Tracing the Nature of Dark Energy with Galaxy Distribution

Abstract

Dynamical Dark Energy (DE) is a viable alternative to the cosmological constant. Yet, constructing tests to discriminate between Lambda and dynamical DE models is difficult because the differences are not large. In this paper we explore tests based on the galaxy mass function, the void probability function (VPF), and the number of galaxy clusters. At high z the number density of clusters shows large differences between DE models, but geometrical factors reduce the differences substantially. We find that detecting a model dependence in the cluster redshift distribution is a hard challenge. We show that the galaxy redshift distribution is potentially a more sensitive characteristics. We do so by populating dark matter halos in Nbody simulations with galaxies using well-tested Halo Occupation Distribution (HOD). We also estimate the Void Probability Function and find that, in samples with the same angular surface density of galaxies in different models, the VPF is almost model independent and cannot be used as a test for DE. Once again, geometry and cosmic evolution compensate each other. By comparing VPF's for samples with fixed galaxy mass limits, we find measurable differences.

12 pages, 11 figures, dependence on mass-luminosity relation discussed, minor changes to match the accepted version by MNRAS

References in corpus (2)

• Cosmology and the Fate of Dilatation Symmetry
• The signature of dark energy on the local Hubble flow

Cited by in corpus (14)

• Dark Matter and Dark Energy Interactions: Theoretical Challenges, Cosmological Implications and Observational Signatures
• Cluster number counts dependence on dark energy inhomogeneities and coupling to dark matter
• Statistics of Voids in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey
• Imprints of Dark Energy on Cosmic Structure Formation I) Realistic Quintessence Models and the Non-Linear Matter Power Spectrum
• Mass functions in coupled Dark Energy models
• The imprint of the interaction between dark sectors in galaxy clusters
• Dynamical Dark Energy simulations: high accuracy Power Spectra at high redshift
• Power Spectra to 1% Accuracy between Dynamical Dark Energy Cosmologies
• Dynamical quintessence fields Press-Schechter mass function: detectability and effect on dark haloes
• Imprints of dynamical dark energy on weak-lensing measurements
• Interacting dark energy collapse with matter components separation
• High-precision spectra for dynamical Dark Energy cosmologies from constant-w models
• High accuracy power spectra including baryonic physics in dynamical Dark Energy models
• Tracking through equality