REVIEW 3 major objections 4 minor 37 references
Reconstructing f(R) gravity from Viaggiu holographic dark energy yields viable models of late-time acceleration for three infrared cutoffs.
Reviewed by Pith at T0; open to challenge. T0 means a machine referee read the full paper against a public rubric. the ladder, T0–T4 →
T0 review · grok-4.5
2026-07-12 03:21 UTC pith:DAYSFGVA
load-bearing objection New closed-form f(R) for VHDE under three cutoffs, but the power-law ansatz freezes q so the claimed decelerated-to-accelerated transitions are not actually produced by the reconstruction. the 3 major comments →
Reconstructing f(R) gravity from Viaggiu Holographic Dark Energy under Hubble, Event Horizon and Granda Oliveros cutoffs
The pith
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
Explicit f(R) functions reconstructed from Viaggiu holographic dark energy under three infrared cutoffs reproduce the observed late-time transition to acceleration while satisfying the classical stability conditions f'(R)>0, f''(R)>0 and the local-gravity constraints |f'(R)-1|≪1, |R f''(R)|≪1.
What carries the argument
Correspondence equating the VHDE density (built from the entropy S=πL^{2}+2π H L^{3}) to the curvature-induced density ρ_f(R) of metric f(R) gravity; under a(t)∝t^n this yields second-order linear ODEs whose solutions are the reconstructed f(R).
Load-bearing premise
Every closed-form f(R) and every plotted cosmographic quantity rests on the single power-law ansatz for the scale factor; if the true expansion history is not well approximated by a pure power law, the analytic reconstructions no longer apply.
What would settle it
Compare the predicted H(z) or q(z) curves (or the best-fit n and δ) against high-redshift supernova, BAO or cosmic-chronometer data; a statistically significant mismatch that cannot be absorbed by re-tuning the free parameters would falsify the models.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper reconstructs explicit f(R) forms by equating the curvature energy density of f(R) gravity to the Viaggiu holographic dark energy density under three IR cutoffs (Hubble horizon, future event horizon, Granda–Oliveros). Using a power-law scale factor a(t)=a0 t^n, it solves the resulting second-order differential equations for f(R), obtains closed-form solutions involving two homogeneous power-law terms plus a particular solution linear or quadratic in R, and then plots the equation-of-state parameter ω(z), deceleration parameter q(z), H(z), and the viability diagnostics f'(R), f''(R), |f'-1| and |R f''| versus redshift. The abstract and conclusions claim that the models successfully describe a decelerated-to-accelerated transition, remain free of ghost and tachyonic instabilities, and satisfy local-gravity constraints, thereby furnishing a consistent geometric realization of VHDE.
Significance. If the reconstruction and the claimed dynamical transitions were self-consistent, the work would supply a concrete geometric counterpart to a recently proposed entropy-corrected holographic model and would enlarge the catalogue of viable f(R) cosmologies. The algebraic derivation of the three closed-form f(R) expressions is transparent and the viability plots are a useful first check. However, the central dynamical claim rests on an inconsistent use of the power-law ansatz, so the present results do not yet constitute an independent geometric explanation of late-time acceleration.
major comments (3)
- [§II, Eq. (15); §IV, Fig. 3] §II Eq. (15) and the subsequent reconstruction (Eqs. 24, 32, 37): the entire analytic procedure assumes a pure power-law scale factor a(t)=a0 t^n. Under this ansatz H=n/t and therefore q=1/n-1 is strictly constant. A constant q cannot cross zero, yet Figs. 3(a)–(b) and the abstract claim a decelerated-to-accelerated transition. The plotted transitions must arise from evaluating the formal E^{2}(z) expressions (Eqs. 28, 34, 39) outside the domain of validity of the power-law solution, rendering the central dynamical claim unsupported by the reconstruction that was actually performed.
- [§IV, Figs. 2–8] §IV and the viability analysis: once f(R) has been obtained under a fixed-n background, the quantities ω(z), q(z), f'(R(z)) and f''(R(z)) are not independent predictions of the modified gravity theory; they simply re-express the input VHDE density. The free constants A1, A2, δ, n (and α, β for GO) are chosen by hand for each panel with no error bars, likelihood or observational constraint. Consequently the statements that the models are “free from ghost and tachyonic instabilities” and “consistent with solar-system constraints” are parameter-tuned rather than dynamically robust.
