We propose helioseismology as a new, precision probe of fifth forces at astrophysical scales, and apply it on the most general scalar-tensor theories for dark energy, known as degenerate higher-order scalar-tensor theories. We explain how the effect of the fifth force on the solar interior leaves an observable imprint on the acoustic oscillations, and under certain assumptions we numerically compute the nonradial pulsation eigenfrequencies within modified gravity. We illustrate its constraining power by showing that helioseismic observations have the potential to improve constraints on the strength of the fifth force by more than 2 orders of magnitude, as -1.8×10^{-3}≤Y≤1.2×10^{-3} (at 2σ). This in turn would suggest constraints of similar order for the theory's free functions around a cosmological background (α_{H}, β_{1}).

Central European Institute for Cosmology and Fundamental Physics Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Na Slovance 2 182 21 Praha 8 Czechia

Centro de Astrofísica e Gravitação CENTRA Departamento de Física Instituto Superior Técnico IST Universidade de Lisboa UL Av Rovisco Pais 1 1049 001 Lisboa

Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris UMR 7095 CNRS Université Pierre et Marie Curie 98 bis Boulevard Arago Paris 75014 France

References provided by Crossref.org