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We investigate baryogenesis in the $\nu$MSM, which is the Minimal Standard Model (MSM) extended by three right-handed neutrinos with Majorana masses smaller than the weak scale. In this model the baryon asymmetry of the universe (BAU) is generated via flavour oscillation between right-handed neutrinos. We consider the case when BAU is solely originated from the CP violation in the mixing matrix of active neutrinos. We perform analytical and numerical estimations of the yield of BAU, and show how BAU depends on mixing angles and CP violating phases. It is found that the asymmetry in the inverted hierarchy for neutrino masses receives a suppression factor of about 4% comparing with the normal hierarchy case. It is, however, pointed out that, when $\theta_{13}=0$ and $\theta_{23} = \pi/4$, baryogenesis in the normal hierarchy becomes ineffective, and hence the inverted hierarchy case becomes significant to account for the present BAU., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures

Using the universal X superfield that measures in the UV the violation of conformal invariance we build up a model of multifield inflation. The underlying dynamics is the one controlling the natural flow of this field in the IR to the Goldstino superfield once SUSY is broken. We show that flat directions satisfying the slow roll conditions exist only if R-symmetry is broken. Naturalness of our model leads to scales of SUSY breaking of the order of 10^{11-13} Gev, a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of the initial perturbations and negligible gravitational waves. We obtain that the inflaton field is lighter than the gravitino by an amount determined by the slow roll parameter eta. The existence of slow-roll conditions is directly linked to the values of supersymmetry and R-symmetry breaking scales. We make cosmological predictions of our model and compare them to current data. Using the universal X -superfield that measures in the UV the violation of conformal invariance we build up a model of multifield inflation. The underlying dynamics is the one controlling the natural flow of this field in the IR to the goldstino superfield once SUSY is broken. We show that flat directions satisfying the slow-roll conditions exist only if R -symmetry is broken. Naturalness of our model leads to scales of SUSY breaking of the order of 10 11–13 GeV, a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of the initial perturbations and negligible gravitational waves. We obtain that the inflaton field is lighter than the gravitino by an amount determined by the slow-roll parameter η . The existence of slow-roll conditions is directly linked to the values of supersymmetry and R -symmetry breaking scales. We make cosmological predictions of our model and compare them to current data. Using the universal X superfield that measures in the UV the violation of conformal invariance we build up a model of multifield inflation. The underlying dynamics is the one controlling the natural flow of this field in the IR to the Goldstino superfield once SUSY is broken. We show that flat directions satisfying the slow roll conditions exist only if R-symmetry is broken. Naturalness of our model leads to scales of SUSY breaking of the order of 10^{11-13} Gev, a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of the initial perturbations and negligible gravitational waves. We obtain that the inflaton field is lighter than the gravitino by an amount determined by the slow roll parameter eta. The existence of slow-roll conditions is directly linked to the values of supersymmetry and R-symmetry breaking scales. We make cosmological predictions of our model and compare them to current data.

The stability of an Einstein static universe in the DGP braneworld scenario is studied in this paper. Two separate branches denoted by $\epsilon=\pm1$ of the DGP model are analyzed. Assuming the existence of a perfect fluid with a constant equation of state, $w$, in the universe, we find that, for the branch with $\epsilon=1$, there is no a stable Einstein static solution, while, for the case with $\epsilon=-1$, the Einstein static universe exists and it is stable when $-1, Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, to appear in PLB

We study the classical and quantum models of a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmology, coupled to a perfect fluid, in the context of the scalar-metric gravity. Using the Schutz' representation for the perfect fluid, we show that, under a particular gauge choice, it may lead to the identification of a time parameter for the corresponding dynamical system. It is shown that the evolution of the universe based on the classical cosmology represents a late time power law expansion coming from a big-bang singularity in which the scale factor goes to zero while the scalar field blows up. Moreover, this formalism gives rise to a Schr\"{o}dinger-Wheeler-DeWitt (SWD) equation for the quantum-mechanical description of the model under consideration, the eigenfunctions of which can be used to construct the wave function of the universe. We use the resulting wave function in order to investigate the possibility of the avoidance of classical singularities due to quantum effects by means of the many-worlds and ontological interpretation of quantum cosmology., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, to appear in PLB, Refs. added, This work is dedicated to the revered memory of Prof. Masoud Alimohammadi

