摘要
We explore the dynamics of assisted quintessence, where more than one scalar field is present with the same potential. For potentials with tracking solutions, the fields naturally approach the same values-in the context of inflation this leads to the assisted inflation phenomenon where several fields can cooperate to drive a period of inflation though none is able to individually. For exponential potentials, we study the fixed points and their stability confirming results already in the literature, and then carry out a numerical analysis to show how assisted quintessence is realized. For inverse power-law potentials, we find by contrast that there is no assisted behavior-indeed those are the unique (monotonic) potentials where several fields together behave just as a single field in the same potential. More generally, we provide an algorithm for generating a single-field potential giving equivalent dynamics to multifield assisted quintessence.