English

II. Non-Linear Interacting Dark Energy: Analytical Solutions and Theoretical Pathologies

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2025-10-20 v2 Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Abstract

We investigate interacting dark energy (IDE) models with phenomenological, non-linear interaction kernels QQ, specifically Q1=3Hδ(ρdmρdeρdm+ρde)Q_{1}=3H\delta \left(\frac{\rho_{\rm dm}\rho_{\rm de}}{\rho_{\rm dm}+\rho_{\rm de}}\right), Q2=3Hδ(ρdm2ρdm+ρde)Q_{2}=3H\delta \left(\frac{\rho_{\rm dm}^2}{\rho_{\rm dm}+\rho_{\rm de}}\right), and Q3=3Hδ(ρde2ρdm+ρde)Q_{3}=3H\delta \left(\frac{\rho_{\rm de}^2}{\rho_{\rm dm}+\rho_{\rm de}}\right). Using dynamical system techniques developed in our companion paper on linear kernels, we derive new conditions that ensure positive and well-defined energy densities, as well as criteria to avoid future big rip singularities. We find that for Q1Q_{1}, all densities remain positive, while for Q2Q_{2} and Q3Q_{3} negative values of either DM or DE are unavoidable if energy flows from DM to DE. We also show that for Q1Q_{1} and Q2Q_{2} a big rip singularity always arises in the phantom regime w<1w<-1, whereas for Q3Q_{3} this fate may be avoided if energy flows from DE to DM. In addition, we provide new exact analytical solutions for ρdm\rho_{\rm dm} and ρde\rho_{\rm de} in the cases of Q2Q_{2} and Q3Q_{3}, and obtain new expressions for the effective equations of state of DM, DE, the total fluid, and the reconstructed dynamical DE equation of state (wdmeffw_{\rm dm}^{\rm eff}, wdeeffw_{\rm de}^{\rm eff}, wtoteffw_{\rm tot}^{\rm eff}, and w~\tilde{w}). Using these results, we discuss phantom crossings, evaluate how each kernel addresses the coincidence problem, and apply statefinder diagnostics to compare the models. These findings extend the theoretical understanding of non-linear IDE models and provide analytical tools for future observational constraints.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.04494,
  title  = {II. Non-Linear Interacting Dark Energy: Analytical Solutions and Theoretical Pathologies},
  author = {Marcel van der Westhuizen and Amare Abebe and Eleonora Di Valentino},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.04494},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

38 pages, 19 figures, 12 tables. This work is the second in a series of three companion papers on interacting dark energy: I. Linear Interacting Dark Energy (arXiv:2509.04495), II. Non-Linear Interacting Dark Energy, and III. Summary and Constraints (arXiv:2509.04496)

R2 v1 2026-07-01T05:21:52.044Z