Accelerating Expansion of the Universe

TL;DR

This thesis explores various cosmological models, including modified Chaplygin gas, scalar fields, and Brans-Dicke theory, to explain the universe's accelerated expansion observed through supernova measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a new inhomogeneous Chaplygin gas model capable of explaining w=-1 crossing and investigates multiple interaction scenarios with scalar and tachyonic fields.

Findings

Inhomogeneous Chaplygin gas model explains w=-1 crossing.

Scalar field interactions influence cosmic acceleration.

Brans-Dicke theory with variable  can produce acceleration.

Abstract

This thesis concentrates on the accelerated expansion of the Universe recently explored by measurements of redshift and luminosity-distance relations of type Ia Supernovae. We have considered a model of the universe filled with modified Chaplygin gas and barotropic fluid. The role of dynamical cosmological constant has been explored with Modified Chaplygin Gas as the background fluid. Various phenomenological models for \Lambda have been studied in presence of the gravitational constant G to be constant or time dependent. A new form of the well known Chaplygin gas model has been presented by introducing inhomogeneity in the EOS. This model explains w=-1 crossing. An interaction of this model with the scalar field has also been investigated through a phenomenological coupling function. Tachyonic field has been depicted as dark energy model to represent the present acceleration of the Universe. A mixture of the tachyonic fluid has been considered with Generalized Chaplygin Gas to show the role of the later as a dark energy candidate in presence of tachyonic matter. A model of interaction has been studied with scalar field and the inhomogeneous ideal fluid. Two forms of the ideal fluid have been analysed. A power law expansion for the scale factor has been assumed to solve the equations for the energy densities. Brans-Dicke theory has been used to investigate the possibility of obtaining cosmic acceleration. For this purpose a constant and a variable \omega (Brans-Dicke parameter) have been considered. A self-interacting potential has been introduced to show its role in the evolution of the Universe. This model has been studied in presence of barotropic fluid and Generalized Chaplygin Gas.