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We show that dust matter-dark energy combined phases can be achieved by the exact solution derived from a power law $f(R)$ cosmological model. This example answers the query by which a dust-dominated decelerated phase, before dark-energy accelerated phase, is needed in order to form large scale structures., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. to appear in Phys. Lett. B

We consider cosmological models in scalar tensor theories of gravity that describe an accelerating universe, and we study a family of inverse power law potentials, for which exact solutions of the Einstein equations are known. We also compare theoretical predictions of our models with observations. For this we use the following data: the publicly available catalogs of type Ia supernovae and high redshift Gamma Ray Bursts, the parameters of large scale structure determined by the 2-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS), and measurements of cosmological distances based on the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, among others., Comment: 26 pages,23 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Scalar-tensor quintessence models can be constrained by identifying suitable cosmic clocks which allow to select confidence regions for cosmological parameters. In particular, we constrain the characterizing parameters of non-minimally coupled scalar-tensor cosmological models which admit exact solutions of the Einstein field equations. Lookback time to galaxy clusters at low intermediate, and high redshifts is considered. The high redshift time-scale problem is also discussed in order to select other cosmic clocks such as quasars., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures. to be published in Astron & Astroph

We comment on the choice of the quintessence potential, examining the slow-roll approximation in a minimally coupled theory of gravity. We make some considerations on the potential behaviors, the related \gamma parameter, and their relationships to phantom cosmology., Comment: 7 pages

We consider scalar tensor theories of gravity assuming that the scalar field is non minimally coupled with gravity. We use this theory to study evolution of a flat homogeneous and isotropic universe. In this case the dynamical equations can be derived form a point like Lagrangian. We study the general properties of dynamics of this system and show that for a wide range of initial conditions such models lead in a natural way to an accelerated phase of expansion of the universe. Assuming that the point like Lagrangian admits a Noether symmetry we are able to explicitly solve the dynamical equations. We study one particular model and show that its predictions are compatible with observational data, namely the publicly available data on type Ia supernovae, the parameters of large scale structure determined by the 2-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS), the measurements of cosmological distances with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and the rate of growth of density perturbations}{It turns out that this model have a very interesting feature of producing in a natural way an epoch of accelerated expansion. With an appropriate choice of parameters our model is fully compatible with several observed characteristics of the universe, Comment: accepted for publication in A&A. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:astro-ph/0504591 by other authors

We show that the accelerated expansion of the Universe can be viewed as a crossover phenomenon where the Newton constant and the Cosmological constant are actually scaling operators, dynamically evolving in the attraction basin of a non-Gaussian infrared fixed point, whose existence has been recently discussed. By linearization of the renormalized flow it is possible to evaluate the critical exponents, and it turns out that the approach to the fixed point is ruled by a marginal and a relevant direction. A smooth transition between the standard Friedmann--Lemaitre--Robertson--Walker (FLRW) cosmology and the observed accelerated expansion is then obtained, so that $\Omega_M \approx \Omega_\Lambda$ at late times., Comment: 12 pages, latex, use bibtex. In the final version, the presentation has been improved, and new references have been added

It has been recently shown that, under some general conditions, it is always possible to find a fourth order gravity theory capable of reproducing the same dynamics of a given dark energy model. Here, we discuss this approach for a dark energy model with a scalar field evolving under the action of an exponential potential. In absence of matter, such a potential can be recovered from a fourth order theory via a conformal transformation. Including the matter term, the function f(R) entering the generalized gravity Lagrangian can be reconstructed according to the dark energy model., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication on Physical Review D

We use some of the recently released observational data to test the viability of two classes of minimally coupled scalar field models of quintessence with exponential potentials for which exact solutions of the Einstein equations are known. These models are very sturdy, depending on only one parameter - the Hubble constant. To compare predictions of our models with observations we concentrate on the following data: the power spectrum of the CMBR anisotropy as measured by WMAP, the publicly available data on type Ia supernovae, and the parameters of large scale structure determined by the 2-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS). We use the WMAP data on the age of the universe and the Hubble constant to fix the free parameters in our models. We then show that the predictions of our models are consistent with the observed positions and relative heights of the first 3 peaks in the CMB power spectrum, with the energy density of dark energy as deduced from observations of distant type Ia supernovae, and with parameters of the large scale structure as determined by 2dFGRS, in particular with the average density of dark matter. Our models are also consistent with the results of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Moreover, we investigate the evolution of matter density perturbations in our quintessential models, solve exactly the evolution equation for the density perturbations, and obtain an analytical expression for the growth index $f$. We verify that the approximate relation f ~ Omega_M^(alpha) also holds in our models., Comment: in press on A&A

