Quintessence (physics)

For other forms of quintessence, see Quintessence

(disambiguation). For theories and defunct or classical
concepts named after the synonym Aether, see Aether
(disambiguation).

than) the radiation density until matter-radiation equality, which triggers quintessence to start having characteristics similar to dark energy, eventually dominating the
universe. This naturally sets the low scale of the dark
energy.[5] When comparing the predicted expansion rate
of the universe as given by the tracker solutions with cosmological data, a main feature of tracker solutions is that
one needs four parameters to properly describe the behavior of their equation of state,[6][7] whereas it has been
shown that at most a two-parameter model can optimally
be constrained by mid-term future data (horizon 20152020).[8]

In physics, quintessence is a hypothetical form of dark

energy, more precisely a scalar eld, postulated as an explanation of the observation of an accelerating rate of expansion of the universe, rather than due to a true cosmological constant. The rst example of this scenario
was proposed by Ratra and Peebles (1988).[1] The concept was expanded to more general types of time-varying
dark energy and the term quintessence was rst introduced in a paper by R.R.Caldwell, Rahul Dave and Paul
Steinhardt.[2] It has been proposed by some physicists to
be a fth fundamental force. Quintessence diers from
the cosmological constant explanation of dark energy in
that it is dynamic, that is, it changes over time, unlike the
cosmological constant which always stays constant. It is
suggested that quintessence can be either attractive or repulsive depending on the ratio of its kinetic and potential
energy. Specically, it is thought that quintessence became repulsive about ten billion years ago (the universe
is approximately 13.8 billion years old).[3]

3 Specic models
Some special cases of quintessence are phantom energy,
in which wq < 1,[9] and k-essence (short for kinetic
quintessence), which has a non-standard form of kinetic
energy. If this type of energy were to exist, it would cause
a big rip in the universe due to the growing energy density of dark energy which would cause the expansion of
the universe to increase at a faster-than-exponential rate.

3.1 Holographic Dark Energy

Scalar eld

Holographic Dark Energy models compared to CosmoQuintessence is a scalar eld with an equation of state logical Constant models, imply a high degeneracy.[10] It
where wq, the ratio of pressure pq and density q, is given has been suggested that dark energy might originate from
by the potential energy V (Q) and a kinetic term:
quantum uctuations of spacetime, and are limited by the
event horizon of the universe.[11]
Studies with quintessence dark energy found that it dominates gravitational collapse in a spacetime simulation,
+ V (Q)
based on the holographic thermalization. These results
show that the smaller the state parameter of quintessence
Hence, quintessence is dynamic, and generally has a denis, the harder it is for the plasma to thermalize.[12]
sity and wq parameter that varies with time. By contrast,
a cosmological constant is static, with a xed energy density and wq = 1.
wq = pq /q =

1 2
2Q
1 2
2Q

V (Q)

4 Quintom scenario
2

Tracker behavior

In 2004, when scientists t the evolution of dark energy

with the cosmological data, they found that the equation
of state had possibly crossed the cosmological constant
boundary (w = 1) from above to below. A proven nogo theorem indicates this situation, called the Quintom
scenario, requires at least two degrees of freedom for dark
energy models.[13]

Many models of quintessence have a tracker behavior,

which according to Ratra and Peebles (1988) and Paul
Steinhardt et al. (1999) partly solves the cosmological
constant problem.[4] In these models, the quintessence
eld has a density which closely tracks (but is less
1

Terminology

EXTERNAL LINKS

[8] Linder, Eric V.; Huterer, Dragan (2005).

How
many cosmological parameters.
Physical
Review D 72 (4):
043509.
arXiv:astroph/0505330.
Bibcode:2005PhRvD..72d3509L.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.72.043509.

The name comes from the classical elements in ancient

Greece. The aether, a pure fth element (quinta essentia in Latin), was thought to ll the universe beyond Earth.
Similarly, modern quintessence would be the fth known [9] Caldwell, R. R. (2002). A phantom menace? Cosmological consequences of a dark energy component
contribution to the overall mass-energy content of the
with super-negative equation of state. Physics Letuniverse. (The other four in the modern interpretation,
ters B 545 (1-2): 2329. arXiv:astro-ph/9908168.
dierent from the ancient ideas, are: baryonic matter;
Bibcode:2002PhLB..545...23C.
doi:10.1016/S0370radiation photons and the highly relativistic neutrinos,
2693(02)02589-3.
which may be considered hot dark matter; cold dark
matter; and the term due to spatial curvature loosely, [10] Yazhou Hu, Miao Li, Nan Li, Zhenhui Zhang (2015).
gravitational self-energy.)
Holographic Dark Energy with Cosmological Constant.

See also
Dark-energy-dominated era

References

[11] Shan Gao (2013).

