EXACT CONFORMAL SCALAR FIELD COSMOLOGIES

New exact solutions of Einstein's gravity coupled to a self-interacting conformal scalar field are derived in this work. Our approach extends a solution-generating technique originally introduced by Bekenstein for massless conformal scalar fields. Solutions are obtained for a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometry both for the cases of zero and non-zero curvatures, and a variety of interesting features are found. It is shown that one class of solutions tends asymptotically to a power-law inflationary behaviour S(t) approximately t(p) with p > 1, while another class exhibits a late time approach to the S(t) approximately t behaviour of the coasting models. Bouncing models are also obtained. A general discussion of the asymptotic behaviour and of the possibility of occurrence of inflation is provided.