Scalar Field Potential Research Articles

Alleviating H 0 and S 8 Tensions Simultaneously in K-essence Cosmology

The present work begins by examining the early-Universe inflationary epoch of a special K-essence model, which incorporates a linear coupling term between the scalar field potential and the canonical Lagrangian. For the power-law potential, we both numerically and analytically prove that the inflationary parameters such as the spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio are compatible with the recent BICEP/Keck observations. Continuing this work, our analysis based on comparing early-Universe observations with late-Universe measurements indicates that the tension on the Hubble parameter H 0 and the growth of structure parameter S 8 can be alleviated simultaneously. More precisely, compared to the standard ΛCDM model, our model can reduce H 0 tension to roughly 2.2σ, and the S 8 discrepancy diminishes to 0.82σ.

Scant evidence for thawing quintessence

New constraints on the expansion rate of the Universe seem to favor evolving dark energy in the form of thawing quintessence models, i.e., models for which a canonical, minimally coupled scalar field has, at late times, begun to evolve away from potential energy domination. We scrutinize the evidence for thawing quintessence by exploring what it predicts for the equation of state. We show that, in terms of the usual Chevalier-Polarski-Linder parameters, (w0, wa), thawing quintessence is, in fact, only marginally consistent with a compilation of the current data. Despite this, we embrace the possibility that thawing quintessence is dark energy and find constraints on the microphysics of this scenario. We do so in terms of the effective mass m2 and energy scale V0 of the scalar field potential. We are particularly careful to enforce uninformative, flat priors on these parameters so as to minimize their effect on the final posteriors. While the current data favors a large and negative value of m2, when we compare these models to the standard ΛCDM model we find that there is scant evidence for thawing quintessence. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Dynamical system analysis for scalar field potential in teleparallel gravity

AbstractIn this paper, we have presented a power law cosmological model and its dynamical system analysis in $$f(T,\phi )$$ f ( T , ϕ ) gravity, where T is the torsion scalar and $$\phi $$ ϕ is the canonical scalar field. The two well-motivated forms of the non-minimal coupling function $$F(\phi )$$ F ( ϕ ) , the exponential form and the power law form, with exponential scalar field potential, are investigated. The dynamical system analysis is performed by establishing the dimensionless dynamical variables, and the critical points were obtained. The evolution of standard density parameters is analysed for each case. The behaviour of the equation of state (EoS) and deceleration parameter agree with the result of recent cosmological observations. The model parameters are constrained using the existence and the stability conditions of the critical points describing different epochs of the evolution of the Universe.

Self-resonance during preheating: The case of [formula omitted]-attractor models

In this paper, for the first time, we obtain a new class of solutions for the Hill-type differential equations, which emerge in the preheating self-resonance phase of the expanding Universe. We study, in particular, the class of symmetric and asymmetric scalar field potentials coming from the so-called α-attractor models of the early Universe cosmology. By making a series expansion of the potential and employing perturbative techniques we reformulate the Mukhanov–Sasaki equation, which captures the dynamics of the curvature perturbation in these models, into a Hill equation. This last includes higher-order terms that were never solved in the literature. Namely, those coming from the cubic and quartic contributions of the scalar field potential. Then, we derive the expressions for the Floquet exponents of the Mukhanov–Sasaki variable. Our analytical results are then compared with numerical computations, showing a good agreement and thus making this method valuable for obtaining theoretical predictions with new observational applications in the contexts of Primordial Black Holes and Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves.

