Since the past Iagrg meeting in December 2004, new developments in loop quantum cosmology have taken place, especially with regards to the resolution of the Big Bang singularity in the isotropic models. The singularity resolution issue has been discussed in terms of physical quantities (expectation values of Dirac observables) and there is also an ``improved'' quantization of the Hamiltonian constraint. These developments are briefly discussed.
This is an expanded version of the review talk given at the 24$^{\mathrm{th}}$ IAGRG meeting in February 2007.
Much of the published work regarding the Isotropic Singularity is performed under the assumption that the matter source for the cosmological model is a barotropic perfect fluid, or even a perfect fluid with a $γ$-law equation of state. There are, however, some general properties of cosmological models which admit an Isotropic Singularity, irrespective of the matter source. In particular, we show that the Isotropic Singularity is a point-like singularity and that vacuum space-times cannot admit an Isotropic Singularity. The relationships between the Isotropic Singularity, and the energy conditi…
It is argued that the initial cosmological singularity is isotropic in spatially inhomogeneous brane-world models. This implies that brane cosmology may naturally give rise to a set of initial data that provide the conditions for inflation to subsequently take place, consequently offering a plausible solution to the initial conditions problem in cosmology.
We evaluate the physical viability and logical strength of an array of putative criteria for big bang singularity resolution in quantum cosmology. Based on this analysis, we propose a mutually consistent set of constitutive conditions, which we argue should be taken to jointly define `global' and `local' big bang singularity resolution in this context. Whilst the present article will focus exclusively on evaluating resolution criteria for big bang singularities in the context of finite dimensional models of quantum cosmology, it is also hoped that the core features of our analysis will be exte…
The behaviour of Jacobi fields along a time-like geodesic running into an isotropic singularity is studied. It is shown that the Jacobi fields are crushed to zero length at a rate which is the same in every direction orthogonal to the geodesic. We show by means of a counter-example that this crushing effect depends crucially on a technicality of the definition of isotropic singularities, and not just on the uniform degeneracy of the metric at the singularity.
Isotropic cosmology built in the framework of the Poincaré gauge theory of gravity based on sufficiently general expression of gravitational Lagrangian is considered. The derivation of cosmological equations and equations for torsion functions in the case of the most general homogeneous isotropic models is given. Physical aspects of isotropic cosmology connected with possible solution of dark energy problem and problem of cosmological singularity are discussed.
We generalize for the case of arbitrary hydrodynamical matter the quasi-isotropic solution of Einstein equations near cosmological singularity, found by Lifshitz and Khalatnikov in 1960 for the case of radiation-dominated universe. It is shown that this solution always exists, but dependence of terms in the quasi-isotropic expansion acquires a more complicated form.
We investigate the relative time scales associated with finite future cosmological singularities, especially those classified as Big Rip cosmologies, and the maximum predictability time of a coupled FRW-KG scalar cosmology with chaotic regimes. Our approach is to show that by starting with a FRW-KG scalar cosmology with a potential that admits an analytical solution resulting in a finite time future singularity there exists a Lyapunov time scale that is earlier than the formation of the singularity. For this singularity both the cosmological scale parameter a(t) and the Hubble parameter H(t) b…
Problem of cosmological singularity of general relativity theory is discussed. The possible resolution of this problem in the framework of inflationary cosmology is proposed. Physical conditions leading to bouncing inflationary solutions in the frame of general relativity theory and gauge theories of gravitation are compared. It is shown that gauge theories of gravitation allow to build regular inflationary cosmological models of closed, open and flat type with dominating ultrarelativistic matter at a bounce.
Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) predicts a nonsingular evolution of the universe through a bounce in the high energy region. But LQC has an ambiguity about the quantization scheme. Recently, the authors in [Phys. Rev. D 77, 124008 (2008)] proposed a new quantization scheme. Similar to others, this new quantization scheme also replaces the big bang singularity with the quantum bounce. More interestingly, it introduces a quantum singularity, which is traversable. We investigate this novel dynamics quantitatively with a tachyon scalar field, which gives us a concrete example. Our result shows that o…
We use a simple form of the K-essence theory and apply it to the classic isotropic cosmological model and seek exact solutions. The particular form of the kinetic term that we choose is $K \left(ϕ, X \right)= K_0(ϕ)X^m +K_1$. The resulting field equations in the homogeneous and isotropic cosmology (FRW)is considered. Several exact solutions are obtained.
