Role of C-Field in Emergent Universe Scenarios in Alternative Gravity

The emergent universe scenario offers a non-singular model in which the universe originates from a past-eternal, static phase and gradually evolves into an inflationary and then accelerated expansion phase. The creation field (C-field), initially proposed by Hoyle and Narlikar, provides a mechanism for continuous matter creation and can play a crucial role in supporting such cosmological models. This paper explores the role of the C-field in constructing emergent universe models within alternative theories of gravity, such as Brans-Dicke and f(R) gravity. The analysis shows that the inclusion of a C-field can help avoid initial singularities, support a stable Einstein static phase, and explain the transition to late-time acceleration