Real-space diffusion theory from quantum mechanics using analytic continuation

We show that a physical correspondence between Brownian motion and quantum mechanics can be established by formal analytic continuation if Wick rotation (t→it) is replaced by the mirror symmetric, complex conjugate time transformation t→±it. Invariance of the square modulus of the wave function under this transformation reveals a tight connection between Born's interpretation of the probability density and the proper time t2=(−it)(+it), as being both the result of a time symmetry breaking in the informational content of the microscopic (quantum) world, which takes place as we move to a macroscopic level. We find that under the transformation t→±it, the Schrödinger equation and its complex conjugate conforms with a stochastic-mechanical model of the Brownian motion of a particle. From the present analysis, Nelson's osmotic velocity arises naturally and the quantum phase function admits a classical interpretation in terms of a continuous (scalar) potential field that influences the motion of the particle. The maximum phase variation defines the direction of the osmotic and current velocity. Whereas the paper focuses on the correlation between quantum mechanics and Ficks's second law for a constant diffusion coefficient, a discussion is also provided on the possibility of a quantum mechanical formulation for anomalous diffusion, where the diffusion coefficient is a function of space and/or time.

A thermodynamic model of inflation without inflaton field

In the framework of geometrothermodynamics, we explore how to construct an inflationary cosmic fluid without requiring inflaton fields. To do so, we employ standard radiation and matter as barotropic background, speculating on the existence of a further real fluid, interpreted as a possible matter with pressure constituent. We thus illustrate its main characteristics, showing how it may face the flatness and horizon problems, yielding an equivalent number of e-foldings, compatible with theoretical expectations. Moreover, we calculate the associated equilibrium and kinetic temperatures, and compute out-of-equilibrium properties, in terms of particle production and effective reheating mechanism. Accordingly, we revise how inflation ends and how to fix the free parameters of our model from observations. Last but not least, we propose how to obtain a bare cosmological constant that could relate the late-time acceleration to inflation, aiming to unify the two approaches. Finally, we discuss the corresponding theoretical implications of our treatment in contrast to the standard approach reliant on scalar field potentials, emphasizing the main advantages and disadvantages.

On the magnetostatic scalar potential and magnetic field of a cylindrical magnet

Abstract The magnetostatic potential and magnetic field of a solid and hollow cylindrical magnet is calculated everywhere in space in terms of complete elliptic integrals. These expressions are calculated using an electromagnetic analogy with the electrostatic potential and electric field of two uniformly charged disks with opposite surface density. The analogy is employed to study intuitively the discontinuities and the dipolar approximation of the fields $\vec{H}$ and $\vec{B}$. The range of validity of the dipolar approximation has been studied along the cylinder axis and in the midplane perpendicular to the cylinder axis, comparing them with the obtained general expression.

Scalar field induced dynamical evolution in teleparallel gravity

In this paper, we investigate the role of scalar field potentials in the dynamical evolution of the Universe. A gravity theory with a non-minimally coupled scalar field with torsion in the geometrical action simulating effective dark energy is considered to study an extended matter bounce scenario. The dynamical behaviour of the equation of state parameter has been studied near the bouncing epoch. Keeping in mind the inflationary behaviour near the bounce, five different scalar field potential functions are explored, and their effect on the equation of state parameter is investigated.

Reconstruction of the Dark Energy Scalar Field Potential by Gaussian Process

Dark energy is believed to be responsible for the acceleration of the Universe. In this paper, we reconstruct the dark energy scalar field potential V(ϕ) using the Hubble parameter H(z) through Gaussian process analysis. Our goal is to investigate dark energy using various H(z) data sets and priors. We find that the selection of the prior and the H(z) data set significantly affects the reconstructed V(ϕ). We compare two models, Power Law and Free Field, to the reconstructed V(ϕ) by computing the reduced chi-square. The results suggest that the models are generally in agreement with the reconstructed potential within a 3σ confidence interval, except in the case of Observational H(z) data with the Planck 18 prior. Additionally, we simulate H(z) data to measure the effect of increasing the number of data points on the accuracy of reconstructed V(ϕ). We find that doubling the number of H(z) data points can improve the accuracy rate of reconstructed V(ϕ) by 5%–30%.

Modified Gravity in the Presence of Matter Creation: Scenario for the Late Universe.

