Cosmologies in Horndeski's second-order vector-tensor theory

Abstract: Horndeski derived a most general vector-tensor theory in which the vector field respects the gauge symmetry and the resulting dynamical equations are of second order. The action contains only one free parameter, $\lambda$, that determines the strength of the non-minimal coupling between the gauge field and gravity. We investigate the cosmological consequences of this action and discuss observational constraints. For $\lambda<0$ we identify singularities where the deceleration parameter diverges within a finite proper time. This effectively rules out any sensible cosmological application of the theory for a negative non-minimal coupling. We also find a range of parameter that gives a viable cosmology and study the phenomenology for this case. Observational constraints on the value of the coupling are rather weak since the interaction is higher-order in space-time curvature.