Kinetic coupled tachyon: A dynamical system analysis

Abstract

We present and examine a kinetically coupled tachyon dark energy model, where a tachyon scalar field $\varphi$ interacts with the matter sector. More specifically, we deduce this cosmological setting from a generalised interacting dark energy model that allows for the kinetic term of the scalar field to couple to the matter species a priori in the action. A thorough dynamical system analysis and its cosmological implications unveil the appearance of a scaling solution which is also an attractor of the system, thanks to a novel critical point, with a period of accelerated expansion thereafter. This new solution, not present in the uncoupled case, has the enticing consequence of alleviating the coincidence problem.