A unified TDiff invariant field theory for the dark sector

TL;DR

This paper introduces a TDiff invariant scalar field model for the dark sector that matches $ ext{Λ}$CDM in parameters and can potentially resolve the Hubble tension, showing strong observational agreement and promising cosmological implications.

Contribution

It presents a novel unified dark sector model based on a TDiff invariant scalar field, matching $ ext{Λ}$CDM parameters and improving fit to cosmological data.

Findings

Model fits cosmological data well, outperforming $ ext{Λ}$CDM in DIC.

The model can alleviate the Hubble tension.

Strong observational support for the TDiff invariant scalar field approach.

Abstract

In this work we present a unified model for the cosmological dark sector. The theory is based on a simple minimally coupled scalar field whose action only contains a canonical kinetic term and is invariant under transverse diffeomorphisms (TDiff). The model has the same number of free parameters as $\Lambda$CDM. We confront the predictions of the model at the background level with data from Planck 2018 CMB distance priors, Pantheon+ and SH0ES SNIa distance moduli, BAO data points from 6dFGS, BOSS, eBOSS and DES and measurements of the Hubble parameter from cosmic chronometers. The model provides excellent results in the joint fit analysis, showing very strong evidence compared to $\Lambda$CDM in the deviance information criterion (DIC). We also show that the Hubble tension between Planck 2018 and SH0ES measurements can be alleviated in the unified TDiff model although further analysis is still needed.