Braneworld Quintessential Inflation and Sum of Exponentials Potentials

Abstract

Quintessential inflation--in which a single scalar field plays the role of the inflaton and quintessence--from a sum of exponentials potential V = A (exp{5 phi}+exp{sqrt{2} phi}) or V = A (exp{5 phi}+exp{phi}) or a cosh potential V = 2A cosh(5 phi) is considered in the context of five-dimensional gravitation with standard model particles confined to our 3-brane. Reheating is accomplished via gravitational particle production and the universe undergoes a transition from primordial inflation to radiation domination well before big bang nucleosynthesis. The transition to an accelerating universe due to quintessence occurs near z = 1, as in LambdaCDM. Braneworld quintessential inflation can occur for potentials with or without a minimum, and with or without eternal acceleration and an event horizon. The low z behavior of the equation of state parameter w_phi provides a clear observable signal distinguishing quintessence from a cosmological constant.