Confirmation of accelerated expansion of the Universe probed the concept of dark energy theory, and since then, numerous models have been introduced to explain its origin and nature. The present work is based on reconstructing dark energy by parametrization of the deceleration parameter in the FLRW universe filled with radiation, dark matter and dark energy. We have chosen some well-motivated parametrized models 1-3 in an attempt to investigate the energy density in terms of deceleration parameters by estimating the cosmological parameters with the help of different observational datasets. Also, we have introduced a new model 4 for the parametrization of the deceleration parameter. Then we analyzed the cosmography parameters using the best-fit values of the parameters. Using the information criteria, we have examined the viability of the models.

Recently, the scalar-tensor representation of f(R, T) gravity was used to explore gravitationally induced particle production/annihilation. Using the framework of irreversible thermodynamics of open systems in the presence of matter creation/annihilation, the physical and cosmological consequences of this setup were investigated in detail. In this paper, we test observationally the scalar-tensor representation of f(R, T) gravity in the context of the aforementioned framework, using the Hubble and Pantheon+ measurements. The best fit parameters are obtained by solving numerically the modified Friedmann equations of two distinct cosmological models in scalar-tensor f(R, T) gravity, corresponding to two different choices of the potential, and by performing a Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis. The best parameters are used to compute the cosmographic parameters, i.e., the deceleration, the jerk and the snap parameters. Using the output resulting from the Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis, the cosmological evolution of the creation pressure and of the matter creation rates are presented for both models. To figure out the statistical significance of the studied scalar-tensor f(R, T) gravity, the Bayesian and the corrected Akaike information criteria are used. The latter indicates that the first considered model in scalar-tensor f(R, T) gravity is statistically better than ΛCDM, i.e., it is more favored by observations. Besides, a continuous particle creation process is present in Model 1. On the other hand, for large redshifts, in Model 2 the particle creation rate may become negative, thus indicating the presence of particle annihilation processes. However, both models lead to an accelerating expansion of the Universe at late times, with a deceleration parameter equivalent to that of the ΛCDM model.

We further investigate the dark energy model based on the Finsler geometry inspired osculating Barthel–Kropina cosmology. The Barthel–Kropina cosmological approach is based on the introduction of a Barthel connection in an osculating Finsler geometry, with the connection having the property that it is the Levi-Civita connection of a Riemannian metric. From the generalized Friedmann equations of the Barthel–Kropina model, obtained by assuming that the background Riemannian metric is of the Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker type, an effective geometric dark energy component can be generated, with the effective, geometric type pressure, satisfying a linear barotropic type equation of state. The cosmological tests, and comparisons with observational data of this dark energy model are considered in detail. To constrain the Barthel–Kropina model parameters, and the parameter of the equation of state, we use 57 Hubble data points, and the Pantheon Supernovae Type Ia data sample. The st statistical analysis is performed by using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations. A detailed comparison with the standard $$\Lambda $$Λ CDM model is also performed, with the Akaike information criterion (AIC), and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) used as the two model selection tools. The statefinder diagnostics consisting of jerk and snap parameters, and theOm(z) diagnostics are also considered for the comparative study of the Barthel–Kropina and $$\Lambda $$Λ CDM cosmologies. Our results indicate that the Barthel–Kropina dark energy model gives a good description of the observational data, and thus it can be considered a viable alternative of the $$\Lambda $$Λ CDM model.

The current manuscript deals with the tidal force effects, geodesic deviation, and shadow constraints of the Schwarzschild-like black hole theorised in Starobinsky–Bel-Robinson gravity exhibiting M-theory compactification. In the current analysis, we explore the radial and angular tidal force effects on a radially in-falling particle by the central black hole, which is located in this spacetime. We also numerically solve the geodesic deviation equation and study the variation of the geodesic separation vector with the radial coordinate for two nearby geodesics using suitable initial conditions. All the obtained results are tested for Sag A* and M87* by constraining the value of the stringy gravity parameter $$\beta $$β using the shadow data from the event horizon telescope observations. All the results are compared with Schwarzschild black hole spacetime. In our study, we found that both the radial and angular tidal forces experienced by a particle switch their initial behaviour and turn compressive and stretching, respectively, before reaching the event horizon. The geodesic deviation shows an oscillating trend as well for the chosen initial condition. For the constrained value of $$\beta $$β , we see that the spacetime geometry generated by Sag A* and M87* is effectively same for both Schwarzschild and Starobinsky–Bel-Robinson black hole. Furthermore, we also calculated the angular diameter of the shadow in Starobinsky–Bel-Robinson black hole and compared with the Schwarzschild black hole. It is observed that the angular diameter of shadow for M87* and Sgr A* in Starobinsky–Bel-Robinson black hole is smaller than the Schwarzschild black hole. The calculated results satisfy the event horizon telescope observational constraints.

We investigate the strong gravitational lensing phenomena caused by a black hole with a dark matter halo in the presence of cloud string and quintessence. This study examines strong gravitational lensing with two significant dark matter models: the universal rotation curve model and the cold dark matter model. To do this, we first numerically estimate the strong lensing coefficients and strong deflection angles for both the universal rotation curve and cold dark matter models. It is observed that the deflection angle, denoted as $$\alpha _D$$α D , increases with the parameter $$\alpha $$α while holding the value of $$2M \gamma $$2 M γ constant. Additionally, it increases with the parameter $$2M \gamma $$2 M γ while keeping the value of $$\alpha $$α constant. The strong deflection angle $$\alpha _D$$α D , for the black hole with a dark matter halo, with parameters $$\alpha $$α and $$2\,M \gamma $$2 M γ , greatly enhances the gravitational bending effect and surpasses the corresponding case of the standard Schwarzschild black hole ( $$A=B=0=\alpha =2M\gamma $$A = B = 0 = α = 2 M γ ). Furthermore, we investigate the astrophysical consequences through strong gravitational lensing observations, using examples of two supermassive black holes, namely $$M87^{*}$$M 87 ∗ and $$Sgr A^{*}$$S g r A ∗ , located at the center of nearby galaxies. It is observed that black holes with dark matter halos in the presence of cloud string and quintessence can be quantitatively distinguished and characterized from the standard Schwarzschild black hole ( $$A=B=0=\alpha =2M\gamma $$A = B = 0 = α = 2 M γ ). The findings in our analysis suggest that observational tests for black holes influenced by dark matter halos, cloud string and quintessence are indeed feasible and viable.