Model-dependent Axion as Quintessence with Almost Massless Hidden Sector Quarks

A pseudo-Goldstone boson for quintessence is known to require the decay constant $F_q\sim M_P$ and the height of the potential $(0.003 eV)^4$, and hence the pseudo-Goldstone boson mass of order $10^{-33}$ eV. The model-dependent axion in some superstring models is suggested as a good candidate for the quintessence. We realize this idea with a hidden-sector gauge group $SU(3)_H\times U(1)_H$. The hidden-sector instanton contribution to the quintessence potential is suppressed by the almost massless hidden-sector quarks. The model-independent axion is the QCD axion required for the strong CP solution.