We investigate a cosmological model with a big-brake singularity in the future: while the first time derivative of the scale factor goes to zero, its second time derivative tends to minus infinity. Although we also discuss the classical version of the model in some detail, our main interest lies in its quantization. We formulate the Wheeler-DeWitt equation and derive solutions describing wave packets. We show that all such solutions vanish in the region of the classical singularity, a behaviour which we interpret as singularity avoidance. We then discuss the same situation in loop quantum cosm…
The degenerate Lagrangian system describing a lot of cosmological models is considered. When certain restrictions on the parameters of the model are imposed, the dynamics of the model near the "singularity" is reduced to a billiard on the Lobachevsky space. The Wheeler-DeWitt equation in the asymptotical regime is solved and a third-quantized model is suggested.
This paper is a continuation of the papers [gr-qc/9409010, gr-qc/9505034, gr-qc/9603022, gr-qc/9609035, gr-qc/9609046, gr-qc/9704033]. The aim of the paper is to incorporate singularities---both local (black hole and naked singularity) and global (big bang and big crunch)---into the dynamics of indeterministic quantum gravity and cosmology. The question is whether a singularity is dynamically passable, i.e., whether a dynamical process which ends with a singularity may be extended beyond the latter. The answer is yes. A local singularity is trivially passable, while the passableness for a glob…
In this contribution we consider the issue of singularity resolution within loop quantum cosmology (LQC) for different homogeneous models. We present results of numerical evolutions of effective equations for both isotropic as well as anisotropic cosmologies, with and without spatial curvature. To address the issue of singularity resolution we examine the time evolution of geometrical and curvature invariants that yield information about the semiclassical spacetime geometry. We discuss generic behavior found for a variety of initial conditions. Finally, we show that the modifications which com…
It is shown that if the timelike eigenvector of the Ricci tensor be hypersurface orthogonal so that the space time allows a foliation into space sections then the space average of each of the scalar that appear in the Raychaudhuri equation vanishes provided the strong energy condition holds good. This result is presented in the form of a singularity theorem.
In this paper we extend our 2007 paper, Comparative Quantum Cosmology: Causality, Singularity, and Boundary Conditions, arXiv:0710.5046 to include consideration of universal expansion, various implications of extendibility and incompleteness in spacetime metrics and, absent the treatment of Feynman diagrams, the use of Penning trap dynamics as explained by Ferdandez and Velazquez to describe the Hamiltonians of space-times with no characteristic upper or lower bound and to compare the above with Peter Lynds' conjecture on the specialness of initial conditions in inflationary theory in quantum …
A brief summary of the singularity resolution in loop quantum cosmology of homogeneous isotropic models is presented. The article is addressed to relativists who do not specialize in quantum gravity. For further details, and answers to more technical asked questions, the reader is directed to the original papers and to more comprehensive recent reviews. Dedicated to the memory of Basilis Xanthopoulos, a founder of this NEB series of conferences.
We investigate dynamics of (4+1) and (5+1) dimensional flat anisotropic Universe filled by a perfect fluid in the Gauss-Bonnet gravity. An analytical solutions valid for particular values of the equation of state parameter $w=1/3$ have been found. For other values of $w$ structure of cosmological singularity have been studied numerically. We found that for $w > 1/3$ the singularity is isotropic. Several important differences between (4+1) and (5+1) dimensional cases are discussed.
We develop an action principle for those models arising from isotropic loop quantum cosmology, and show that there is a natural conserved quantity $Q$ for the discrete difference equation arising from the Hamiltonian constraint. This quantity $Q$ relates the semi-classical limit of the wavefunction at large values of the spatial volume, but opposite triad orientations. Moreover, there is a similar quantity for generic difference equations of one parameter arising from a self-adjoint operator.
