Quintessence and cosmic acceleration

Abstract

A cosmological model with perfect fluid and self-interacting quintessence field is considered in the framework of the spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) geometry. By assuming that all physical quantities depend on the volume scale factor of the Universe, the general solution of the gravitational field equations can be expressed in an exact parametric form, with the volume taken as the parameter, and with the quintessence field as a free parameter. With an appropriate choice of the scalar field a class of exact parametric solutions is obtained, with an exponential type scalar field potential fixed via the gravitational field equations. The general physical behavior of the model is consistent with the recent cosmological scenario favored by supernova type Ia observations, indicating an accelerated expansion of the Universe.