KGB-evolution: a relativistic $N$-body code for kinetic gravity braiding models

TL;DR

KGB-evolution is a new relativistic N-body simulation code that models kinetic gravity braiding dark energy, capturing nonlinear effects and their impact on cosmic structure formation, validated against linear theory predictions.

Contribution

It introduces KGB-evolution, the first relativistic N-body code for kinetic gravity braiding models, extending previous codes with effective field theory parameterization and nonlinear clustering analysis.

Findings

Excellent agreement with linear predictions on large scales.

Nonlinear clustering of dark energy enhances structure formation effects.

Braiding significantly amplifies backreaction compared to k-essence models.

Abstract

We present KGB-evolution, a relativistic $N$-body simulation code that extends the $k$-evolution code by incorporating an effective field theory parameterization of kinetic gravity braiding, while also including the $k$-essence model as a limiting case. As a first step, we implement the linearized dark energy stress-energy tensor and scalar field equations, providing the groundwork for a future full Horndeski theory extension. We validate KGB-evolution by comparing its power spectra against linear predictions from hi$\_$class, finding excellent agreement on large scales at low redshifts and over all scales at high redshifts. We demonstrate that nonlinear growth of matter and metric perturbations on small scales drives the linearized dark energy field into a nonlinear clustering regime, which in turn feeds back on the growth of cosmic structure. In contrast to the $k$-essence limit, a nonzero braiding considerably amplifies this backreaction, producing a significantly stronger alteration of structure formation in the kinetic gravity braiding model.