We use a method of linearization to study the emergence of the future cosmological singularity characterized by finite value of the cosmological radius. We uncover such singularities that keep Hubble parameter finite while making all higher derivatives of the scale factor (starting out from the $\ddot a$) diverge as the cosmological singularity is approached. Since such singularities has been obtained before in the brane world model we name them the "brane-like" singularities. These singularities can occur during the expanding phase in usual Friedmann universe filled with both a self-acting, minimally coupled scalar field and a homogeneous tachyon field. We discover a new type of finite-time, future singularity which is different from type I-IV cosmological singularities in that it has the scale factor, pressure and density finite and nonzero. The generalization of $w$-singularity is obtained as well., revised version, 7 pages, RevTex

We show that it is possible to obtain a picture of equilibrium thermodynamics on the apparent horizon in the expanding cosmological background for a wide class of modified gravity theories with the Lagrangian density $f(R, \phi, X)$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar and $X$ is the kinetic energy of a scalar field $\phi$. This comes from a suitable definition of an energy momentum tensor of the "dark" component that respects to a local energy conservation in the Jordan frame. In this framework the horizon entropy $S$ corresponding to equilibrium thermodynamics is equal to a quarter of the horizon area $A$ in units of gravitational constant $G$, as in Einstein gravity. For a flat cosmological background with a decreasing Hubble parameter, $S$ globally increases with time, as it happens for viable $f(R)$ inflation and dark energy models. We also show that the equilibrium description in terms of the horizon entropy $S$ is convenient because it takes into account the contribution of both the horizon entropy $\hat{S}$ in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and an entropy production term., Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, version to appear in Physics Letters B, typos corrected

The effects of noncommutativity on the phase space of a dilatonic cosmological model is investigated. The existence of such noncommutativity results in a deformed Poisson algebra between the minisuperspace variables and their momenta conjugate. For an exponential dilaton potential, the exact solutions in the commutative and noncommutative cases, are presented and compared. We use these solutions to address the late time acceleration issue of cosmic evolution., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, to appear in PLB, typos corrected

We consider the radial geodesic motion of a massive particle into a black hole in isotropic coordinates, which represents the exterior region of an Einstein-Rosen bridge (wormhole). The particle enters the interior region, which is regular and physically equivalent to the asymptotically flat exterior of a white hole, and the particle's proper time extends to infinity. Since the radial motion into a wormhole after passing the event horizon is physically different from the motion into a Schwarzschild black hole, Einstein-Rosen and Schwarzschild black holes are different, physical realizations of general relativity. Yet for distant observers, both solutions are indistinguishable. We show that timelike geodesics in the field of a wormhole are complete because the expansion scalar in the Raychaudhuri equation has a discontinuity at the horizon, and because the Einstein-Rosen bridge is represented by the Kruskal diagram with Rindler's elliptic identification of the two antipodal future event horizons. These results suggest that observed astrophysical black holes may be Einstein-Rosen bridges, each with a new universe inside that formed simultaneously with the black hole. Accordingly, our own Universe may be the interior of a black hole existing inside another universe., Comment: 7 pages; published version

We investigate the implications of the entropic force formalism proposed by Verlinde. We show that an UV/IR relation proposed by Cohen et al, as well as an uncertainty principle proposed by Hogan can be derived from the entropic force formalism. We show that applying the entropic force formalism to cosmology, there is an additional term in the Friedmann equation, which can be identified as holographic dark energy. We also propose an intuitive picture of holographic screen, which can be thought of as an improvement of Susskind's holographic screen., 12 pages, 4 figures; v2: typos corrected, references added; v3: references added; v4: final version to appear on PLB