- [§II Eq. (18); §III Eqs. (28),(34),(39)] The expression for E^{2}(z) given in Eq. (18) and specialized in Eqs. (28), (34), (39) mixes the reconstructed f(R) (derived under power-law) with a general redshift dependence. For the reconstructed f(R) to be a consistent solution of the modified Friedmann equations, the Hubble history that emerges from those equations must reproduce the original power-law (or the original VHDE density). No such consistency check is performed; the plots therefore do not demonstrate that the f(R) models actually drive the claimed expansion history.
minor comments (4)
- [§II Eq. (1)] The action is written as R+f(R) in Eq. (1), yet the field equations and the effective densities treat f(R) as the full modification; the conventional notation f(R) for the entire Lagrangian density would avoid confusion.
- [Figs. 1–8] Several figures lack axis labels, legends or error bands; the parameter sets used for each panel are listed only in the text and are not tabulated, making reproducibility difficult.
- [throughout] Typographical inconsistencies appear throughout (e.g., “Granda Oliveros”, “Equqtion of state”, “prameter”, “cutt offs”, “sufficiently”). A careful proof-reading pass is needed.
- [§II] The continuity equations (11)–(12) assume non-interacting matter and dark energy; the paper never discusses whether an interaction term would alter the reconstructed f(R).
Circularity Check
Density correspondence makes ω/q plots re-expressions of input VHDE by construction; power-law ansatz freezes q=1/n-1 so claimed transitions cannot arise from the derived dynamics; free params hand-chosen to produce desired plots then advertised as model properties.
specific steps
-
self definitional
[Abstract; §III (eqs. 24, 32, 37 and surrounding text); §IV; §V]
"By implementing a correspondence between VHDE and curvature-induced energy density, we generate explicit forms of f(R) for different infrared cutoffs... The resulting models are analyzed graphically through the cosmological parameters such as the equation of state and deceleration parameter, revealing a successful description of the transition from decelerated to accelerated expansion."
f(R) is obtained by setting the curvature density ρ_f(R) equal to the VHDE density ρ_d under the assumed background and solving the resulting ODE. By construction the effective fluid of the reconstructed model has the same energy density (hence the same expansion history on that background) as the input VHDE. The subsequent graphical analysis of ω(z) and q(z) therefore merely re-expresses the cosmology already built into VHDE; it is not an independent dynamical prediction of a new f(R) theory.
-
other
[§II Eq. (15) and (16); §IV.B and Fig. 3; Abstract and §V claims of transition]
"Here we adopt a power-law form of the scale factor as a(t)=a0 t^n, n>0... From Fig:3(a), we observe that the trajectory of q yields the transition from decelerating to accelerating phase, crossing the de-Sitter limit q=-1. ... revealing a successful description of the transition from decelerated to accelerated expansion."
All closed-form reconstructions rest on a(t)∝t^n, which forces H=n/t and therefore q=-1-Ḣ/H^{2}=1/n-1, a numerical constant fixed solely by the free index n. A constant cannot exhibit a continuous transition through q=0. Any plotted transition in Fig. 3 must arise from evaluating the formal E^{2}(z) expressions outside the domain in which the power-law solution (and the derived f(R)) is self-consistent. The central claim that the reconstructed models describe a decelerated-to-accelerated transition therefore does not follow from the derivation that was actually performed.
-
fitted input called prediction
[§IV.A–D (parameter choices for Figs. 2–8 and viability tests)]
"The parameter values used are A1=0.23, A2=0.34, δ=1.222, and n=3.56. ... For the Hubble horizon, future event horizon, and Granda–Oliveros (GO) cutoffs, the parameter values are chosen as (A1,A2,δ,n)=(0.23,0.34,1.222,1.56), (21,0.002,1.56,3.5688), and (0.0005,−12,3.56,3.56) respectively, with α=10 and β=5 in the GO case."
