Dynamics of Generalized Assisted Inflation

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the dynamics of multiple scalar fields with exponential potentials in an FLRW universe, identifying critical points including scaling and de Sitter solutions, and examining stability in generalized assisted inflation.

Contribution

It extends assisted inflation by including mutual interactions among scalar fields and explores conditions for inflationary attractors with negative exponential terms.

Findings

Critical points include scaling and de Sitter solutions.

Stability analysis reveals conditions for inflationary attractors.

Negative exponential terms can support inflationary attractors.

Abstract

We study the dynamics of multiple scalar fields and a barotropic fluid in an FLRW-universe. The scalar potential is a sum of exponentials. All critical points are constructed and these include scaling and de Sitter solutions. A stability analysis of the critical points is performed for generalized assisted inflation, which is an extension of assisted inflation where the fields mutually interact. Effects in generalized assisted inflation which differ from assisted inflation are emphasized. One such a difference is that an (inflationary) attractor can exist if some of the exponential terms in the potential are negative.