We consider a dynamic scenario for characterizing the late Universe evolution, aiming to mitigate the Hubble tension. Specifically, we consider a metric f(R) gravity in the Jordan frame which is implemented to the dynamics of a flat isotropic Universe. This cosmological model incorporates a matter creation process, due to the time variation of the cosmological gravitational field. We model particle creation by representing the isotropic Universe (specifically, a given fiducial volume) as an open thermodynamic system. The resulting dynamical model involves four unknowns: the Hubble parameter, the non-minimally coupled scalar field, its potential, and the energy density of the matter component. We impose suitable conditions to derive a closed system for these functions of the redshift. In this model, the vacuum energy density of the present Universe is determined by the scalar field potential, in line with the modified gravity scenario. Hence, we construct a viable model, determining the form of the f(R) theory a posteriori and appropriately constraining the phenomenological parameters of the matter creation process to eliminate tachyon modes. Finally, by analyzing the allowed parameter space, we demonstrate that the Planck evolution of the Hubble parameter can be reconciled with the late Universe dynamics, thus alleviating the Hubble tension.

Quantum Big-Bounce as a phenomenology of RQM in the Mini-superspace

We investigate the emergence of a quantum Big-Bounce in the context of an isotropic Universe, filled by a self-interacting scalar field, which plays the role of a physical clock. The bouncing cosmology is the result of a scattering process, driven by the scalar field potential, which presence breaks down the frequency separation of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, treated in strict analogy to a relativistic quantum system. Differently from previous analyses, we consider a really perturbative self-interaction potential, affecting the dynamics in a finite range of the time labeled by the scalar clock (and in particular we remove the divergent character previously allowed). The main result of the present analysis is that, when the Relativistic Quantum Mechanics formalism is properly implemented in the Mini-superspace analogy, the probability amplitude for the bounce is, both in the standard and polymerized case, characterized by a maximum in correspondence of the quasi-classical condition of a Universe minimum volume.

Dynamics of a higher-dimensional Einstein–Scalar–Gauss–Bonnet cosmology

We study the dynamics of the field equations in a five-dimensional spatially flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric in the context of a Gauss–Bonnet–Scalar field theory where the quintessence scalar field is coupled to the Gauss–Bonnet scalar. Contrary to the four-dimensional Gauss–Bonnet theory, where the Gauss–Bonnet term does not contribute to the field equations, in this five-dimensional Einstein–Scalar–Gauss–Bonnet model, the Gauss–Bonnet term contributes to the field equations even when the coupling function is a constant. Additionally, we consider a more general coupling described by a power-law function. For the scalar field potential, we consider the exponential function. For each choice of the coupling function, we define a set of dimensionless variables and write the field equations into a system of ordinary differential equations. We perform a detailed analysis of the dynamics for both systems and classify the stability of the equilibrium points. We determine the presence of scaling and super-collapsing solutions using the cosmological deceleration parameter. This means that our models can explain the Universe’s early and late-time acceleration phases. Consequently, this model can be used to study inflation or as a dark energy candidate.

FINITE TEMPERATURE EFFECTS WITHIN SCALAR FIELD DARK MATTER MODEL

The distribution of dark matter in four low surface brightness spiral galaxies is studied using two models within the scalar field theory of dark matter, an alternative to the cold dark matter paradigm. The first model is a Bose-Einstein condensate, in which bosons occupy the ground state at zero temperature. The second model includes finite temperature corrections to the scalar field potential, which allows the introduction of excited states. A nonlinear least squares approximation method is used to determine the free parameters of the models, including scale radius, characteristic (central) density and total mass, based on observational data of rotation curves. Quantitative analysis shows the importance of considering finite temperatures at the galactic level. In addition, the two models are compared with results from widely used and accepted phenomenological dark matter profiles such as the isothermal sphere, Navarro-Frank-White and Burkert profiles. The reliability of each model was assessed based on the Bayesian information criterion of completeness. Statistical analysis provides meaningful interpretation of the choice of a particular profile. Ultimately, this study contributes to a better understanding of the distribution of dark matter in low surface brightness spiral galaxies by shedding light on the performance of scalar field models compared to traditional phenomenological profiles.