The general solution for f(R) contains free integration constants A1,A2; the VHDE and cutoff models further contain free parameters δ,n,α,β. These are manually selected so that the plotted ω(z) and q(z) display quintom/transition or pure-quintessence behaviour and so that f'>0, f''>0 and the solar-system inequalities hold. The hand-tuned outcomes are then presented as the models 'revealing' the transition and being free of ghost/tachyonic instabilities, converting parameter choices into claimed predictions of dynamics and viability.
full rationale
Reconstruction equates ρ_f(R)=ρ_VHDE (eqs. 24/32/37) under the power-law ansatz a(t)=a0 t^n of §II, solves the linear ODE for f(R), then plots ω(z) and q(z) of the resulting model and checks f'>0, f''>0. By construction the curvature fluid reproduces the input VHDE density (and thus its expansion history) on that background, so the cosmographic 'analysis' and viability statements rephrase the assumed VHDE+ansatz rather than independently predicting them. Under the same ansatz q≡1/n-1 is a pure constant fixed by the free index n; a constant cannot cross zero, yet Figs. 2–3 and the abstract/§V claim a decelerated-to-accelerated transition. The plotted transitions therefore require evaluating the formal E^{2}(z) expressions (28/34/39) outside the self-consistent domain of the ansatz used to derive f. Integration constants A1,A2 and parameters δ,n,α,β are manually selected so the curves exhibit the desired quintom/transition/viability behaviour; those hand-tuned outcomes are then presented as properties 'revealed' by the models. The algebraic reconstruction itself is a standard, non-circular procedure with independent content, but the strongest dynamical and viability claims reduce to the inputs by construction or by inconsistent evaluation, yielding partial circularity (score 6). No load-bearing self-citation uniqueness theorem or pure renaming of an external result is present.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
free parameters (4)
- A1, A2 (integration constants) =
hand-chosen per plot
- δ (VHDE parameter) =
1.222–3.56
- n (power-law index) =
0.57–3.57
- α, β (GO cutoff coefficients) =
α=10, β=5
axioms (4)
- domain assumption Viaggiu entropy-area relation S=πL²+2π H L³ yields the holographic density ρ_d=δ²/(8π) L^{-4} S
- ad hoc to paper Power-law scale factor a(t)=a0 t^n (n>0) is an adequate description of the cosmic expansion for the purpose of reconstruction
- domain assumption Equating the VHDE density to the effective f(R) density ρ_f(R) produces a gravitational theory that is cosmologically equivalent to VHDE
- domain assumption f'(R)>0 and f''(R)>0 are necessary and sufficient to guarantee absence of ghosts and tachyons
read the original abstract
This work explores the reconstruction of $f(R)$ gravity within the framework of newly proposed Viaggiu holographic dark energy (VHDE), which incorporates entropy corrections due to the dynamical nature of cosmological horizons. By implementing a correspondence between VHDE and curvature-induced energy density, we generate explicit forms of $f(R)$ for different infrared cutoffs, namely the Hubble horizon, future event horizon, and Granda Oliveros cutoff. The resulting models are analyzed graphically through the cosmological parameters such as the equation of state and deceleration parameter, revealing a successful description of the transition from decelerated to accelerated expansion. The viability of the reconstructed models is further examined through stability conditions and local gravity constraints, that yields the nature of the models as free from ghost and tachyonic instabilities and demonstrates VHDE-inspired $f(R)$ gravity model as a consistent and flexible geometric framework for explaining the late-time cosmic acceleration of the Universe.
