Dynamical systems analysis of anisotropic cosmologies in $R^n$-gravity

Abstract

In this paper we study the dynamics of {\it orthogonal spatially homogeneous} Bianchi cosmologies in $R^n$-gravity. We construct a compact state space by dividing the state space into different sectors. We perform a detailed analysis of the cosmological behaviour in terms of the parameter $n$, determining all the equilibrium points, their stability and corresponding cosmological evolution. In particular, the appropriately compactified state space allows us to investigate static and bouncing solutions. We find no Einstein static solutions, but there do exist cosmologies with bounce behaviours. We also investigate the isotropisation of these models and find that all isotropic points are flat Friedmann like.

21pages, revised to match published version