Quintessence and Thermal Matter
arXiv:astro-ph/0402541 · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2004.06.053
Abstract
We investigate the effects of thermal interactions on tracking models of quintessence. We show that even Planck-suppressed interactions between matter and the quintessence field can alter its evolution. The dark energy equation of state is in many cases strongly affected by matter couplings. We obtain a bound on the coupling between quintessence and relativistic relic particles such as the photon or neutrino.
LaTex, 11 pages, 5 figures. Minor additions. Version to appear in Physics Letters B