Explaining inflation and dark energy of universe using three-form models

Abstract

Three-form fields can give rise to viable cosmological scenarios of dark energy and inflation. To simultaneously explain the present accelerated expansion of the universe and the coincidence problem, three-form field needs to couple to dark matter. In this dissertation we study four types of dark matter couplings. It has been found that the first three couplings which depend on dark matter energy density Pc can give the accelerated expansion of the universe; however, they cannot solve the coincidence problem. For the fourth coupling which does not depend on Pc, it is capable of both providing the accelerated expanding universe and solving the coincidence problem.