Non-linear spherical collapse in tachyon models, and a comparison of collapse in tachyon and quintessence models of dark energy

Abstract

We study evolution of perturbations in dark matter and dark energy for spherical collapse. We study Tachyon models of dark energy using the approach outlined in Rajvanshi and Bagla (2018). We work with models that are allowed by current observations. We find that as with Quintessence models allowed by observations, dark energy perturbations do not affect evolution of perturbations in dark matter in a significant manner. Perturbations in dark energy remain small for such models. In order to compare different classes of dark energy models, we use reconstruction of potentials and study dark matter and dark energy perturbations for same expansion history in the two models. We find that dark matter perturbations carry no imprint of the class of dark energy models for the same expansion history: this is significant in that we can work with any convenient model to study clustering of dark matter. We find that the evolution of dark energy perturbations carries an imprint of the class of models in that these grow differently in Tachyon models and Quintessence models. However, the difference between these diminishes for (1+w)<<1 and hence prospects for differentiating between models using characteristics of perturbations are limited in our Universe.