# Refined Swampland conjecture in deformed Starobinsky gravity

## TL;DR

This paper examines the viability of a deformed Starobinsky gravity model within the refined Swampland conjecture framework, constraining parameters using cosmological observations and finding conditions under which the model aligns with the conjecture.

## Contribution

It introduces a specific deformation of Starobinsky gravity and analyzes its compatibility with the refined Swampland conjecture, identifying parameter ranges that satisfy the conjecture.

## Key findings

- The model is initially in tension with the refined Swampland conjecture.
- Proper parameter choices allow the model to satisfy the refined conjecture.
- The model can potentially be in the string landscape rather than the swampland.

## Abstract

In order to validate or invalidate a large class of low energy effective theories, the Swampland conjecture has attracted significant attention, recently. It can be stated as inequalities on the potential of a scalar field which is conjectured to satisfy certain constraints. In this work, we discuss the theoretical viability of deformed Starobinky gravity in light of the refined Swampland conjectures. We consider the deformation of the form $f(R)\sim R^{2(1-\alpha)}$ with $\alpha$ being a constant. We then constrain $\alpha$ using the spectral index of curvature perturbation $n_s$ and the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$. We demonstrate that the model under consideration is in strong tension with the refined swampland conjecture. However, regarding our analysis with proper choices of parameters $a,\,b=1- a$ and $q$, we discover that the model can always satisfy this new refined swampland conjecture. Therefore, the model might be in landscape since the further refining de Sitter swampland conjecture is satisfied.