Oscillating Towards the de Sitter Universe

Abstract

In this paper, we consider spatially flat FLRW cosmological models in two contexts in an attempt to derive a set of conditions that characterize when such models exhibit oscillatory behaviour. In the first case, we consider a spatially flat FLRW model with only a minimally-coupled scalar field, described by a nonnegative scalar field potential. In the second case, we extended this model to include barotropic matter. We show that for the case of a positive cosmological constant, spatial flatness, and barotropic matter, oscillatory solutions are certainly possible. However, these solutions do not oscillate indefinitely, they decay over time. Interestingly, it is shown that all such solutions oscillate and decay towards the de Sitter equilibrium point, which represents an inflationary epoch in such models. This implies that for certain families of scalar field potentials, the universe may have undergone several oscillations \emph{before} entering an inflationary epoch.