Revisiting dynamics of interacting quintessence

TL;DR

This paper uses dynamical system theory to analyze a specific interacting dark energy-dark matter model, revealing new phase space structures and the emergence of a separatrix that alters the cosmological evolution landscape.

Contribution

It introduces a new form of interaction between dark matter and scalar field dark energy, uncovering novel phase space features and the impact of a separatrix on cosmological dynamics.

Findings

Identification of a linear, Hubble-dependent interaction term Q.

Discovery of a separatrix that modifies phase space structure.

Enrichment of scaling solutions beyond standard models.

Abstract

We apply the tools of the dynamical system theory in order to revisit and uncover the structure of a nongravitational interaction between pressureless dark matter and dark energy described by a scalar field $\phi$. For a coupling function $Q = -(\alpha d\rho_m/dt + \beta d\rho_\phi/dt )$, where t is the cosmic time, we have found that it can be rewritten in the form $Q = 3H (\alpha \rho_m + \beta (d\phi/dt)^2 )/(1-\alpha +\beta)$, so that its dependence on the dark matter density and on the kinetic term of the scalar field is linear and proportional to the Hubble parameter. We analyze the scenarios $\alpha=0$, $\alpha = \beta$ and $\alpha = -\beta$, separately and in order to describe the cosmological evolution we have calculated various observables. A notable result of this work is that, unlike for the noninteracting scalar field with exponential potential where five critical points appear, in the case studied here, with the exception of the matter dominated solution, the remaining singular points are transformed into scaling solutions enriching the phase space. It is shown that for $\alpha \neq 0$, a separatrix arises modifying prominently the structure of the phase space. This represents a novel feature no mentioned before in the literature.