Inhomogeneous Dark Energy

TL;DR

This paper proposes a modified gravity model with non-dynamical scalar fields that unify dark matter and dark energy, allowing for inhomogeneous dark energy distributions that impact cosmic microwave background anomalies and structure formation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel modification to Einstein's General Relativity incorporating non-dynamical scalar fields to model inhomogeneous dark energy and dark matter.

Findings

Inhomogeneous dark energy affects the late-time ISW effect.

Model potentially explains low multipole anomalies in CMB.

Influences structure formation processes.

Abstract

We modify Einstein General Relativity by adding non-dynamical scalar fields to account simultaneously for both dark matter and dark energy. The dark energy in this case can be distributed in-homogeneously even within horizon scales. Its inhomogeneities can contribute to the late time integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, possibly removing some of the low multipole anomalies in the temperature fluctuations of the CMB spectrum. The presence of the inhomogeneous dark matter also influences structure formation in the universe.