Modified gravity models of dark energy

TL;DR

This paper reviews various modified gravity theories as models for dark energy, discussing their theoretical viability, observational constraints, and potential to explain cosmic acceleration without dark energy.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in modified gravity models, including their mechanisms to satisfy local constraints and their cosmological implications.

Findings

f(R) and Brans-Dicke models can meet local constraints with chameleon mechanisms

Braneworld models face ghost issues and tension with cosmic expansion data

Galileon models can avoid ghosts and produce late-time acceleration

Abstract

We review recent progress of modified gravity models of dark energy--based on f(R) gravity, scalar-tensor theories, braneworld gravity, Galileon gravity, and other theories. In f(R) gravity and Brans-Dicke theory it is possible to design viable models consistent with local gravity constraints under a chameleon mechanism, while satisfying conditions for the cosmological viability. The Dvali-Gabadazde-Porrati braneworld model can be compatible with local gravity constraints through a nonlinear field self-interaction arising from a brane-bending mode, but the self-accelerating solution contains a ghost mode in addition to the tension with observational data about the cosmic expansion history. The extension of the field self-interaction to more general forms satisfying a Galilean symmetry in the flat space-time allows a possibility to avoid the appearance of ghosts and Laplacian instabilities, while the late-time cosmic acceleration can be realized by the field kinetic energy. We study the evolution of cosmological perturbations in those models to place constraints on model parameters from the observations of large-scale structure, cosmic microwave background, and weak lensing. We also briefly review other modified gravitational models of dark energy-- such as those based on Gauss-Bonnet gravity and Lorentz-violating theories.