Rigorous derivation of dark energy and inflation as geometry effects in Covariant Canonical Gauge Gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores how Covariant Canonical Gauge Gravity (CCGG), a first-principles derived Palatini theory, can naturally explain dark energy and inflation as effects of spacetime geometry, aligning with observational data.

Contribution

It introduces a covariant Hamiltonian formulation of gravity with torsion and quadratic curvature terms, extending Einstein-Hilbert theory to account for dark energy and inflation.

Findings

Cosmological models compatible with ΛCDM

Dark energy emerges as a geometric correction

Viable scenarios with bounce and bang cosmologies

Abstract

The cosmological implications of the Covariant Canonical Gauge Theory of Gravity (CCGG) are investigated. CCGG is a Palatini theory derived from first principles using the canonical transformation formalism in the covariant Hamiltonian formulation. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is thereby extended by a quadratic Riemann-Cartan term in the Lagrangian. Moreover, the requirement of covariant conservation of the stress-energy tensor leads to necessary presence of torsion. In the Friedman universe that promotes the cosmological constant to a time-dependent function, and gives rise to a geometrical correction with the EOS of dark radiation. The resulting cosmology, compatible with the $\Lambda$CDM parameter set, encompasses bounce and bang scenarios with graceful exits into the late dark energy era. Testing those scenarios against low-z observations shows that CCGG is a viable theory.