Modified Brans-Dicke cosmology with matter-scalar field interaction

Abstract

We discuss the cosmological implications of an extended Brans-Dicke theory presented recently, in which there is an energy exchange between the scalar field and ordinary matter, determined by the theory. A new mass scale is generated in the theory which modifies the Friedmann equations with field-dependent corrected kinetic terms. In a radiation universe the general solutions are found and there are branches with complete removal of the initial singularity, while at the same time a transient accelerating period can occur within deceleration. Entropy production is also possible in the early universe. In the dust era, late-times acceleration has been found numerically in agreement with the correct behaviour of the density parameters and the dark energy equation of state, while the gravitational constant has only a slight variation over a large redshift interval in agreement with observational bounds.