Proceeding Paper Behavior of Various Scalar Field Potentials under Tracking Parameters of Quintessence Class of Scalar Field Models † Tanisha Joshi Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Punjab 144411, India; [email protected] † Presented at the 1st Electronic Conference on Universe, 22–28 February 2021; Available online: https://ecu2021.sciforum.net/. Abstract: Scalar field models are known for their dynamic nature, i.e., dynamic equations of state parameters to explain the late-time cosmic acceleration of the universe. The quintessence canonical scalar field with a potential is one such field which has been introduced to account for the late time acceleration of the universe. In the present work, different kinds of scalar field potentials (under the quintessence cosmological model) are mathematically investigated using tracking parameters to examine whether these potentials show thawing or tracking behavior. Tracking parameters are considered because during cosmic evolution the dynamics of tracking depend on the variation of this particular parameter. Each potential is analyzed using this parameter and accordingly the behavior is shown. It is found that among the four potentials used, three show tracking properties and only one is shows the thawing property as per the tracking parameter. The tracking and thawing properties/behavior are discussed in the Results and Discussion sections of the paper. Keywords: tracker behavior; scalar fields; quintessence; thawing behavior; cosmology 1. Introduction Citation: Joshi, T. Behavior of The accelerating expansion of the universe predicted by the observations of type Various Scalar Field Potentials under Tracking Parameters of Quintessence Ia supernovae, published by the High-Z Supernova Search Team in 1998 [1] and the Class of Scalar Field Models. Phys. Supernova Cosmology Project in 1999 [2] suggested the concept of dark energy. Dark Sci. Forum 2021, 2, 39. https:// energy is a hypothetical form of energy pervading the whole of space. It is responsible doi.org/10.3390/ECU2021-09299 for the accelerated expansion of the universe as it has strong negative pressure leading to gravitational repulsion (repulsive force). To understand this dark energy concept, various Academic Editor: Peter Dunsby candidates have been put forward. These include the cosmological constant (leading to the coincidence problem) [3], quantum field theory (leading to the λ problem) [4], scalar Published: 22 February 2021 field models and brane world models, etc. Though there are many candidates (and many theories) of dark energy, none of them are captivating enough to decode the mystery of Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral dark energy. with regard to jurisdictional claims in Scalar fields come to light through particle physics and string theory. Regarded published maps and institutional affil- as one of the candidates for dark energy, there are a wide variety of scalar field dark iations. energy models (quintessence, tachyonic, k-essence, etc.). The simplest field mimicking dark energy is a canonical scalar field with a potential known as quintessence [5–7]. The main difference between quintessence and the cosmological constant is that quintessence is dynamic in nature. This field is capable of reproducing the late-time accelerated behavior. pj Copyright: © 2021 by the author. It has an equation of state given by w = , where is p pressure, r is energy density. j rj j j Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Quintessence scalar field models are broadly classified into two classes [8–10]; (I) thawing This article is an open access article models and (II) freezing models. Thawing models are slow-roll models which depend on distributed under the terms and initial value conditions whereas freezing models are fast-roll models, insensitive to the conditions of the Creative Commons initial conditions but over the entire range of scalar field, they depend on the shape of Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// the potential. P. Steinhardt [11] was the first to introduce tracker fields. Tracker fields are creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ basically a class of quintessence model consisting of a scalar field rolling down a potential. 4.0/). Phys. Sci. Forum 2021, 2, 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/ECU2021-09299 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/psf Phys. Sci. Forum 2021, 2, 39 2 of 6 Phys. Sci. Forum 2021, 2, x 2 They were introduced to avoid the problem of initial value conditions. A tracker model consistspotential. of P. a Steinhardt tracker solution, [11] was trackerthe first fieldto introduce and tracker tracker equation fields. Tracker (with fields quintessence are ba- as an equation).sically a class For of detailed quintessence analysis model of trackerconsisting fields of a see scalar the field literature rolling [12 down–14]. a ‘potential.