Dark Energy from $\alpha$-Attractors

TL;DR

This paper explores how $ extalpha$-attractor inflation models can be generalized to explain dark energy, providing a unified framework that interpolates between different dark energy behaviors and reduces initial condition fine-tuning.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized class of $ extalpha$-attractors for late-time cosmic acceleration, bridging thawing and freezing dark energy models with reduced fine-tuning.

Findings

Models can achieve $w extapprox -1$ for extended periods

The framework interpolates between different dark energy behaviors

Reduces the need for fine-tuned initial conditions

Abstract

A class of inflation theories called $\alpha$-attractors has been investigated recently with interesting properties interpolating between quadratic potentials, the Starobinsky model, and an attractor limit. Here we examine their use for late time cosmic acceleration. We generalize the class and demonstrate how it can interpolate between thawing and freezing dark energy, and reduce the fine tuning of initial conditions, allowing $w\approx-1$ for a prolonged period or as a de Sitter attractor.