Curvature-induced phantom mimicry and cosmological bounces without violating the Dominant Energy Condition
Abstract
We explore the active geometric contribution of spatial curvature in a closed universe, distinguishing between kinematic superacceleration and the strict violation of matter energy conditions. We demonstrate that for pressureless matter obeying the Dominant Energy Condition (DEC), positive spatial curvature does not induce a phantom regime, but leads to a decelerating expansion that culminates in a late-time turnaround (Ḣ<0). At this finite-scale moment, the expansion ceases and the apparent horizon stays regular, signaling the beginning of an eventual Big Crunch. We contrast this behavior with the genuine phantom case (ω<−1), where positive curvature introduces a distinct, early finite-radius expansion bounce (Ḣ>0) that cannot prevent the inevitable late-time Big Rip singularity. Finally, we contextualize these results, discussing how positive spatial curvature can dynamically mimic phantom phenomenology and permit geodesically complete cosmologies without relying on exotic, energy-condition-violating matter.
Related
- A Quantum Dominant Energy Condition
- Cosmological Signatures of Curvature-Coupled Dark Energy
- Quantum Field Theory Of Cosmological Perturbations Induced By Ultralight Dark Matter
- Curvature-Induced Geometric Universality in Non-Hermitian Anderson Transitions
- Topological signatures in the curvature-induced energy response
BibTeX
@misc{cruz2026curvatureinduced,
title = {{Curvature-induced phantom mimicry and cosmological bounces without violating the Dominant Energy Condition}},
author = {Miguel Cruz and Samuel Lepe},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2608.18313},
eprint = {2608.18313},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.18313},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Curvature-induced phantom mimicry and cosmological bounces without violating the Dominant Energy Condition
AU - Miguel Cruz
AU - Samuel Lepe
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/29
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2608.18313
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.18313
AB - We explore the active geometric contribution of spatial curvature in a closed universe, distinguishing between kinematic superacceleration and the strict violation of matter energy conditions. We demonstrate that for pressureless matter obeying the Dominant Energy Condition (DEC), positive spatial curvature does not induce a phantom regime, but leads to a decelerating expansion that culminates in a late-time turnaround (Ḣ<0). At this finite-scale moment, the expansion ceases and the apparent horizon stays regular, signaling the beginning of an eventual Big Crunch. We contrast this behavior with the genuine phantom case (ω<−1), where positive curvature introduces a distinct, early finite-radius expansion bounce (Ḣ>0) that cannot prevent the inevitable late-time Big Rip singularity. Finally, we contextualize these results, discussing how positive spatial curvature can dynamically mimic phantom phenomenology and permit geodesically complete cosmologies without relying on exotic, energy-condition-violating matter.
ER -