Search for dark energy potentials in quintessence theory

TL;DR

This paper investigates the third derivative of the dark energy equation of state in quintessence models to predict future observations and distinguish between different scalar field potentials.

Contribution

It derives the third derivative of w for various potentials and discusses how to identify potential forms using multiple observational parameters.

Findings

Derived third derivative of w for multiple potentials.

Identified minimum observations needed to distinguish potentials.

Numerical analysis performed for some potentials to predict derivatives.

Abstract

The time evolution of the equation of state $w$ for quintessence models with a scalar field as dark energy is studied up to the third derivative ($d^3w/da^3$) with respect to the scale factor $a$, in order to predict the future observations and specify the scalar potential parameters with the observables. The third derivative of $w$ for general potential $V$ is derived and applied to several types of potentials. They are the inverse power-law ($V=M^{4+\alpha}/Q^{\alpha}$), the exponential ($V=M^4\exp{(\beta M/Q)}$), the mixed ( $V=M^{4+\gamma}\exp{(\beta M/Q)}/Q^{\gamma}$), the cosine ($V=M^4(\cos (Q/f)+1)$) and the Gaussian types ($V=M^4\exp(-Q^2/\sigma^2)$), which are prototypical potentials for the freezing and thawing models. If the parameter number for a potential form is $ n$, it is necessary to find at least for $n+2$ independent observations to identify the potential form and the evolution of the scalar field ($Q$ and $ \dot{Q} $). Such observations would be the values of $ \Omega_Q, w, dw/da. \cdots $, and $ dw^n/da^n$. From these specific potentials, we can predict the $ n+1 $ and higher derivative of $w$ ; $ dw^{n+1}/da^{n+1}, \cdots$. Since four of the above mentioned potentials have two parameters, it is necessary to calculate the third derivative of $w$ for them to estimate the predict values. If they are tested observationally, it will be understood whether the dark energy could be described by the scalar field with this potential. At least it will satisfy the necessary conditions. Numerical analysis for $d^3w/da^3$ are made under some specified parameters in the investigated potentials, except the mixed one. It becomes possible to distinguish the potentials by the accurate observing $dw/da$ and $d^2w/da^2$ in some parameters.