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The Ermakov-Pinney Equation in Scalar Field Cosmologies

Rachael M. Hawkins, James E. Lidsey

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0112139

Abstract

It is shown that the dynamics of cosmologies sourced by a mixture of perfect fluids and self-interacting scalar fields are described by the non-linear, Ermakov-Pinney equation. The general solution of this equation can be expressed in terms of particular solutions to a related, linear differential equation. This characteristic is employed to derive exact cosmologies in the inflationary and quintessential scenarios. The relevance of the Ermakov-Pinney equation to the braneworld scenario is discussed.

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