General Dynamics of Varying-Alpha Universes

Understand

We introduce and study extensions of the varying alpha theory of Bekenstein-Sandvik-Barrow-Magueijo to allow for an arbitrary coupling function and self-interaction potential term in the theory.

• We study the full evolution equations without assuming that variations in alpha have a negligible effect on the expansion scale factor and the matter density evolution, as was assumed in earlier studies.
• The background FRW cosmology of this model in the cases of zero and non-zero spatial curvature is studied in detail, using dynamical systems techniques, for a wide class of potentials and coupling functions.
• All the asymptotic behaviours are found, together with some new solutions.