Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity: is it compatible with modern cosmology?

TL;DR

This paper investigates the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity model's compatibility with modern cosmological observations, constraining its parameters and analyzing its implications for the universe's acceleration history.

Contribution

It provides observational constraints on the EGB model's parameter and examines its cosmological viability using multiple data sets and a statefinder analysis.

Findings

The EGB model predicts continuous acceleration, conflicting with a non-accelerated phase.

Constraints on the parameter α suggest limitations in the model's ability to match all cosmological data.

The model indicates early and late universe acceleration, but may have fundamental issues.

Abstract

Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) model is recently restudied in order to analyze new consequences in gravitation, modifying appropriately the Einstein-Hilbert action. The consequences in EGB cosmology are mainly geometric, with higher order values in the Hubble parameter. In this vein this paper is devoted to contribute with extra evidences about its pros and cons of the model from a cosmological point of view. We start constraining the characteristic parameter, $\alpha$, of the EGB model when a cosmological constant as the catalyst for the acceleration is considered. The constrictions are developed at the background cosmology using Observational Hubble Data, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, Supernovaes of the Ia type, Strong Lensing Systems and the recent compilation of HII Galaxies. Additionally, we implement a statefinder analysis where we found not only a late acceleration but also an early Universe acceleration which is associated with the parameter $\alpha$. Based on our results of the lensing systems, the Universe evolution never reaches a non accelerated phase, instead it is always presented in an accelerated state, being a possible fault that afflicts the EGB model.