Abstract: The sensitivity of cosmology to the total neutrino mass scale E m & nu; is approaching the minimal values required by oscillation data. We study quantitatively possible tensions between current and forecasted cosmological and terrestrial neutrino mass limits by applying suitable statistical tests such as Bayesian suspiciousness, parameter goodness-of-fit tests, or a parameter difference test. In particular, the tension will depend on whether the normal or the inverted neutrino mass ordering is assumed. We argue, that it makes sense to reject inverted ordering from the cosmology/oscillation comparison only if data are consistent with normal ordering. Our results indicate that, in order to reject inverted ordering with this argument, an accuracy on the sum of neutrino masses & sigma;(m & nu;) of better than 0.02 eV would be required from future cosmological observations.

Abstract: Ordinarily, a scalar field may only play the role of dark energy if it possesses a potential that is either extraordinarily flat or extremely fine-tuned. Here we demonstrate that these restrictions are lifted when the scalar field undergoes persistent energy exchange with another fluid. In this scenario, the field is prevented from reversing its direction of motion, and instead may come to rest while displaced from the local minimum of its potential. Therefore almost any scalar potential is capable of initiating a prolonged phase of cosmic acceleration. If the rate of energy transfer is modulated via a derivative coupling, the field undergoes a rapid process of freezing, after which the field's equation of state mimicks that of a cosmological constant. We present a physically motivated realisation in the form of a neutrino-majoron coupling, which avoids the dynamical instabilities associated with mass-varying neutrino models. Finally we discuss possible means by which this model could be experimentally verified.

Abstract: This study uses a nonsingular Yukawa-modified potential to obtain a static and spherically symmetric black hole solution with a cosmological constant. Such Yukawa-like corrections are encoded in two parameters, alpha and lambda, that modify Newton's law of gravity in large distances, and a deformation parameter l(0), which plays an essential role in short distances. The most significant effect is encoded in alpha, which modifies the total black hole mass with an extra mass proportional to alpha M, mimicking the dark matter effects at large distances from the black hole. On the other hand, the effect due to lambda is small for astrophysical values. We scrutinize the quasinormal frequencies and shadows associated with a spherically symmetric black hole and the thermodynamical behavior influenced by the Yukawa potential. In particular, the thermodynamics of this black hole displays a rich behavior, including possible phase transitions. We use the WKB method to probe the quasinormal modes of massless scalar, electromagnetic, and gravitational field perturbations. In order to check the influence of the parameters on the shadow radius, we consider astrophysical data to determine their values, incorporating information on an optically thin radiating and infalling gas surrounding a black hole to model the black hole shadow image. In particular, we consider Sgr A* black hole as an example and we find that its shadow radius changes by order of 10(-9), meaning that the shadow radius of a black hole with Yukawa potential practically gives rise to the same result encountered in the Schwarzschild black hole. Also, in the eikonal regime, using astrophysical data for Yukawa parameters, we show that the value of the real part of the QNMs frequencies changes by 10(-18). Such Yukawa-like corrections are, therefore, difficult to measure by observations of gravitational waves using the current technology.