Singularities in $(3+1)$-dimensional Horava-Lifshitz (HL) theory of gravity are studied. These singularities can be divided into scalar, non-scalar curvature, and coordinate singularities. Because of the foliation-preserving diffeomorphisms of the theory, the number of scalars that can be constructed from the extrinsic curvature tensor $K_{ij}$, the 3-dimensional Riemann tensor and their derivatives is much large than that constructed from the 4-dimesnional Riemann tensor and its derivatives in general relativity (GR). As a result, even for the same spacetime, it may be singular in the HL theory but not in GR. Two representative families of solutions with projectability condition are studied, one is the (anti-) de Sitter Schwarzschild solutions, and the other is the Lu-Mei-Pope (LMP) solutions written in a form satisfying the projectability condition - the generalized LMP solutions. The (anti-) de Sitter Schwarzschild solutions are vacuum solutions of both HL theory and GR, while the LMP solutions with projectability condition satisfy the HL equations coupled with an anisotropic fluid with heat flow. It is found that the scalars $K$ and $K_{ij}K^{ij}$ are singular only at the center for the de Sitter Schwarzschild solution, but singular at both the center and $ r = (3M/|\Lambda|)^{1/3}$ for the anti-de Sitter Schwarzschild solution. The singularity at $ r = (3M/|\Lambda|)^{1/3}$ is absent in GR. In addition, all the generalized LMP solutions have two scalar curvature singularities, located at either $r = 0$ and $r=r_{s} > 0$, or $r=r_{1}$ and $r= r_{2}$ with $r_{2} > r_{1} > 0$, or $r=r_{s} > 0$ and $r = \infty$, depending on the choice of the free parameter $\lambda$., Comment: Revtex4, six figures. Version to appear in Phys. Lett. B

Motivated by Horava-Lifshitz gravity theory, we propose and investigate two kinds of modified gravity theories, the f(R) kind and the K-essence kind, in the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) formalism. The f(R) kind includes one ultraviolet (UV) term and one infrared (IR) term together with the Einstein-Hilbert action. We find that these two terms naturally present the ultraviolet and infrared modifications to the Friedmann equation. The UV and IR modifications can avoid the past Big-Bang singularity and the future Big-Rip singularity, respectively. Furthermore, the IR modification can naturally account for the current acceleration of the Universe. The Lagrangian of K-essence kind modified gravity is made up of the three dimensional Ricci scalar and an arbitrary function of the extrinsic curvature term. We find the cosmic acceleration can also be naturally interpreted without invoking any kind of dark energy. The static, spherically symmetry and vacuum solutions of both theories are Schwarzschild or Schwarzschild-de Sitter solution. Thus these modified gravity theories are viable for solar system tests., 8 pages,8 figures. Phys.Lett.B accepted. A K-essence kind modified gravity in ADM formalism is incorporated

The thermal non-Gaussianity in Near-Milne universe is investigated in this letter. Through classifying thermal fluctuations into two types, one characterized by a phase transition and the other without phase transition, we show that for fluctuations undergoing a phase transition, the non-Gaussianity depends linearly on $k$, but in non-phase transition case it is proportional to $k^{-3\gamma},\gamma>0$. Moreover, if the phase transition scenario is similar to that in holographic cosmology, we find that the non-Gaussianity $f_{NL}^{equil}$ can reach ${\cal O}(1)$ or larger than ${\cal O}(1)$ by fine tuning of the equation of state $\omega_{C}$. Especially at the limit of $\omega_{C}\to -5/3$, the non-Gaussianity can be very large. On the other hand, for non-phase transition case, the non-Gaussianity estimator $f_{NL}^{equil}$ is approximately $f_{NL}^{equil}\simeq 5/108$ when the energy is sub-extensive, especially when $\gamma \to 0^{+}$. However, when $\gamma \to 4$, large non-Gaussianity can be obtained., Comment: 11 pages, no figure, version to be published in PLB

If the cosmological inflationary scenario took place in the cosmic landscape in string theory, the inflaton, the scalar mode responsible for inflation, would have meandered in a complicated multi-dimensional potential. We show that this meandering property naturally leads to many e-folds of inflation, a necessary condition for a successful inflationary scenario. This behavior also leads to fluctuations in the primordial power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which may be detected in a near future cosmic variance limited experiment like PLANCK., Comment: minor additions, matched to published version

We discuss the important role played during inflation by one of the soft supersymmetry breaking terms in the inflationary potential of supersymmetric hybrid inflation models. With minimal Kaehler potential, the inclusion of this term allows the prediction for the scalar spectral index to agree with the value n_s = 0.963^{+0.014}_{-0.015} found by WMAP5. In the absence of this soft term, and by taking into account only radiative and supergravity corrections, it is well known that n_s >= 0.985. This same soft term has previously been shown to play a key role in resolving the MSSM mu problem. The tensor to scalar ratio r is quite small in these models, taking on values r, v1: 9 pages, 6 figures; v2: 10 pages, published in Phys. Lett. B

