Obtaining Precision Constraints on Modified Gravity with Helioseismology

Area of Science:

• * Astrophysics
• * Cosmology
• * Solar Physics

Background:

• * Fifth forces are hypothetical interactions beyond gravity.
• * Scalar-tensor theories describe dark energy but require precise testing.
• * Solar acoustic oscillations are sensitive to internal structure changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To introduce helioseismology as a precision tool for probing fifth forces.
• * To apply this method to degenerate higher-order scalar-tensor theories.
• * To constrain dark energy models using solar data.

Main Methods:

• * Analyzing the impact of fifth forces on the solar interior.
• * Numerically computing nonradial pulsation eigenfrequencies under modified gravity.
• * Utilizing helioseismic observations to detect subtle effects.

Main Results:

• * Fifth forces leave observable imprints on solar acoustic oscillations.
• * Helioseismic observations can improve fifth force constraints by over two orders of magnitude.
• * Potential constraints on specific theory parameters (Y, α_H, β_1) are established.

Conclusions:

• * Helioseismology provides a powerful new probe for fundamental physics.
• * This technique significantly enhances our ability to test dark energy theories.
• * Future solar observations can yield unprecedented constraints on modified gravity models.