Scalar - tensor cosmologies and their late time evolution

May, 1998
23 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.D 58 (1998) 124005
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Abstract: (arXiv)
We study the asymptotic behavior at late times of Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (uniform density) cosmological models within scalar-tensor theories of gravity. Particularly, we analyze the late time behavior in the present (matter dominated) epoch of the universe. The result of Damour and Nordtvedt that for a massless scalar in a flat cosmology the Universe evolves towards a state indistinguishable from general relativity is generalized. We first study a massless scalar field in an open universe. It is found that, while the universe tends to approach a state with less scalar contribution to gravity, the attractor mechanism is not effective enough to drive the theory towards a final state indistinguishable from general relativity. For the self-interacting case it is found that the scalar field potential dominates the late time behavior. In most cases this makes the attractor mechanism effective, thus resulting in a theory of gravity with vanishingly small scalar contribution even for the open Universe.
  • Friedman model: asymptotic behavior
  • space-time: Robertson-Walker
  • gravitation
  • field theory: tensor
  • field theory: scalar
  • massless
  • general relativity
  • potential: scalar
  • time
  • attractor