Since about ten years ago, varying $\alpha$ theories attracted many attentions, mainly due to the first observational evidence from the quasar absorption spectra that the fine structure ``constant'' might change with cosmological time. In this work, we investigate the cosmic evolution of $\alpha$ driven by the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) scalar field. To be general, we consider various couplings between the DBI scalar field and the electromagnetic field. We also confront the resulting $\Delta\alpha/\alpha$ with the observational constraints, and find that various cosmological evolution histories of $\Delta\alpha/\alpha$ are allowed. Comparing with the case of varying $\alpha$ driven by quintessence, the corresponding constraints on the parameters of coupling have been relaxed, thanks to the relativistic correction of the DBI scalar field., Comment: 12 pages, 1 table, 8 figures, revtex4; v2: discussions added, Phys. Lett. B in press; v3: published version

Inflation is studied in the context of induced gravity (IG) $\gamma \sigma^2 R$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar, $\sigma$ a scalar field and $\gamma$ a dimensionless constant. We study in detail cosmological perturbations in IG and examine both a Landau-Ginzburg (LG) and a Coleman-Weinberg (CW) potential toy models for small field and large field (chaotic) inflation and find that small field inflationary models in IG are constrained to $\gamma \lesssim 3 \times 10^{-3}$ by WMAP 5 yrs data. Finally we describe the regime of coherent oscillations in induced gravity by an analytic approximation, showing how the homogeneous inflaton can decay in its short-scale fluctuations when it oscillates around a non-zero value $\sigma_0$., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures

In the holographic Ricci dark energy (RDE) model, the parameter $\alpha$ plays an important role in determining the evolutionary behavior of the dark energy. When $\alpha, Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; v2: discussions added, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B; v3: published version

I examine how two specific examples of modified gravity explanations of cosmic acceleration help us understand some general problems confronting cosmological tests of gravity: how do we distinguish modified gravity from dark energy if they can be made formally equivalent? how do we parameterize deviations according to physical principles with sufficient generality, yet focus cosmological tests into areas that complement our existing knowledge of gravity? how do we treat the dynamics of modifications which necessarily involve non-linearities that preclude superposition of forces? The modified action f(R) and DGP braneworld models provide insight on these question as fully-worked examples whose expansion history, linear perturbation theory, and most recently, non-linear N-body and force-modification field dynamics of cosmological simulations are available for study., Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, Nuclear Physics B, GGI Proceedings

We establish a new model, which takes into account a dynamic (inertial) self-interaction of gravitating systems. The model is formulated by introduction of a new function depending on the square of the covariant derivative of the velocity four-vector of the system as a whole into the Lagrangian. This term is meant for description of both self-action of the system irregularly moving in the gravitational field, and back-reaction of the motion irregularities on the gravity field. We discuss one example of exact solution to the extended master equations in the framework of cosmological model of the FLRW type with vanishing cosmological constant. It is shown that accelerated expansion of the Universe can be driven by traditional matter with positive pressure (e.g., dust, ultrarelativistic fluid) due to the back-reaction of the gravity field induced by irregular motion of the system as a whole; this back-reaction is shown to be characterized by the negative effective pressure., 9 pages, no figures, accepted for publication in Phys.Letters B

We investigate the viscous Ricci dark energy (RDE) model by assuming that there is bulk viscosity in the linear barotropic fluid and the RDE. In the RDE model without bulk viscosity, the universe is younger than some old objects at some redshifts. Since the age of the universe should be longer than any objects in the universe, the RDE model suffers the age problem, especially when we consider the object APM 08279+5255 at $z=3.91$, whose age is $t = 2.1$ Gyr. In this letter, we find that once the viscosity is taken into account, this age problem is alleviated., 4 pages, 3 figures

We propose the introduction of a Heisenberg symmetry of the Kahler potential to solve the problems with chaotic inflation in supergravity, as a viable alternative to the use of shift symmetry. The slope of the inflaton potential emerges from a small Heisenberg symmetry breaking term in the superpotential. The modulus field of the Heisenberg symmetry is stabilized and made heavy with the help of the large vacuum energy density during inflation. The observable predictions are indistinguishable from those of typical chaotic inflation models, however the form of the inflationary superpotential considered here may be interpreted in terms of sneutrino inflation arising from certain classes of string theory., Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; reference added; version published in PLB