Figures
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
A. G. Riess, et al., Observational evidence from supernovae for an accelerating universe and a cosmological constant, Astronomical Journal 116 (1998) 1009–1038. arXiv:astro-ph/9805201, doi:10.1086/300499
-
[2]
S. Perlmutter, et al., Measurements of omega and lambda from 42 high-redshift supernovae, Astrophysical Journal 517 (1999) 565–586. arXiv:astro-ph/9812133, doi:10.1086/307221
-
[3]
P. Collaboration, N. Aghanim, et al., Planck 2018 results. vi. cosmological parameters, Astronomy & Astrophysics 641 (2020) A6. arXiv:1807.06209, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833910
-
[4]
Weinberg, The cosmological constant problem, Reviews of Modern Physics 61 (1989) 1–23
S. Weinberg, The cosmological constant problem, Reviews of Modern Physics 61 (1989) 1–23. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys. 61.1
-
[5]
V. Sahni, A. Starobinsky, The case for a positive cosmological lambda-term, International Journal of Modern Physics D 9 (2000) 373–444. arXiv:astro-ph/9904398, doi:10.1142/S0218271800000542
-
[6]
E. J. COPELAND, M. SAMI, S. TSUJIKA W A, Dynamics of dark energy , International Journal of Modern Physics D 15 (11) (2006) 1753–1935. doi:10.1142/s021827180600942x. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S021827180600942X
-
[7]
S. NOJIRI, S. D. ODINTSOV, Introduction to modified gravity and gravitational alternative for dark energy , International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics 04 (01) (2007) 115–145. doi:10.1142/s0219887807001928. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219887807001928
-
[8]
Li, A model of holographic dark energy, Physics Letters B 603 (2004) 1–5
M. Li, A model of holographic dark energy, Physics Letters B 603 (2004) 1–5. arXiv:hep-th/0403127, doi:10.1016/j. physletb.2004.10.014
Pith/arXiv arXiv doi:10.1016/j 2004
-
[9]
S. Maity, U. Debnath, Tsallis, rényi and sharma-mittal holographic and new agegraphic dark energy models in d-dimensional fractal universe, Eur. Phys. J. Plus 134 (2019) 514. doi:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2019-12884-6
-
[10]
A. Sardar, S. Maity, U. Debnath, A. Pradhan, Different horizon cut-offs for tsallis, rényi and sharma-mittal holographic dark energies in hořava-lifshitz gravity , Annals of Physics 473 (2025) 169891. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2024.169891. URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003491624002987
-
[11]
S. Maity, U. Debnath, Study of tsallis, rényi and sharma–mittal holographic dark energies for entropy corrected modified field equations in hořava–lifshitz gravity , International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics 17 (11) (2020) 2050170. arXiv:https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219887820501704, doi:10.1142/S0219887820501704. 14 URL https://doi.org/10....
-
[12]
S. Saha, S. Saha, N. Mahata, The peculiar case of the viaggiu holographic dark energy , Nuclear Physics B 1025 (2026) 117368. doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2026.117368. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2026.117368
-
[13]
A. K. Halder, A. Paliathanasis, S. Viaggiu, A. Al Mamon, S. Saha, Viaggiu holographic dark energy in light of desi dr2 , Physics Letters B 876 (2026) 140442. doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2026.140442. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2026.140442
-
[14]
A. Sarkar, S. Chattopadhyay, The barrow holographic dark energy-based reconstruction of f (R) gravity and cosmology with Nojiri–Odintsov cutoff, Int. J. Geom. Meth. Mod. Phys. 18 (09) (2021) 2150148. doi:10.1142/S0219887821501486
-
[15]
S. Maity, A. Kotal, Barrow agegraphic and new barrow agegraphic dark energy driven reconstruction of f(r) gravity and parameter constraints from observational data , Physics of the Dark Universe 50 (2025) 102184. doi:https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.dark.2025.102184. URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212686425003772
arXiv 2025
-
[16]
H. Chaudhary, U. Debnath, T. Roy, S. Maity, G. Mustafa, M. Arora, Constraints on the parameters of modified chaplygin– jacobi and modified chaplygin–abel gases in f(t) gravity , International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics 21 (14) (2024) 2450248. arXiv:https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219887824502487, doi:10.1142/S0219887824502487. URL https://do...
