Tachyons, Scalar Fields and Cosmology

We study the role that tachyon fields may play in cosmology as compared to the well-established use of minimally coupled scalar fields. We first elaborate on a kind of correspondence existing between tachyons and minimally coupled scalar fields; corresponding theories give rise to the same cosmological evolution for a particular choice of the initial conditions but not for any other. This leads us to study a specific one-parameter family of tachyonic models based on a perfect fluid mixed with a positive cosmological constant. For positive values of the parameter one needs to modify Sen's action and use the sigma process of resolution of singularities. The physics described by this model is dramatically different and much richer than that of the corresponding scalar field. For particular choices of the initial conditions the universe, that does mimick for a long time a de Sitter-like expansion, ends up in a finite time in a special type of singularity that we call a "big brake". This singularity is characterized by an infinite deceleration.Comment: 7 figures. Enlarged discussion of the big brake cosmology. Continuation of the model clarified. References adde

Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations in presence of the Chaplygin gas: stars and wormhole-like solutions

We study static solutions of the Tolman--Oppenheimer--Volkoff equations for spherically symmetric objects (stars) living in a space filled with the Chaplygin gas. Two cases are considered. In the normal case all solutions (excluding the de Sitter one) realize a three-dimensional spheroidal geometry because the radial coordinate achieves a maximal value (the "equator"). After crossing the equator, three scenarios are possible: a closed spheroid having a Schwarzschild-type singularity with infinite blue-shift at the "south pole", a regular spheroid, and a truncated spheroid having a scalar curvature singularity at a finite value of the radial coordinate. The second case arises when the modulus of the pressure exceeds the energy density (the phantom Chaplygin gas). There is no more equator and all solutions have the geometry of a truncated spheroid with the same type of singularity. We consider also static spherically symmetric configurations existing in a universe filled with the phantom Chaplygin gas only. In this case two classes of solutions exist: truncated spheroids and solutions of the wormhole type with a throat. However, the latter are not asymptotically flat and possess curvature singularities at finite values of the radial coordinate. Thus, they may not be used as models of observable compact astrophysical objects.Comment: A reference added, matches the version published in Physical Review

Gravity of a static massless scalar field and a limiting Schwarzschild-like geometry

We study a set of static solutions of the Einstein equations in presence of a massless scalar field and establish their connection to the Kantowski-Sachs cosmological solutions based on some kind of duality transformations. The physical properties of the limiting case of an empty hyperbolic spacetime (pseudo-Schwarzschild geometry) are analyzed in some detail.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Cosmological zoo -- accelerating models with dark energy

ecent observations of type Ia supernovae indicate that the Universe is in an accelerating phase of expansion. The fundamental quest in theoretical cosmology is to identify the origin of this phenomenon. In principle there are two possibilities: 1) the presence of matter which violates the strong energy condition (a substantial form of dark energy), 2) modified Friedmann equations (Cardassian models -- a non-substantial form of dark matter). We classify all these models in terms of 2-dimensional dynamical systems of the Newtonian type. We search for generic properties of the models. It is achieved with the help of Peixoto's theorem for dynamical system on the Poincar{\'e} sphere. We find that the notion of structural stability can be useful to distinguish the generic cases of evolutional paths with acceleration. We find that, while the $\Lambda$CDM models and phantom models are typical accelerating models, the cosmological models with bouncing phase are non-generic in the space of all planar dynamical systems. We derive the universal shape of potential function which gives rise to presently accelerating models. Our results show explicitly the advantages of using a potential function (instead of the equation of state) to probe the origin of the present acceleration. We argue that simplicity and genericity are the best guide in understanding our Universe and its acceleration.Comment: RevTeX4, 23 pages, 10 figure

Nonlinear evolution of dark matter and dark energy in the Chaplygin-gas cosmology

The hypothesis that dark matter and dark energy are unified through the Chaplygin gas is reexamined. Using generalizations of the spherical model which incorporate effects of the acoustic horizon we show that an initially perturbative Chaplygin gas evolves into a mixed system containing cold dark matter-like gravitational condensate.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, substantial revision, title changed, content changed, added references, to appear in JCA

Hessence: A New View of Quintom Dark Energy

Recently a lot of attention has been drawn to build dark energy model in which the equation-of-state parameter $w$ can cross the phantom divide $w=-1$. One of models to realize crossing the phantom divide is called quintom model, in which two real scalar fields appears, one is a normal scalar field and the other is a phantom-type scalar field. In this paper we propose a non-canonical complex scalar field as the dark energy, which we dub ``hessence'', to implement crossing the phantom divide, in a similar sense as the quintom dark energy model. In the hessence model, the dark energy is described by a single field with an internal degree of freedom rather than two independent real scalar fields. However, the hessence is different from an ordinary complex scalar field, we show that the hessence can avoid the difficulty of the Q-balls formation which gives trouble to the spintessence model (An ordinary complex scalar field acts as the dark energy). Furthermore, we find that, by choosing a proper potential, the hessence could correspond to a Chaplygin gas at late times.Comment: Latex2e, 12 pages, no figure; v2: discussions and references added, 14 pages, 3 eps figures; v3: published versio

The Chaplygin gas, a model for dark energy in cosmology.

We review the essential features of the Chaplygin gas cosmological models and provide some examples of appearance of the Chaplygin gas equation of state in modern physics. A possible theoretical basis for the Chaplygin gas in cosmology is discussed. The relation with scalar field and tachyon cosmological models is also considered

The Chaplygin gas as a model for dark energy

We review the essential features of the Chaplygin gas cosmological models and provide some examples of appearance of the Chaplygin gas equation of state in modern physics. A possible theoretical basis for the Chaplygin gas in cosmology is discussed. The relation with scalar field and tachyon cosmological models is also considered.