The cosmological constant (CC) problem is the biggest enigma of theoretical physics ever. In recent times, it has been rephrased as the dark energy problem in order to encompass a wider spectrum of possibilities. It is, in any case, a polyhedric puzzle with many faces, including the cosmic coincidence problem, i.e. why the density of matter is presently so close to the CC density. However, the oldest, toughest and most intriguing face of this polyhedron is the big CC problem, namely why the measured value of the CC at present is so small as compared to any typical density scale existing in high energy physics, especially taking into account the many phase transitions that our Universe has undergone since the early times, including inflation. In this letter, we propose to extend the field equations of General Relativity by including a class of invariant terms that automatically relax the value of the CC irrespective of the initial size of the vacuum energy in the early epochs. We show that, at late times, the Universe enters an eternal de Sitter stage mimicking a tiny positive cosmological constant. Thus, these models could solve the big CC problem and have also a bearing on the cosmic coincidence problem. Remarkably, they mimic the LCDM model to a large extent, but they still leave some characteristic imprints that should be testable in the next generation of experiments., LaTeX, 13 pages, 3 figures; reference added, matches published version

Chern-Simons modified gravity is an effective extension of general relativity that captures leading-order, gravitational parity violation. Such an effective theory is motivated by anomaly cancelation in particle physics and string theory. In this review, we begin by providing a pedagogical derivation of the three distinct ways such an extension arises: (1) in particle physics, (2) from string theory and (3) geometrically. We then review many exact and approximate, vacuum solutions of the modified theory, and discuss possible matter couplings. Following this, we review the myriad astrophysical, solar system, gravitational wave and cosmological probes that bound Chern-Simons modified gravity, including discussions of cosmic baryon asymmetry and inflation. The review closes with a discussion of possible future directions in which to test and study gravitational parity violation., Comment: 104 pages, 2 figures, 186 references, Invited Review accepted for publication in Phys. Repts. This version corrects a minor typo in Eq. (174) of the published version

In these lectures, I review the current status of cosmic strings and cosmic superstrings. I first discuss topological defects in the context of Grand Unified Theories, focusing in particular in cosmic strings arising as gauge theory solitons. I discuss the reconciliation between cosmic strings and cosmological inflation, I review cosmic string dynamics, cosmic string thermodynamics and cosmic string gravity, which leads to a number of interesting observational signatures. I then proceed with the notion of cosmic superstrings arising at the end of brane inflation, within the context of brane-world cosmological models inspired from string theory. I discuss the differences between cosmic superstrings and their solitonic analogues, I review our current understanding about the evolution of cosmic superstring networks, and I then briefly describe the variety of observational consequences, which may help us to get an insight into the stringy description of our Universe., Comment: 23 pages, 14 figures; Invited Lectures presented at the 2008 Cargese Summer School "Theory and Particle Physics: the LHC perspective and beyond"

We consider ideal fluid and equivalent scalar field dark energy universes where all four known types of finite-time, future singularities occur at some parameter values. It is demonstrated that pressure/energy density of such quintessence/phantom dark energy diverges in spherically-symmetric spacetime at finite radius or at the center. This may cause the instability of the relativistic star or black hole in such universe. The resolution of the problem via the extra modification of the equation of state is briefly discussed., Comment: LaTeX 10 pages, no figure

We propose a solution to the eta-problem in supergravity (SUGRA) hybrid inflation using a Nambu-Goldstone-like shift symmetry within a new class of models. The flatness of the tree-level inflaton potential is ensured by shift symmetry invariance of the Kaehler potential, while a small symmetry breaking term in the superpotential gives rise to a slope of the potential at loop-level. In the proposed class of inflation models, potentially dangerous couplings between the inflaton and the moduli sector are avoided. We also discuss under which conditions the predicted spectral index can be in agreement with the best-fit-value of the latest WMAP observation n_s ~ 0.96, corresponding to a hilltop-type inflaton potential at loop-level., 7 pages, 3 figures; appendix and references added; version published in PLB

