Inflationary cosmology with scalar field and radiation (Q1807423)

The author has constructed a thermodynamically consistent cosmological model containing a scalar field interacting with radiation. The scalar field and radiation are not separately conserved, and it is shown how the decay of the scalar field leads to the creation of radiation particles. The phenomenological rate of particle creation is derived from the first law of thermodynamics applied to the radiation. The resulting Einstein field equations, together with the conservation equations, are not a closed system. In order to close the system of equations describing these models, the author makes an ansatz for both the scalar field potential, and the Hubble parameter. The scalar field potential is chosen to be consistent with initial conditions, and the Hubble parameter \(H\) is obtained by finding a candidate function that matches the asymptotic solutions. An exact solution is found and the behaviour of the scalar field and radiation discussed. A graphical plot of the radiation density and the scalar field density illustrates the creation of radiation through the decay of the scalar field.