SEMINAR

Brane assisted quintessential inflation: a model with transient acceleration

Nuno M. C. Santos

(CFTP-IST)

Sala P7, IST, Edifício Matemática
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 at 04:00 PM

Abstract

The universe seems to exhibit an interesting symmetry with regard to the accelerated expansion, namely, it underwent inflation at early epochs and is believed to be accelerating at present. Within the framework of general relativity, cosmic acceleration should be sourced by an energy-momentum tensor which has a large negative pressure. This can be achieved with a slowly rolling scalar field. In the context of the Randall-Sundrum one-brane construction, we will present a simple model of quintessential inflation, i.e. a model in which a single scalar field plays the role of inflaton and quintessence. It will be shown that the evolution of the scalar field from inflation to the present epoch is consistent with the observational constraints. If time allows, we will also briefly review a number of other approaches that have been adopted to explain the late time acceleration of the universe.