A novel approach to quantization is shown to allow for superpositions of the cosmological constant in isotropic and homogeneous mini-superspace models. Generic solutions featuring such superpositions display unitary evolution and resolution of the classical singularity. Physically well-motivated cosmological solutions are constructed. These particular solutions exhibit characteristic features of a cosmic bounce including universal phenomenology that can be rendered insensitive to Planck-scale physics in a natural manner.
Geometrical structure of homogeneous isotropic models in the frame of the metric-affine gauge theory of gravity (MAGT) is analyzed. By using general form of gravitational Lagrangian including both a scalar curvature and various invariants quadratic in the curvature, torsion and nonmetricity tensors, gravitational equations of MAGT for homogeneous isotropic models are deduced. It is shown, that obtained gravitational equations lead to generalized cosmological Friedmann equation for the metrics by certain restrictions on indefinite parameters of gravitational Lagrangian. Isotropic models in the …
In 1985 Goode and Wainwright devised the concept of an isotropic singularity. Since that time, numerous authors have explored the interesting consequences, in mathematical cosmology, of assuming the existence of this type of singularity. In this paper, we collate all examples of cosmological models which are known to admit an isotropic singularity, and make a number of observations regarding their general characteristics.
We discuss the asymptotic dynamical evolution of spatially inhomogeneous brane-world cosmological models close to the initial singularity. By introducing suitable scale-invariant dependent variables and a suitable gauge, we write the evolution equations of the spatially inhomogeneous $G_{2}$ brane cosmological models with one spatial degree of freedom as a system of autonomous first-order partial differential equations. We study the system numerically, and we find that there always exists an initial singularity, which is characterized by the fact that spatial derivatives are dynamically neglig…
A free massless scalar field is coupled to homogeneous and isotropic loop quantum cosmology. The coupled model is investigated in the vicinity of the classical singularity, where discreteness is essential and where the quantum model is non-singular, as well as in the regime of large volumes, where it displays the expected semiclassical features. The particular matter content (massless, free scalar) is chosen to illustrate how the discrete structure regulates pathological behavior caused by kinetic terms of matter Hamiltonians (which in standard quantum cosmology lead to wave functions with an …
The use of techniques from loop quantum gravity for cosmological models may solve some difficult problems in quantum cosmology. The solutions under a number of circumstances have been well studied. We will analyse the behaviour of solutions in the closed model, focusing on the behaviour of a universe containing a massless scalar field. The asymptotic behaviour of the solutions is examined, and is used to determine requirements of the initial conditions.
In recent works, a construction was proposed resulting emergent universes inside black holes. This result can be obtained from a 4D black hole embedded in a 5D space time with the fifth dimension compactified on a circle [0, 2] (0 and 2 are identified) such that the two branes are at 0 and 1. In the present work, we study this setup by deriving particles equations of motion in the new universes, based on redefining energy and angular momentum. This leads to disappearance of the singularity in centres of black holes in classical General Relativity.
The problem of construction of a general ihomogeneous solution of $D$-dimensional Einstein equations in the vicinity of a cosmological singularity is considered. It is shown that near the singularity a local behavior of metric functions is described by a billiard on a space of a constant negative curvature. The billiard is shown to have a finite volume and consequently to be a mixing one. Dynamics of inhomogeneities of metric is studied and it is shown that its statistical properties admit a complete description. An invariant measure describing statistics of inhomogeneities is obtained and a r…
It is stated that holonomy corrections in loop quantum cosmology introduce a modification in Friedmann's equation which prevent the big rip singularity. Recently in \cite{h12} it has been proved that this modified Friedmann equation is obtained in an inconsistent way, what means that the results deduced from it, in particular the big rip singularity avoidance, are not justified. The problem is that holonomy corrections modify the gravitational part of the Hamiltonian of the system leading, after Legendre's transformation, to a non covariant Lagrangian which is in contradiction with one of the …
We consider different aspects of the problem of cosmological singularity such as the BKL oscillatory approach to the singularity, the new features of the cosmological dynamics in the neighbourhood of the singularity in multidimensional and superstring cosmological models and their connections with such a modern branch of mathematics as infinite-dimensional Lie algebras. The chaoticity of the oscillatory approach to the cosmological singularity is also discussed. The Conclusion contains some thoughts about the past and the future of the Universe in the light of the oscillatory approach to the B…
The multidimensional cosmological model describing the evolution of $n$ Einstein spaces in the presence of multicomponent perfect fluid is considered. When certain restrictions on the parameters of the model are imposed, the dynamics of the model near the singularity is reduced to a billiard on the $(n-1)$-dimensional Lobachevsky space $H^{n-1}$. The geometrical criterion for the finiteness of the billiard volume and its compactness is suggested. This criterion reduces the problem to the problem of illumination of $(n-2)$-dimensional sphere $S^{n-2}$ by point-like sources. Some generalization …
We consider the conformal Einstein equations for massless collisionless gas cosmologies which admit an isotropic singularity. It is shown that the Cauchy problem for these equations is well-posed with data consisting of the limiting particle distribution function at the singularity.
