Non-linear gravitational clustering in scalar field cosmologies

Abstract

Non-linear gravitational clustering in a universe dominated by dark energy, modelled by a `quintessence' scalar field, and cold dark matter with space-time varying mass is studied. Models of this type, where the variable mass is induced by dependence on the scalar field, as suggested by string theory or extra-dimensions, have been proposed as a viable solution of the coincidence problem. A general framework for the study of the non-linear phases of structure formation in scalar field cosmologies is provided, starting from a general relativistic treatment of the combined dark matter-dark energy system. As a first application, the mildly non-linear evolution of dark matter perturbations is obtained by a straightforward extension of the Zel'dovich approximation. We argue that the dark energy fluctuations may play an active role in cosmological structure formation if the scalar field effective potential develops a temporary spinodal instability during the evolution.

6 pages, final version, to appear on JCAP

References in corpus (1)

• Dark Energy and Dark Matter

Cited by in corpus (24)

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• Dark Energy Condensation
• The Parameterized Post-Friedmannian Framework for Interacting Dark Energy Theories
• Cosmological perturbations from varying masses and couplings
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• Voids and overdensities of coupled Dark Energy
• Local transformations of units in Scalar-Tensor Cosmology