Inflationary equilibrium configurations of scalar-tensor theories of gravity

Understand

In this paper we investigate the asymptotic dynamics of inflationary cosmological models that are based in scalar-tensor theories of gravity.

• Our main aim is to explore the global structure of the phase space in the framework of single-field inflation models.
• For this purpose we make emphasis in the adequate choice of the variables of the phase space.
• Our results indicate that, although single-field inflation is generic in the sense that the corresponding critical point in the phase space exists for a wide class of potentials, along given phase space orbits -- representing potential cosmic histories -- the occurrence of the inflationary stage is rather dependent on the initial conditions.