Conference Proceedings

Fermions, scalars and dark energy

BHJ McKellar, P Alsing, T Goldman, GJ Stephenson

Aip Conference Proceedings | AMER INST PHYSICS | Published : 2010

Abstract

We present a model in which neutral fermions, weakly interacting with light scalars, can lead to a regime in which the equation of state parameter is near (but above) -1 for a range of values of the red shift z. Our model is distinguished from many scalar field models which give a cosmic acceleration by requiring that the equation of state parameter approaches 0 as the density of our fermions approaches zero, and approaches the value for a relativistic gas in the early universe. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by NNSA of U.S. DOE at LANL


Funding Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the organisers of this workshop for the opportunity to explain the recent developments in models we talked about in Adelaide earlier. We acknowledge the support of the Australian ARC, and the NNSA of the U.S. DOE at LANL (Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.NNSA), and the Stephenson and McKellar pension funds.