Г’ is the tracking They were introduced to avoid the problem of initial value conditions. A tracker model parameter, and the properties of Г determine whether the tracking solutions exist or not. consists of a tracker solution, tracker field and tracker equation (with quintessence as an Г Forequation). any kind For ofdetailed potential analysiscan of betracke >, <r fields or =1. see the literature [12–14]. ‘Г’ is the tracking parameter,This paper and the proceeds properties as of follows: Г determine In Sectionwhether2 ,the the tracking mathematical solutions backgroundexist or not. for a quintessenceFor any kind of cosmological potential Г can model be >, < isor set=1. up for a tracking parameter. In Section3, we mathematicallyThis paper proceeds examine as thefollows: tracking In Section parameter 2, the mathematical with various background potentials for a to quin- check their trackingtessence behaviorcosmological and model the results is set up are for highlighted a tracking parameter. in Table1 In. In Section Section 3, 4we, the mathe- results are concludedmatically examine with brief the discussion.tracking parameter Finally, with we various conclude potentials the paper to check in Section their tracking5. behavior and the results are highlighted in Table 1. In Section 4, the results are concluded Tablewith 1.briefBehavior discussion. shown Finally, by potentials we conclude used forthe quintessencepaper in Section cosmological 5. model. Table S.No.1. Behavior shown Potentialby potentials (V (usedj)) for quintessence Tracking cosmological Parameter ( Гmodel.) Value of ‘u’(u 2 R) 1. V ae(1−j) Tracking Parame-Г = 1 1 S.No. Potential 0(V(φ)) Value of ‘u’ (u ∈ R) −1 ter (Г) 2. V0a(1 − j) Г > 1 −1 1. () Г = 1 1 3. j Г > 1 1 2. (1V −0a )j− j2 Г > 1 −1 ( ) 3. Г > 1 1 For all positive and 4. V cosh (aju) Г < 1 0 For all positivenegative and negative values of u. 4. cosh () Г < 1 values of u. 2. Mathematical Background 2. Mathematical Background The action proposed for quintessence [15] scalar field ‘j’ gives the action as The action proposed for quintessence [15] scalar field ‘φ’ gives the action as −1 = − (〖∇)〗 −() (1) 2 (1) The energy density and pressure for a spatially homogeneous quintessence scalar fieldThe can energybe obtained density from and the pressureLagrangian for a spatially homogeneous quintessence scalar field can be obtained from the Lagrangian 1 = −() (2) 2 1 L = ¶i j¶i j − V(j) (2) As quin 2 1 = +(); (3) As 2 1 . 2 rj = j + V(j); (3) 12 = −() (4) 2 1 . 2 pj = j − V(j) (4) where, is the energy density of scalar field,2 is the pressure density of scalar field and () is the scalar field potential. where, rj is the energy density of scalar field, pj is the pressure density of scalar field and Equation (1) is varied with respect to the scalar field to get the equation of motion as V(j) is the scalar field potential. Equation (1) is varied with respect +3 to + the( scalar) =0 field to get the equation of(5) motion as where ‘φ’ is a function of time and V’(.. φ) is the. derivative0 with respect to φ. This equation j + 3Hj + V (j) = 0 (5) of motion describes how the scalar field evolves with time. Here, = is the Hubble whereparameter ‘j’ is which a function denotes of the time expansion and V’( ratej) is of the universe. derivative with respect to j. This equation . The equation of the state parameter (,) of quintessence is a of motion describes how the scalar field evolves with time. Here, H = a is the Hubble parameter which denotes the expansion1 rate of universe. −() = = 2 ≥ 1 The equation of the state parameter 1 (wj,) of quintessence is (6) +() 2 1 2 pj j˙ − V(j) and the density parameter is w = = 2 ≥ 1 (6) j r 1 2 j 2 j˙ + V(j) Phys. Sci. Forum 2021, 2, 39 3 of 6 and the density parameter is rj rj W = = (7) j 2 2 + 3H Mpl rj rm where, rm is matter density and Mpl is the Planck mass. Moreover, . rm + 3Hrm = 0 (8) Now we define the dimensionless parameters, 00 −mpV l = (9) V VV00 Г = (10) (V0)2 which are functions of the field l = l(j) and Г = Г(j), where ‘λ’ parametrizes the slope of the potential and ‘Г’ is called the tracking parameter, and where V” and V0 are differentiations with respect to the scalar field, j, and V is the scalar field potential. The potential is shallow for small values of l (a tracker solution leads to small l), and if the field dominates the universe, it could become quintessence. Taking the time derivative of (9) and using (10), we obtain . l −j = (Г − ) 2 1 (11) l mp From Equations (5)–(8), we obtain the following equations for w and Wj (see [16–18]) 0 h q i w = (1 − w) −3(1 + w) + l 3(1 + w)Wj (12) 0 W j = −3wWj 1 − Wj (13) 0 q 2 l = − 3(1 + w)Wj(Г − 1)l (14) where a prime represents a derivative with respect to N = ln a.