Barrow’s holographic dark energy model in axially symmetric spacetime

The Barrow’s Holographic Dark Energy (BHDE) Model is proposed in an axially symmetric anisotropic spacetime which is employing Hubble horizon as an infrared cutoff (IR cutoff). The transition of the universe from a matter dominated era to a dark energy dominated era is investigated in this model. Furthermore, the Equation of State (EoS) parameter explains how the universe evolves with non-extensive term or Barrow parameter [Formula: see text] for both phase (i) phantom era ([Formula: see text]) and (ii) quintessence era ([Formula: see text]). In order to reconcile the dark energy, the reconstruction of scalar field potential is considered. Some of the physical properties of the model are also described.

A Bridge between Trace Anomalies and Deconfinement Phase Transitions

Inspired by the fact that both the dilaton potential encoding the trace anomalies of QCD and the Polyakov loop potential measuring the deconfinement phase transition can be expressed in the logarithmic forms, as well as the fact that the scale symmetry is expected to be restoring and colors are deconfined in extreme conditions such as high temperatures and/or densities, we conjecture a relation between the dilaton potential and the Polyakov loop potential. Explicitly, we start from the Coleman–Weinberg type potential of a real scalar field—a dilaton or conformal compensator—and make an ansatz of the relation between this scalar field and the Polyakov loop to obtain the Polyakov loop potential, which can be parameterized in Lattice QCD (LQCD) in the pure glue sector. We find that the coefficients of Polyakov potential fitted from Lattice data are automatically satisfied in this ansatz, the locations of deconfinement and scale restoration are locked to each other, and the first-order phase transition can be realized. Extensions to the low-energy effective quark models are also discussed. The conjectured relation may deepen our understanding of the evolution of the universe, the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking, the phase diagram of QCD matter, and the properties of neutron stars.

Braneworlds in warped Einsteinian cubic gravity

Einstenian cubic gravity (ECG) is a modified theory of gravity constructed with cubic contractions of the curvature tensor. This theory has the remarkable feature of having the same two propagating degrees of freedom of Einstein gravity (EG), at the perturbative level on maximally symmetric spacetimes. The additional unstable modes steaming from the higher order derivative dynamics are suppressed provided that we consider the ECG as an effective field theory wherein the cubic terms are seen as perturbative corrections of the Einstein-Hilbert term. Extensions of ECG have been proposed in cosmology and compact objects in order to probe if this property holds in more general configurations. In this work, we construct a modified ECG gravity in a five dimensional warped braneworld scenario. By assuming a specific combination of the cubic parameters, we obtained modified gravity equations of motion with terms up to second-order. For a thin 3-brane, the cubic-gravity corrections yield an effective positive bulk cosmological constant. Thus, in order to keep the 5D bulk warped compact, an upper bound of the cubic parameter with respect to the bulk curvature was imposed. For a thick brane, the cubic-gravity terms modify the scalar field potential and its corresponding vacuum. Nonetheless, the domain-wall structure with a localized source is preserved. At the perturbative level, the Kaluza-Klein (KK) tensor gravitational modes are stable and possess a localized massless mode provided the cubic corrections are small compared to the EG braneworld.

What should we understand by the four-momentum of physical system?