The Lorentzian Hamiltonian constraint is solved for isotropic loop quantum cosmology coupled to a massless scalar field. As in the Euclidean case, the discreteness of quantum geometry removes the classical singularity from the quantum Friedmann models. In spite of the absence of the classical singularity, a modified DeWitt initial condition is incompatible with a late-time smooth behavior. Further, the smooth behavior is recovered only for positive or negatives times but not both. An important feature, which is shared with the Euclidean case, is a minimal initial energy of the order of the Pla…
The fate of the cosmological singularity in the Taub model is discussed within the two frameworks. An internal time variable is ruled out and the only remaining degree of freedom (the anisotropy) of the Universe is quantized according to such schemes. The resulting GUP Taub Universe is singularity-free, differently from the second case, where the classical singularity is not tamed by the polymer-loop quantum effects.
Since there are quantization ambiguities in constructing the Hamiltonian constraint operator in isotropic loop quantum cosmology, it is crucial to check whether the key features of loop quantum cosmology, such as the quantum bounce and effective scenario, are robust against the ambiguities. In this paper, we consider a typical quantization ambiguity arising from the quantization of the field strength of the gravitational connection. An alternative Hamiltonian constraint operator is constructed, which is shown to have the correct classical limit by the semiclassical analysis. The effective Hami…
Analytical properties of the scalar expansion in the cosmic fluid are investigated, especially near the future singularity, when the fluid possesses a constant bulk viscosity ζ. In addition, we assume that there is a Casimir-induced term in the fluid's energy-momentum tensor, in such a way that the Casimir contributions to the energy density and pressure are both proportional to 1/a^4, 'a' being the scale factor. A series expansion is worked out for the scalar expansion under the condition that the Casimir influence is small. Close to the Big Rip singularity the Casimir term has however to fad…
We study the cosmological evolutions of the equation of state (EoS) for the universe in the homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) space-time. In particular, we reconstruct the cyclic universes by using the Weierstrass and Jacobian elliptic functions. It is explicitly illustrated that in several models the universe always stays in the non-phantom (quintessence) phase, whereas there also exist models in which the crossing of the phantom divide can be realized in the reconstructed cyclic universes.
In contrast to previous work in the field, we construct the Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) of the flat isotropic model with a massless scalar field in the absence of higher order curvature corrections to the gravitational part of the Hamiltonian constraint. The matter part of the constraint contains the inverse triad operator which can be quantized with or without the use of a Thiemann- like procedure. With the latter choice, we show that the LQC quantization is identical to that of the standard Wheeler DeWitt theory (WDW) wherein there is no singularity resolution. We argue that the former choi…
Introducing a new method, we demonstrate how the action of reduced operators can be derived without resorting to a recoupling theory and how they exactly reproduce the results obtained in the standard approach of Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity (QRLG). This is particularly relevant while dealing with volume operator when dealing with the coupling of matter fields to gravity. Apart from reinforcing the close link between QRLG and loop quantum cosmology (LQC), this procedure also sheds new light on the issue of how to extract the continuum limit, without resorting to the large-$j$ expansion, thereb…
McVittie's solution of Einstein's field equations, representing a point mass embedded into an isotropic universe, possesses a scalar curvature singularity at proper radius $R=2m$. The singularity is space-like and precedes, in the expanding case, all other events in the space-time. It is shown here that this singularity is gravitationally weak, and the possible structure of the region $R\leq 2m$ is investigated. A characterization of this solution which does not involve asymptotics is given.