We examine dark energy models in which a phantom field $\phi$ is rolling near a local minimum of its potential $V(\phi)$.We require that $(1/V)(dV/d\phi) \ll 1$, but $(1/V)(d^2 V/d\phi^2)$ can be large. Using techniques developed in the context of hilltop quintessence, we derive a general expression for $w$ as a function of the scale factor, and as in the hilltop case, we find that the dynamics of the field depend on the value of $(1/V)(d^2 V/d\phi^2)$ near the mimimum. Our general result gives a value for $w$ that is within 1% of the true (numerically-derived) value for all of the particular cases examined. Our expression for $w(a)$ reduces to the previously-derived phantom slow-roll result of Sen and Scherrer in the limit where the potential is flat, $(1/V)(dV/d\phi) \ll 1$., Comment: v3: Discussion modified in accordance with referee comments. References added. Results and Conclusions unchanged. v2: Minor typo corrected in Eqn. 16. Results and Conclusions unchanged

We examine the effect of the thermal vacuum on the power spectrum of inflation by using the thermal field dynamics. We find that the thermal effect influences the CMB anisotropy at large length scale. After removing the divergence by using the holographic cutoff, we observe that the thermal vacuum explains well the observational CMB result at low multipoles. This shows that the temperature dependent factor should be considered in the study of power spectrum in inflation, especially at large length scale., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures

We have used a stringy model of quantum space-time foam to suggest that the vacuum may exhibit a non-trivial refractive index depending linearly on gamma-ray energy: eta -1 ~ E_gamma/M_QG1, where M_QG1 is some mass scale typical of quantum gravity that may be ~ 10^18 GeV: see Phys. Lett. B 665, 412 (2008) and references therein. The MAGIC, HESS and Fermi gamma-ray telescopes have recently probed the possible existence of such an energy-dependent vacuum refractive index. All find indications of time-lags for higher-energy photons, but cannot exclude the possibility that they are due to intrinsic delays at the sources. However, the MAGIC and HESS observations of time-lags in emissions from AGNs Mkn 501 and PKS 2155-304 are compatible with each other and a refractive index depending linearly on the gamma-ray energy, with M_QG1 ~ 10^18 GeV. We combine their results to estimate the time-lag Delta t to be expected for the highest-energy photon from GRB 080916c measured by the Fermi telescope, which has an energy ~ 13.2 GeV, assuming the redshift z = 4.2 \pm 0.3 measured by GROND. In the case of a refractive index depending linearly on the gamma-ray energy we predict Delta t = 25 \pm 11 s. This is compatible with the time-lag Delta t, 6 pages, Addendum to `Derivation of a Vacuum Refractive Index in a Stringy Space-Time Foam Model', Phys. Lett. B 665, 412 (2008)

We review theory and applications of weak gravitational lensing. After summarising Friedmann-Lemaitre cosmological models, we present the formalism of gravitational lensing and light propagation in arbitrary space-times. We discuss how weak-lensing effects can be measured. The formalism is then applied to reconstructions of galaxy-cluster mass distributions, gravitational lensing by large-scale matter distributions, QSO-galaxy correlations induced by weak lensing, lensing of galaxies by galaxies, and weak lensing of the cosmic microwave background. Contents: Introduction - Cosmological Background - Gravitational Light Deflection - Principles of Weak Gravitational Lensing - Weak Lensing by Galaxy Clusters - Weak Cosmological Lensing - QSO Magnification Bias and Large-Scale Structure - Galaxy-Galaxy Lensing - The Impact of Weak Gravitational Lensing on the Microwave Background Radiation - Summary and Outlook, Review; 223 pages; figures embedded; to be submitted to Physics Reports; constructive comments are invited

The evolution of the mass of a black hole embedded in a universe filled with dark energy and cold dark matter is calculated in a closed form within a test fluid model in a Schwarzschild metric, taking into account the cosmological evolution of both fluids. The result describes exactly how accretion asymptotically switches from the matter-dominated to the Lambda-dominated regime. For early epochs, the black hole mass increases due to dark matter accretion, and on later epochs the increase in mass stops as dark energy accretion takes over. Thus, the unphysical behaviour of previous analyses is improved in this simple exact model., 8 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Physics Letters B

We propose a model in which an energy-dependent time delay of a photon originates from space-time non-commutativity, the time delay is due to a noncommutative coupling between dilaton and photon. We predict that in our model, high energy photons with different momenta can either be delayed or superluminal, this may be related to a possible time delay reported by the Fermi LAT and Fermi GBM Collaborations., Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, typo revised, contents and reference added