Some cosmological consequences of higher dimensional Klein–Gordon–Rastall theory

Abstract Using dynamical system analysis, we investigate some cosmological consequences of Rastall gravity coupled to a scalar field (called the Klein–Gordon–Rastall theory) with exponential scalar potential turned on in higher dimensions. From the critical points of the autonomous equations, we can determine the dominant components of the energy density in different cosmic eras. We obtain a fixed point representing a scalar field-matter-dominated era which corresponds to either a late-time or past-time attractor depending on the parameters used. According to this point, the inflationary phase, corresponding to past-time attractors, is given by unstable nodes, whilst the dark energy era, corresponding to late-time attractors, is represented by stable nodes. In the inflationary sector, power-law inflation can still occur in this Klein–Gordon–Rastall cosmological model. On the other hand, in the late-time sector, we find a nontrivial interplay between a scalar field with an exponential potential and the non-conservative energy-momentum tensor of the non-relativistic matter field (baryonic-dark matter) in curved spacetime plays a role as the dark energy. Based on such features, the Klein–Gordon–Rastall cosmology could be a promising candidate for describing both the early and late-time universe.