Fresh Look at Shift Symmetric Modified Gravity

Abstract

Shift symmetric Horndeski gravity can be a simple, well posed theory with protection against quantum corrections. Overturning conventional thought that such a theory cannot cross the phantom divide ($w=-1$) we present both analytic and numerical proof that it can. We carry out a detailed dynamical systems analysis showing the evolution of ghost free and stable regions within the model family, identify the fixed point and dynamical attractor structure, and derive the interaction of the $w=-1$ curve with these phase space structures. This reveals two mechanisms for cosmologies crossing the phantom divide while preserving shift symmetry.