On the Stability of Phantom K-essence Theories

Abstract

We show that phantom dark energy, if it is described by a K-essence theory, has three fundamental problems: first, its hamiltonian is unbounded from below. Second, classical stability precludes the equation of state from crossing the ``Lambda-barrier'', $w_\Lambda=-1$. Finally, both the equation of state and the sound speed are unbounded -- the first, from below, the second, from above -- if the kinetic term is not bounded by dynamics.