Beyond Two Dark Energy Parameters

TL;DR

This paper introduces a flexible, multi-parameter approach to characterize dark energy, moving beyond the traditional two-parameter models, and demonstrates that upcoming surveys can constrain multiple redshift bins with high precision.

Contribution

It proposes a model-independent, multi-parameter method for fitting dark energy, allowing for more detailed analysis than the conventional two-parameter models.

Findings

Next-generation surveys will constrain three or more redshift bins to better than 10%

Future dark energy knowledge will extend beyond two parameters

A more flexible analysis approach improves understanding of dark energy

Abstract

Our ignorance of the dark energy is generally described by a two-parameter equation of state. In these approaches a particular {\it ad hoc} functional form is assumed, and only two independent parameters are incorporated. We propose a model-independent, multi-parameter approach to fitting the dark energy, and show that next-generation surveys will constrain the equation of state in three or more independent redshift bins to better than 10%. Future knowledge of the dark energy will surpass two numbers (e.g., [$w_0$,$w_1$] or [$w_0$,$w_a$]), and we propose a more flexible approach to the analysis of present and future data.