Explaining Holographic
Dark Energy.
Bibcode:2013Galax...1..180G.
doi:10.3390/galaxies1030180.
[12] Xiao-Xiong
Zeng,
De-You
Chen,
Li-Fang
Li (2014).
Holographic thermalization and
gravitational collapse in the spacetime dominated by quintessence dark energy (PDF).
arXiv:1408.6632.
Bibcode:2015PhRvD..91d6005Z.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.91.046005.

[1] Ratra, P.;

Peebles, L. (1988).
Cosmological consequences of a rolling homogeneous scalar eld.
Physical Review D 37
(12):
3406.
Bibcode:1988PhRvD..37.3406R.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.37.3406.

[13] Hu, Wayne (2005).

Crossing the phantom divide: Dark energy internal degrees of freedom.
Physical Review D 71 (4): 047301.
arXiv:astroph/0410680.
Bibcode:2005PhRvD..71d7301H.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.71.047301.

[2] Caldwell, R.R.; Dave, R.; Steinhardt, P.J. (1998).

Cosmological Imprint of an Energy Component with
General Equation-of-State. Phys.Rev.Lett. 80 (8): 1582
1585. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.1582.

7.1 Further reading

[3] Christopher Wanjek;

Quintessence, accelerating
the Universe?";
http://www.astronomytoday.com/
cosmology/quintessence.html
[4] Zlatev, I.; Wang, L.; Steinhardt, P. (1999).
Quintessence,
Cosmic
Coincidence,
and
the Cosmological Constant.
Physical Review Letters 82 (5):
896899.
arXiv:astroph/9807002.
Bibcode:1999PhRvL..82..896Z.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.896.
[5] Steinhardt, P.; Wang, L.; Zlatev, I. (1999).
Physical
Cosmological tracking solutions.
Review D 59 (12):
123504.
arXiv:astroBibcode:1999PhRvD..59l3504S.
ph/9812313.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.59.123504.
[6] Linden, Sebastian; Virey, Jean-Marc (2008). Test
of
the
Chevallier-Polarski-Linder
parametrization for rapid dark energy equation of state tranPhysical Review D 78 (2):
023526.
sitions.
arXiv:0804.0389.
Bibcode:2008PhRvD..78b3526L.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.78.023526.
[7] Ferramacho, L.; Blanchard, A.; Zolnierowsky, Y.;
Riazuelo, A. (2010). Constraints on dark energy
evolution.
A&A 514: A20.
arXiv:0909.1703.
Bibcode:2010A&A...514A..20F.
doi:10.1051/00046361/200913271.

Ostriker JP; Steinhardt P (January 2001). The

Quintessential Universe. Scientic American 284
(1): 4653. doi:10.1038/scienticamerican010146.
Lawrence M. Krauss (2000). Quintessence: The
Search for Missing Mass in the Universe. Basic
Books. ISBN 978-0465037414.

8 External links

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

Text

Quintessence (physics) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quintessence_(physics)?oldid=693232782 Contributors: AxelBoldt, Bryan

Derksen, Ted Longstae, Bth, Montrealais, Michael Hardy, Nixdorf, Muriel Gottrop~enwiki, Loren Rosen, Emperorbma, Alex S, Timwi,
Reddi, Markhurd, DW40, Jeq, Barbara Shack, Snowdog, Beland, Bbbl67, Thorwald, Rich Farmbrough, Pjacobi, Gianluigi, Dbachmann,
Eric Forste, El C, I9Q79oL78KiL0QTFHgyc, Dirac1933, Richard Weil, GregorB, Joke137, Rjwilmsi, RE, Diza, Hairy Dude, NawlinWiki, Dbrs, 2over0, Petri Krohn, KasugaHuang, SmackBot, Rentier, Cybercobra, LoveEncounterFlow, Ossipewsk, Kurtan~enwiki,
Jerald Frazier (aka DJ Adrenaline), Penbat, Thijs!bot, N5iln, Peter Gulutzan, Jpod2, Tarotcards, VolkovBot, Don4of4, Lamro, EoGuy,
Andwor, AbJ32, Agentxyz, Rreagan007, Addbot, Legobot, Yobot, Baxxterr, AnomieBOT, Nighthawk008, Citation bot, Finncarey, Lsj,
Tom.Reding, RjwilmsiBot, Mmpcq, Klbrain, Hhhippo, Khestwol, ClueBot NG, P0lise, Mr Gearloose, MerlIwBot, Bibcode Bot, BG19bot,
Mediran, Andyhowlett, Prokaryotes, Blanclar, Monkbot, Diloshwan, Tetra quark, The Rocky Road and Anonymous: 57

9.2

Images

File:Ambox_important.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work, based o of Image:Ambox scales.svg Original artist: Dsmurat (talk contribs)

9.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0