-
[17]
P. Saha, S. Maity, U. Debnath, Reconstructing extended f(p) cubic gravity from entropy-corrected holographic and new agegraphic dark energy models , Modern Physics Letters A 37 (30) (2022) 2250204. arXiv:https://doi.org/10.1142/ S0217732322502042, doi:10.1142/S0217732322502042. URL https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217732322502042
-
[18]
M. Hamani Daouda, M. E. Rodrigues, M. J. S. Houndjo, Reconstruction of f(t) gravity according to holographic dark energy, The European Physical Journal C 72 (2) (Feb. 2012). doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-012-1893-5 . URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-012-1893-5
-
[19]
D. Mohanty, G. N. Gadbail, P. K. Sahoo, Reconstruction of f(Q,T) gravity from Barrow holographic dark energy with infrared cutoffs and the effective gravitational coupling constraints (4 2026). doi:10.1142/s0219887826501902
-
[20]
S. K. Behera, P. P. Ray, Reconstruction of Accelerating Nonlinear f (T) Gravity Models via Hybrid Scale Factor: Cosmo- logical Dynamics and Bayesian Evidence (2 2026). arXiv:2602.13744
arXiv 2026
-
[21]
X. Zhang, X. Yang, Y. Ren, S. Chen, Y. Shi, C. Cheng, X. He, Reconstructing Barrow Holographic Dark Energy in f (Q, T) Gravity and Cosmic Constraint (6 2025). arXiv:2506.17933
Pith/arXiv arXiv 2025
-
[22]
Viaggiu, Holographic dark energy from generalized entropy, Entropy 21 (5) (2019) 413
S. Viaggiu, Holographic dark energy from generalized entropy, Entropy 21 (5) (2019) 413. doi:10.3390/e21050413
-
[23]
S. Nojiri, S. D. Odintsov, Modified f(r) gravity consistent with realistic cosmology: From matter dominated epoch to dark energy universe, Physical Review D 74 (2006) 086005. arXiv:hep-th/0608008, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.74.086005
-
[24]
T. P. Sotiriou, V. Faraoni, f (r) theories of gravity , Rev. Mod. Phys. 82 (2010) 451–497. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.82.451. URL https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/RevModPhys.82.451
-
[25]
S. Nojiri, S. D. Odintsov, H. Štefančić, Transition from a matter-dominated era to a dark energy universe , Phys. Rev. D 74 (2006) 086009. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.74.086009. URL https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevD.74.086009
-
[26]
S. Maity, A. Sanyal, P. Rudra, New agegraphic dark energy in loop quantum cosmology: a quantum gravitational per- spective on dark energy evolution, Eur. Phys. J. C 86 (2026) 211. doi:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-15375-y
-
[27]
S. Sultana, S. Chattopadhyay, Reconstruction of tsallis holographic dark energy via modified non-metric gravity: An f(q, c) approach , Journal of High Energy Astrophysics 53 (2026) 100620. doi:10.1016/j.jheap.2026.100620. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jheap.2026.100620
-
[28]
A. G. Cohen, D. B. Kaplan, A. E. Nelson, Effective field theory, black holes, and the cosmological constant, Physical Review Letters 82 (25) (1999) 4971–4974. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.4971
-
[29]
S. Wang, Y. Wang, M. Li, Holographic dark energy, Physics Reports 696 (2017) 1–57. doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2017.06.003
-
[30]
J. D. Bekenstein, Universal upper bound on the entropy-to-energy ratio for bounded systems, Physical Review D 23 (2) (1981) 287–298. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.23.287
-
[31]
Faraoni, Cosmological and Black Hole Apparent Horizons, Vol
V. Faraoni, Cosmological and Black Hole Apparent Horizons, Vol. 907, 2015. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-19240-6
-
[32]
L. N. Granda, A. Oliveros, Infrared cut-off proposal for the holographic density, Phys. Lett. B 669 (2008) 275–277. arXiv:0810.3149, doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2008.10.017
-
[33]
L. N. Granda, A. Oliveros, New infrared cut-off for the holographic scalar fields models of dark energy, Phys. Lett. B 671 (2009) 199–202. arXiv:0810.3663, doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2008.11.074
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2008.11.074 2009
-
[34]
M. Motaghi, A. Sheykhi, E. Ebrahimi, Holographic dark energy in barrow cosmology with granda-oliveros ir cutoff , Physics of the Dark Universe 46 (2024) 101710. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dark.2024.101710. URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212686424002929 15
-
[35]
Barrow holographic dark energy with Granda-Oliveros cut-off
A. Oliveros, M. A. Sabogal, M. A. Acero, Barrow holographic dark energy with Granda–Oliveros cutoff, Eur. Phys. J. Plus 137 (7) (2022) 783. arXiv:2203.14464, doi:10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-02991-8
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv doi:10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-02991-8 2022
-
[36]
L. Amendola, R. Gannouji, D. Polarski, S. Tsujikawa, Conditions for the cosmological viability of f(r) dark energy models, Physical Review D 75 (2007) 083504. arXiv:gr-qc/0612180, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.75.083504
-
[37]
Solar system tests of f(R) gravity
J.-Q. Guo, Solar system tests of f(r) gravity, International Journal of Modern Physics D 23 (4) (2014) 1450036. arXiv: 1306.1853, doi:10.1142/S0218271814500369
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv doi:10.1142/s0218271814500369 2014
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.