SUSY QCD and quintessence - art. no. 023504

Recent data point in the direction of a cosmological constant dominated uni verse. We investigate the role of supersymmetric QCD with N-f<N-c as a poss ible candidate for a dynamical cosmological constant("quintes sence"). When N-f>1, the multiscalar dynamics is fully taken into account, showing that a certain degree of flavor symmetry in the initial conditions is necessary in order to attain the required late-time "tracking" attractor behavior. A possible solution to the problem of long-range interactions of gravitationa l strength is proposed. Finally we show how, as a consequence of the intera ction with the standard model fields, the early cosmological evolution of t he scalar fields may be dramatically altered, and the approach to the track ing behavior may become much more efficient.