New Method to Test Gravity Theories Using Kurtosis Consistency Relations

Recent research by Sora Yamashita, Takahiko Matsubara, Tomo Takahashi, and Daisuke Yamauchi introduces the kurtosis consistency relation as a method to probe various gravity theories, particularly those extending beyond general relativity. The paper, titled "Kurtosis consistency relation in large-scale structure as a probe of gravity theories," discusses how these theories, including Horndeski and degenerate higher-order scalar-tensor (DHOST) theories, involve numerous model parameters that require constraints for effective testing through experiments and observations.

The authors present two independent kurtosis consistency relations derived from matter density fluctuations, which encode information about gravity theories. They argue that these relations could serve as valuable tools for testing the validity of different gravity theories. This research is significant as it may enhance our understanding of the fundamental nature of gravity and its implications for cosmology.

The findings suggest that the kurtosis consistency relations could provide a systematic approach to evaluate the predictions of various gravity models against observational data. This could lead to more precise constraints on the parameters of these theories, thereby advancing the field of cosmology and our comprehension of the universe's structure and evolution.

The full paper is available on arXiv under the identifier arXiv:2407.01221.