General dynamics of varying-alpha universes

We introduce and study extensions of the varying alpha theory of Bekenstein-Sandvik-Barrow-Magueijo to allow for an arbitrary coupling function and self-interaction potential term in the theory. We study the full evolution equations without assuming that variations in alpha have a negligible effect on the expansion scale factor and the matter density evolution, as was assumed in earlier studies. The background Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology of this model in the cases of zero and nonzero spatial curvature is studied in detail, using dynamical systems techniques, for a wide class of potentials and coupling functions. All the asymptotic behaviors are found, together with some new solutions. We study the cases where the electromagnetic parameter, zeta, is positive and negative, corresponding to magnetic and electrostatic energy domination in the nonrelativistic matter. In particular, we investigate the cases where the scalar field driving alpha variations has exponential and power-law self-interaction potentials and the behavior of theories where the coupling constant between matter and alpha variations is no longer a constant.