Quintessence and phantom cosmology with non-minimal derivative coupling

TL;DR

This paper explores cosmological models with non-minimal derivative coupling, demonstrating diverse universe evolutions like bounces, Big Bang, and Big Rip avoidance, depending on parameter choices, without requiring matter.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of quintessence and phantom cosmologies with non-minimal derivative coupling, revealing new possible universe behaviors.

Findings

Universe transitions between de Sitter solutions based on coupling.

Various cosmological scenarios including bounce, Big Bang, and Big Rip avoidance.

No matter component needed for diverse universe evolutions.

Abstract

We investigate cosmological scenarios with a non-minimal derivative coupling between the scalar field and the curvature, examining both the quintessence and the phantom cases in zero and constant potentials. In general, we find that the universe transits from one de Sitter solution to another, determined by the coupling parameter. Furthermore, according to the parameter choices and without the need for matter, we can obtain a Big Bang, an expanding universe with no beginning, a cosmological turnaround, an eternally contracting universe, a Big Crunch, a Big Rip avoidance and a cosmological bounce. This variety of behaviors reveals the capabilities of the present scenario.