Structure formation in modified gravity models alternative to dark energy

TL;DR

This paper investigates how structure formation differs in modified gravity models that mimic accelerated expansion without dark energy, emphasizing the importance of underlying theories for observational tests.

Contribution

It constructs covariant equations for a class of modified gravity models, analyzes perturbations, and highlights the role of the underlying theory in structure formation differences.

Findings

Structure formation differs from dark energy models with same expansion history.

Conditions on the correction term $E_{\mu \nu}$ are crucial for accurate modeling.

Identifying the underlying theory is essential for testing these models against observations.

Abstract

We study structure formation in phenomenological models in which the Friedmann equation receives a correction of the form $H^{\alpha}/r_c^{2-\alpha}$, which realize an accelerated expansion without dark energy. In order to address structure formation in these model, we construct simple covariant gravitational equations which give the modified Friedmann equation with $\alpha=2/n$ where $n$ is an integer. For $n=2$, the underlying theory is known as a 5D braneworld model (the DGP model). Thus the models interpolate between the DGP model ($n=2, \alpha=1$) and the LCDM model in general relativity ($n \to \infty, \alpha \to 0$). Using the covariant equations, cosmological perturbations are analyzed. It is shown that in order to satisfy the Bianchi identity at a perturbative level, we need to introduce a correction term $E_{\mu \nu}$ in the effective equations. In the DGP model, $E_{\mu \nu}$ comes from 5D gravitational fields and correct conditions on $E_{\mu \nu}$ can be derived by solving the 5D perturbations. In the general case $n>2$, we have to assume the structure of a modified theory of gravity to determine $E_{\mu \nu}$. We show that structure formation is different from a dark energy model in general relativity with identical expansion history and that quantitative features of the difference crucially depend on the conditions on $E_{\mu \nu}$, that is, the structure of the underlying theory of modified gravity. This implies that it is essential to identify underlying theories in order to test these phenomenological models against observational data and, once we identify a consistent theory, structure formation tests become essential to distinguish modified gravity models from dark energy models in general relativity.