Constraining f(R) theories with cosmography

Abstract

A method to set constraints on the parameters of extended theories of gravitation is presented. It is based on the comparison of two series expansions of any observable that depends on H(z). The first expansion is of the cosmographical type, while the second uses the dependence of H with z furnished by a given type of extended theory. When applied to f(R) theories together with the redshift drift, the method yields limits on the parameters of two examples (the theory of Hu and Sawicki, and the exponential gravity introduced by Linder) that are compatible with or more stringent than the existing ones, as well as a limit for a previously unconstrained parameter.