, X-ray and weak lensing data from 33 relaxed galaxy clusters, we put constraints on the strength of the coupling between the dark sectors. Available data suggests that this coupling is small but positive, indicating that dark energy might be decaying into dark matter. Systematic effects between the several mass estimates, however, should be better known, before definitive conclusions on the magnitude and significance of this coupling could be established.     

Holographic Ricci dark energy in Randall–Sundrum braneworld: Avoidance of big rip and steady state future

In the holographic Ricci dark energy (RDE) model, the parameter α plays an important role in determining the evolutionary behavior of the dark energy. When α<1/2, the RDE will exhibit a quintom feature, i.e., the equation of state of dark energy will evolve across the cosmological constant boundary w=−1. Observations show that the parameter α is indeed smaller than 1/2, so the late-time evolution of RDE will be really like a phantom energy. Therefore, it seems that the big rip is inevitable in this model. On the other hand, the big rip is actually inconsistent with the theoretical framework of the holographic model of dark energy. To avoid the big rip, we appeal to the extra dimension physics. In this Letter, we investigate the cosmological evolution of the RDE in the braneworld cosmology. It is of interest to find that for the far future evolution of RDE in a Randall–Sundrum braneworld, there is an attractor solution where the steady state (de Sitter) finale occurs, in stead of the big rip.     

Stability of the curvature perturbation in dark sectors' mutual interacting models

We consider perturbations in a cosmological model with a small coupling between dark energy and dark matter. We prove that the stability of the curvature perturbation depends on the type of coupling between dark sectors. When the dark energy is of quintessence type, if the coupling is proportional to the dark matter energy density, it will drive the instability in the curvature perturbations; however if the coupling is proportional to the energy density of dark energy, there is room for the stability in the curvature perturbations. When the dark energy is of phantom type, the perturbations are always stable, no matter whether the coupling is proportional to the one or the other energy density.     

Phantom Friedmann cosmologies and higher-order characteristics of expansion

We discuss a more general class of phantom (p < −?) cosmologies with various forms of both phantom (w < −1), and standard (w > −1) matter. We show that many types of evolution which include both Big-Bang and Big-Rip singularities are admitted and give explicit examples. Among some interesting models, there exist non-singular oscillating (or “bounce”) cosmologies, which appear due to a competition between positive and negative pressure of variety of matter content. From the point of view of the current observations the most interesting cosmologies are the ones which start with a Big-Bang and terminate at a Big-Rip. A related consequence of having a possibility of two types of singularities is that there exists an unstable static universe approached by the two asymptotic models—one of them reaches Big-Bang, and another reaches Big-Rip. We also give explicit relations between density parameters Ω and the dynamical characteristics for these generalized phantom models, including higher-order observational characteristics such as jerk and “kerk.” Finally, we discuss the observational quantities such as luminosity distance, angular diameter, and source counts, both in series expansion and explicitly, for phantom models. Our series expansion formulas for the luminosity distance and the apparent magnitude go as far as to the fourth-order in redshift z term, which includes explicitly not only the jerk, but also the “kerk” (or “snap”) which may serve as an indicator of the curvature of the universe.     

Constraints on the interacting holographic dark energy model

We examined the interacting holographic dark energy model in a universe with spatial curvature. Using the near-flatness condition and requiring that the universe is experiencing an accelerated expansion, we have constrained the parameter space of the model and found that the model can accommodate a transition of the dark energy from ωD>−1${\omega }_D>-1$ to ωD<−1${\omega }_D<-1$.     

Colliding branes and formation of spacetime singularities

We construct a class of analytic solutions with two free parameters to the five-dimensional Einstein field equations, which represents the collision of two timelike 3-branes. We study the local and global properties of the spacetime, and find that spacelike singularities generically develop after the collision, due to the mutual focus of the two branes. Non-singular spacetime can be constructed only in the case where both of the two branes violate the energy conditions.     

The variation of the electromagnetic coupling and quintessence

The properties of quintessence are examined through the study of the variation of the electromagnetic coupling. We consider two simple quintessence models with a modified exponential potential and study the parameter space constraints derived from the existing observational bounds on the variation of the fine structure constant and the most recent Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe observations.     

Stationary condition in a perturbative approach for mass varying neutrinos

A perturbative approach for arbitrary choices of the equation of state of the universe is introduced in order to treat scenarios for mass varying neutrinos (MaVaNs) coupled to the dark sector. The generalized criterion for the applicability of such an approach is expressed through a constraint on the coefficient of the linear perturbation on the dark sector scalar field. This coefficient depends on the ratio between the variation of the neutrino energy and the scalar field potential. Upon certain conditions, the usual stationary condition found in the context of MaVaN models together with the perturbative contribution can be employed to predict the dynamical evolution of the neutrino mass. Our results clearly indicate that the positiveness of the squared speed of sound of the coupled fluid and the model stability are not conditioned by the stationary condition.     

Bianchi Type-IX String Cosmological Models for Perfect Fluid Distribution in General Relativity

The present study deals with Bianchi type-IX string cosmological models for perfect fluid distribution. We consider two cases： （i） ρ ＋ λ = 0, （ii） ρ - λ = 0, where ρ and λ are the rest energy density and the tension density of a string cloud, respectively. The physical and geometrical properties of the models are discussed.     

Bulk viscous L.R.S. Bianchi type V tilted stiff fluid cosmological model in general relativity

Locally rotationally symmetric (L.R.S.) Bianchi type V bulk viscous tilted stiff fluid cosmological model is investigated. To get the deterministic model of the universe, we have also assumed a condition A=Bⁿ between metric potentials A, B where n is the constant. The behaviour of the model in presence and absence of bulk viscosity and singularities in the model are also discussed. In general, the models represent accelerating, shearing, tilted and non-rotating universe. The models have point type singularity in presence and absence of bulk viscosity both.     

Embedding of FRW cosmology in DGP scenario with a non-minimally coupled scalar field on the brane

We construct a DGP inspired braneworld scenario where a scalar field non-minimally coupled to the induced Ricci curvature is present on the brane. We show that this model allows for an embedding of the standard Friedmann cosmology in the sense that the cosmological evolution of the background metric on the brane can be described by the standard Friedmann equation.     

A note on crossing the phantom divide in hybrid dark energy model

Recently a lot of attention has been given to building dark energy models in which the equation-of-state parameter w   can cross the phantom divide w=−1$w=-1$. However, to our knowledge, these models with crossing the phantom divide only provide the possibility that w can cross −1. They do not answer another question: why crossing phantom divide occurs recently? Since in many existing models whose equation-of-state parameter can cross the phantom divide, w undulates around −1 randomly, why are we living in an epoch  w<−1$w<-1$? This can be regarded as the second cosmological coincidence problem. In this Letter, we propose a possible approach to alleviate this problem within a hybrid dark energy model.