Full Investigation on the Dynamics of Power-Law Kinetic Quintessence

TL;DR

This paper thoroughly analyzes the dynamics of power-law kinetic quintessence, revealing new attractors and distinctive sound speed features that differentiate it from other dark energy models, with implications for cosmic observations.

Contribution

It extends the dynamical system analysis of power-law kinetic quintessence by considering a variable potential parameter, identifying a new de-Sitter-like attractor and analyzing its stability.

Findings

Discovery of a new de-Sitter-like attractor (cp6) with stability conditions.

Identification of unique sound speed signatures distinguishing it from other models.

Implications for cosmic microwave background and dark matter power spectrum signatures.

Abstract

We give a full investigation on the dynamics of power-law kinetic quintessence $L(X, \phi)=V(\phi)(-X+X^2)$ by considering the potential related parameter $\Gamma$($=\frac{V V''}{V'^2}$) as a function of another potential parameter $\lambda$($=\frac{V'}{\kappa V^{3/2}}$), which correspondingly extends the analysis of the dynamical system of our universe from two-dimension to three-dimension. Beside the critical points found in previous papers, we find a new de-Sitter-like dominant attractor(\textit{cp$6$}) and give its stable condition using the center manifold theorem. For the dark energy dominant solution(\textit{cp$6$} and \textit{cp$7$}), it could be distinguished from canonical quintessence and tachyon models since the sound speed $c_s^2=0$ or $c_s^2\ll 1$. For the scaling solution (\textit{cp$8$}), it is very interesting that the sound speed $c_s^2=1/5$ while it behaves as ordinary matter. We therefore point out that the power-law kinetic quintessence should have different signatures on cold dark matter power spectrum and cosmic microwave background both at early time when this scalar field is an early dark energy with $\Omega_\phi$ being non-negligible at high redshift and at late time when it drives the accelerating expansion. We even do not know whether there are any degeneracies of the impacts between these two epoches. They are expected to be investigated in future.