AdS - de Sitter transition in interacting dark energy models

Abstract

Recent cosmological results, including the persistent $H_0$ tension and indications of dynamical dark energy, have raised the possibility that the standard $\Lambda$-Cold Dark Matter ($\Lambda$CDM) model may be incomplete. At the same time, theoretical developments based on swampland conjectures indicate that the realization of a stable de Sitter vacuum within string theory is challenging. Motivated by these observational and theoretical considerations, we investigate an interacting $\Lambda$ scenario characterized by a general linear coupling in the dark sector. At the background level, this model naturally allows the dark energy density to evolve from negative to positive values, opening the possibility of a transition from an anti-de Sitter-like phase to the de Sitter-like phase inferred by current observations. We derive the analytic background solutions and perturbation equations, discuss the physically acceptable region of parameter space, and constrain the model with DES-Dovekie type Ia supernovae, DESI BAO and CMB data. Our analysis suggests a parameter space allowing the dark energy density to change sign while maintaining positive dark matter density, motivating further investigation of an interaction-driven anti-de Sitter to de Sitter transition.

9 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, LaTex