Title:Scale Factor Self-Dual Cosmological Models

Abstract:We implement a conformal time scale factor duality for Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological models, which is consistent with the weak energy condition. The requirement for self-duality determines the equations of state for a broad class of barotropic fluids. We study the example of a universe filled with two interacting fluids, presenting an accelerated and a decelerated period, with manifest UV/IR duality. The associated self-dual scalar field interaction turns out to coincide with the "radiation-like" modified Chaplygin gas models. We present an equivalent realization of them as gauged Kähler sigma models (minimally coupled to gravity) with very specific and interrelated Kähler- and super-potentials. Their applications in the description of hilltop inflation and also as quintessence models for the late universe are discussed.