Dynamical dark energy with AdS-to-dS and dS-to-dS transitions: Implications for the $H_0$ tension

Abstract

We investigate the dynamics and cosmological implications of dark energy (DE), modeled as a scalar field with a hyperbolic tangent potential that induces a smooth shift in the effective cosmological constant (CC), encompassing transitions such as AdS-dS, 0-dS, and dS-dS, with the mirror AdS-dS as a particular case aligned with the $\Lambda_{\rm s}$CDM scenario. In our construction, a phantom scalar field with a negative kinetic term drives a bottom-up transition from an AdS-like vacuum at high redshifts to a dS-like vacuum at low redshifts, thereby providing a physical underpinning for the $\Lambda_{\rm s}$CDM scenario. Despite the negative kinetic term, the step-like form of the potential prevents pathologies such as unbounded energy growth, Big Rip, and violations of the WEC. Our numerical integration of the equations of motion shows that the model is consistent with both CMB data and the SH0ES determination of $H_0$, thereby addressing the $H_0$ tension, with all key kinematical parameters-$H(z)$, $\dot{H}(z)$, and $q(z)$-evolving smoothly. The total energy density of the phantom and matter system remains positive at all times, and the effective EoS stays above -1, ensuring that the WEC is satisfied. While the phantom field's energy density and pressure remain finite throughout, its EoS exhibits a safe singularity as its energy density smoothly crosses zero. We perform analysis of the transition period, demonstrating that the evolution of the DE density from a negative CC-like regime to a positive one does not exactly mirror the behavior of the potential-e.g., it lasts longer-as it also involves the kinetic term. We also show that analogous quintessence models featuring dS-dS transitions predict an $H_0$ value lower than $\Lambda$CDM, thereby failing to address the $H_0$ tension. Our results establish a robust theoretical foundation for the $\Lambda_{\rm s}$CDM scenario.