Modified Einstein versus modified Euler for dark matter

Our current cosmological observations cannot distinguish between a cosmological model with a fifth force acting on dark matter and one for which the laws of gravity are modified. Instead, a method using future gravitational redshift data is proposed. Modifications of general relativity generically contain additional degrees of freedom that can mediate forces between matter particles. One of the common manifestations of a fifth force in alternative gravity theories is a difference between the gravitational potentials felt by relativistic and non-relativistic particles, also known as 'the gravitational slip'. In contrast, a fifth force between dark matter particles, owing to dark sector interaction, does not cause a gravitational slip, making the latter a possible 'smoking gun' of modified gravity. Here we point out that a force acting on dark matter particles, as in models of coupled quintessence, would also manifest itself as a measurement of an effective gravitational slip by cosmological surveys of large-scale structure. This is linked to the fact that redshift-space distortions owing to peculiar motion of galaxies do not provide a measurement of the true gravitational potential if dark matter is affected by a fifth force. Hence, it is extremely challenging to distinguish a dark sector interaction from a modification of gravity with cosmological data alone. Future observations of gravitational redshift from galaxy surveys can help to break the degeneracy between these possibilities, by providing a direct measurement of the distortion of time. We discuss this and other possible ways to resolve this important question.

Automated summary

Our current observations cannot distinguish between models with a fifth force acting on dark matter and those with modified laws of gravity. However, future gravitational redshift data may provide a solution. Alternative gravity theories typically include additional degrees of freedom that can mediate forces between matter particles. A fifth force in these theories can be detected through a gravitational slip, while a dark sector interaction does not cause such a slip. By measuring the effective gravitational slip through cosmological surveys, we can determine if dark matter is affected by a fifth force or modified gravity. Future observations of gravitational redshift can provide a direct measurement of time distortion and help resolve this question.