Constraining f (T ,T ) gravity models using type Ia supernovae

D. Sáez Gómez, C. S. Carvalho, F. S. N. Lobo, I. Tereno

Abstract
We present an analysis of an f (T ,T ) extension of the Teleparallel Equivalent of General Relativity, where T denotes the torsion and T denotes the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. This extension includes nonminimal couplings between torsion and matter. In particular, we construct two specific models that recover the usual continuity equation, namely, f (T ,T )=T +g (T ) and f (T ,T )=T ×g (T ). We then constrain the parameters of each model by fitting the predicted distance modulus to that measured from type Ia supernovae and find that both models can reproduce the late-time cosmic acceleration. We also observe that one of the models satisfies well the observational constraints and yields a goodness-of-fit similar to the Λ CDM model, thus demonstrating that f (T ,T ) gravity theory encompasses viable models that can be an alternative to Λ CDM.

Physical Review D
Volume 94
July 2016

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.94.024034
ADS Bibliographic code: 2016PhRvD..94b4034S