The physics and identity of dark energy

Abstract: This paper may solve the dark-energy problem because our universe is not alone, and the multiverse is a powerful part of the cosmos. The decay of our aging universe is reviewed first. The accelerated expansion takes the decay debris into the inter-universal medium (IUM) of the multiverse for conservation. A prominent component of the debris and of the IUM is the enormous number of old cold photons from decaying universes. When a small central volume (apparently 6.4 percent of the total mass) of our proto-universe reached proton density, the old photons and protons became fully re-energized. Outside of that volume, the large numbers of remaining old photons continued their acceleration and the expansion of our universe. The accretion and expansion are described a second time with what we know of dark energy, particularly its acceleration of the expansion of our universe. Identical results are obtained; in fact, the two descriptions are complementary, and the conclusion is therefore made that dark energy is the acceleration energy of old photons. The model is supported by 30 observations and considerations for future work.