We present a dark energy model with a double exponential potential for a minimally coupled scalar field, which allows general exact integration of the cosmological equations. The solution can perfectly emulate a $\Lambda$-term model at low-medium redshift, exhibits tracking behavior, and does not show eternal acceleration., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures included, to appear in Physical Review D

We show that a general, exact cosmological solution, where dynamics of scalar field is assigned by an exponential potential, fulfils all the issues of dark energy approach, both from a theoretical point of view and in comparison with available observational data. Moreover, tracking conditions are discussed, with a new treatment of the well known condition $\Gamma>1$. We prove that the currently used expression for $\Gamma$ is wrong., Comment: 29 pages,12 figures; contact scud@na.infn.it; revised version, to appear in Physical Review D

Noether symmetry for higher order gravity theory has been explored, with the introduction of an auxiliary variable which gives the only correct quantum desccription of the theory, as shown in a series of earlier papers. The application of Noether theorem in higher order theory of gravity turned out to be a powerful tool to find the solution of the field equations. A few such physically reasonable solutions like power law inflation are presented., Comment: 9 pages

We explore the conditions for the existence of Noether symmetries in the dynamics of FRW metric, non minimally coupled with a scalar field, in the most general situation, and with nonzero spatial curvature. When such symmetries are present we find general exact solution for the Einstein equations. We also show that non Noether symmetries can be found. Finally,we present an extension of the procedure to the Kantowski- Sachs metric which is particularly interesting in the case of degenerate Lagrangian., Comment: 13 pages, no figures

We show that a model of quintessence with exponential potential, which allows to obtain general exact solutions, can generate locations of CMBR peaks which are fully compatible with present observational data, Comment: 7 pages, no figures

We show that it is impossible to determine the state equation of quintessence models on the basis of pure observational SNIa data. An independent estimate of $\Omega_{M0}$ is necessary. Also in this most favourable case the situation can be problematic., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures - RUBANO@NA.INFN.IT

We present the first results of the analysis of data collected during the 1998-99 observational campaign at the 1.3 meter McGraw-Hill Telescope, towards the Andromeda galaxy (M31), aimed to the detection of gravitational microlensing effects as a probe of the presence of dark matter in our and in M31 halo. The analysis is performed using the pixel lensing technique, which consists in the study of flux variations of unresolved sources and has been proposed and implemented by the AGAPE collaboration. We carry out a shape analysis by demanding that the detected flux variations be achromatic and compatible with a Paczynski light curve. We apply the Durbin-Watson hypothesis test to the residuals. Furthermore, we consider the background of variables sources. Finally five candidate microlensing events emerge from our selection. Comparing with the predictions of a Monte Carlo simulation, assuming a standard spherical model for the M31 and Galactic haloes, and typical values for the MACHO mass, we find that our events are only marginally consistent with the distribution of observable parameters predicted by the simulation., Comment: 13 pages, To appear in A&A

The supernovae Ia data are used to analyze two general exact solutions for quintessence models. The best fit values for $\Omega_{m0}$ are smaller than in the $\Lambda $-term model, but still acceptable. With present-day data, it is not possible to discriminate among the various situations., Comment: minor changes - 9 pages - 8 figures

We present general exact solutions for two classes of exponential potentials in scalar field models for quintessence. The coupling is minimal and we consider only dust and scalar field. To some extent, it is possible to reproduce experimental results from supernovae., Comment: revised version. To appear Gen. Rel. Grav

SLOTT-AGAPE (Systematic Lensing Observation at Toppo Telescope - Andromeda Gravitational Amplification Pixel Lensing Experiment) is a new collaboration project among international partners from England, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland that intends to perform microlensing observation by using M31 as target. The MACHOs search is made thanks to the pixel lensing technique., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, proceeding of XLIII Congresso della Societa' Astronomica Italiana, Napoli, 4-8 Maggio, 1999