It is shown that, in general, in curved spacetime, none of the known definitions of four-momentum correspond to the definition, in which all the system’s particles and fields, including fields outside matter, make an explicit contribution to the four-momentum. This drawback can be eliminated under the assumption that the primary representation of four-momentum is the sum of two nonlocal four-vectors of the integral type with covariant indices. The first of these four-vectors is the generalized four-momentum, found with the help of Lagrangian density. The time component of the generalized four-momentum, in theory of vector fields, is proportional to the particles’ energy in scalar field potentials, and the space component is related to vector field potentials. The second four-vector is the four-momentum of fields themselves, and its time component is related to the energy given by tensor invariants. As a result, the system’s four-momentum is defined as a four-vector with a covariant index. The standard approach makes it possible to find the four-momentum in covariant form only for a free point particle. In contrast, the obtained formulas for calculating the four-momentum components are applied to a stationary and moving relativistic uniform system, consisting of many particles. In this case, the main fields of the system under consideration are taken into account, including the electromagnetic and gravitational fields, the acceleration field and the pressure field. All these fields are considered vector fields, which makes it possible to unambiguously determine the equations of motion of the fields themselves and the equations of motion of matter in these fields. The formalism used includes the principle of least action, charged and neutral four-currents, corresponding four-potentials and field tensors, which ensures unification and the possibility of combining fields into a single interaction. Within the framework of the special theory of relativity, it is shown that due to motion, the four-momentum of the system increases in proportion to the Lorentz factor of the system’s center of momentum, while in the matter of the system the sum of the energies of all fields is equal to zero. The calculation of the integral vector’s components in the relativistic uniform system shows that the so-called integral vector is not equal to four-momentum and is not a four-vector at all, although it is conserved in a closed system. Thus, in the theory of relativistic vector fields, the four-momentum cannot be found with the help of an integral vector and components of the system’s stress-energy tensor, in contrast to how it is assumed in the general theory of relativity.

Classical versus quantum features of the Berthelot cosmological model

In this paper, we compare and contrast the classical versus quantum dynamics of a cosmological model based on the literature (Modified) Berthelot equation of state for the description of the dark sector of the universe. At the classical background level we identify a Minkowski-like and a de Sitter-like equilibrium epochs, with the latter occurring only beyond a certain threshold for a parameter in the equation of state; at the classical perturbed level we find that this same parameter realizes a duality in the adiabatic speed of sound between the two equilibrium epochs. The quantum evolution of this model is studied in the context of quantum geometrodynamics by solving analytically the Wheeler–DeWitt equation in the Born–Oppenheimer approximation for the scalar field potentials about the two equilibrium epochs. We identify the phenomenon of quantum decoherence to arise at the same threshold which constitutes the bifurcation between the two equilibrium epochs at the classical level. We comment on the quantum modified power spectrum focusing on some consequences dealing with the formation of astrophysical structures within the Press–Schechter framework. Our paper is intended to scrutinize which classical features of a certain cosmological model are preserved at its quantum level, and under which assumptions.

Dynamical system analysis in multiscalar-torsion cosmology

We explore the phase-space of a multiscalar-torsion gravitational theory within a cosmological framework characterized by a spatially flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker model. Our investigation focuses on teleparallelism and involves a gravitational model featuring two scalar fields, where one scalar field is coupled to the torsion scalar. We consider coupling in the two scalar fields’ kinetic and potential components. We employ exponential functions for the scalar field potentials and analyse the field equations’ equilibrium points to reconstruct the cosmological evolution. Remarkably, we discover many equilibrium points in this multiscalar field model, capable of describing various eras of cosmological evolution. Hence, this model can be used to describe the early and late time acceleration phases of the universe and as a unification model for the elements of the dark sector of the universe.

Spacetime geometry of acoustics and electromagnetism

Both acoustics and electromagnetism represent measurable fields in terms of dynamical potential fields. Electromagnetic force-fields form a spacetime bivector that is represented by a dynamical energy–momentum 4-vector potential field. Acoustic pressure and velocity fields form an energy–momentum density 4-vector field that is represented by a dynamical action scalar potential field. Surprisingly, standard field theory analyses of spin angular momentum based on these traditional potential representations contradict recent experiments, which motivates a careful reassessment of both theories. We analyze extensions of both theories that use the full geometric structure of spacetime to respect essential symmetries enforced by vacuum wave propagation. The resulting extensions are geometrically complete and phase-invariant (i.e., dual-symmetric) formulations that span all five grades of spacetime, with dynamical potentials and measurable fields spanning complementary grades that are related by a spacetime vector derivative (i.e., the quantum Dirac operator). These complete representations correct the equations of motion, energy–momentum tensors, forces experienced by probes, Lagrangian densities, and allowed gauge freedoms, while making manifest the deep structural connections to relativistic quantum field theories. Finally, we discuss the implications of these corrections to experimental tests.