Breaking a Dark Degeneracy with Gravitational Waves

Lucas Lombriser, Andy Taylor

Published 2015-09-28Version 1

We identify a scalar-tensor model embedded in the Horndeski action whose cosmological background and linear scalar fluctuations are degenerate with the concordance cosmology. The model admits a self-accelerated background expansion at late times that is stable against perturbations with a sound speed attributed to the new field that is equal to the speed of light. While degenerate in scalar fluctuations, self acceleration of the model implies a present cosmological tensor mode propagation at < 95% of the speed of light with a damping of the wave amplitude that is > 5% less efficient than in general relativity. These discrepancies will be testable with future measurements of gravitational waves emitted by events at cosmological distances. Hence, they can be used to break the dark degeneracy in our current observations between two fundamentally different explanations of cosmic acceleration - a cosmological constant and a scalar-tensor modification of gravity.