We study relations between hydrodynamical (H) and scalar field (SF) models of the dark energy in the early Universe. Main attention is paid to SF described by the canonical Lagrangian within the homogeneous isotropic spatially flat cosmology. We analyze requirements that guarantee the same cosmological history for the SF and H-models at least for solutions with specially chosen initial conditions and we present a differential equation for the SF potential that ensures such a restricted equivalence of the SF and H-models. Also, we derived a condition that guarantees an approximate equivalence w…
We consider the conformal Einstein equations for massless collisionless gas cosmologies which admit an isotropic singularity. After developing the general theory, we restrict to spatially-homogeneous cosmologies. We show that the Cauchy problem for these equations is well-posed with data consisting of the limiting particle distribution function at the singularity.
A remarkable property of modern cosmology is that it allows for a special case of symmetry, consisting in the possibility of describing the early-time acceleration (inflation) and the late-time acceleration using the same theoretical framework. In this paper we consider various cosmological models corresponding to a generalized form for the equation of state for the fluid in a flat Friedmann -Robertson-Walker universe, emphasizing cases where the so-called type IV singular inflation is encountered in the future. This is a soft (non-crushing) kind of singularity. Parameter values for an inhomog…
Different approaches to quantum cosmology are studied in order to deal with the future singularity avoidance problem. Our results show that these future singularities will persist but could take different forms. As an example we have studied the big rip which appear when one considers the state equation $P=ωρ$ with $ω<-1$, showing that it does not disappear in modified gravity. On the other hand, it is well-known that quantum geometric effects (holonomy corrections) in loop quantum cosmology introduce a quadratic modification, namely proportional to $ρ^2$, in Friedmann's equation that replace …
It has long been a primary objective of cosmology to understand the apparent isotropy in our universe and to provide a mathematical formulation for its evolution. A school of thought for its explanation is quiescent cosmology, which already possesses a mathematical framework, namely the definition of an Isotropic Singularity, but only for the initial state of the universe. A complementary framework is necessary in order to also describe possible final states of the universe. Our new definitions of an Anisotropic Future Endless Universe and an Anisotropic Future Singularity, whose structure and…
We extend recent discussions of singularity avoidance in quantum gravity from isotropic to anisotropic cosmological models. The investigation is done in the framework of quantum geometrodynamics (Wheeler-DeWitt equation). We formulate criteria of singularity avoidance for general Bianchi class A models and give explicit and detailed results for Bianchi I models with and without matter. We find that the classical singularities can generally be avoided in these models.
We investigate the dynamics of a Yang-Mills cosmology (YMC, the FRW type spacetime) bubble in the Bartnik-McKinnon (BK) spacetimes. Because a BK spacetime can be identified to a YMC spacetime with a finite scale factor in the neighborhood of the origin, we can give a natural initial condition for the YMC bubble. The YMC bubble can smoothly emerge from the origin without an initial singularity. Under a certain condition, the bubble develops continuously and finally replaces the entire BK spacetime, the metric of which is the same as the one of the radiation dominated universe. We also discuss w…
We investigate barotropic perfect fluid cosmologies which admit an isotropic singularity. From the General Vorticity Result of Scott, it is known that these cosmologies must be irrotational. In this paper we prove, using two different methods, that if we make the additional assumption that the perfect fluid is shear-free, then the fluid flow must be geodesic. This then implies that the only shear-free, barotropic, perfect fluid cosmologies which admit an isotropic singularity are the FRW models.
We apply the causal interpretation of quantum mechanics to homogeneous quantum cosmology and show that the quantum theory is independent of any time-gauge choice and there is no issue of time. We exemplify this result by studying a particular minisuperspace model where the quantum potential driven by a prescribed quantum state prevents the formation of the classical singularity, independently on the choice of the lapse function. This means that the fast-slow-time gauge conjecture is irrelevant within the framework of the causal interpretation of quantum cosmology.
We apply topspin network formalism to Loop Quantum Gravity in order to include in the theory the possibility of changes in the topology of spacetime. We apply this formalism to three toy models: with the first, we find that the topology can actually change due to the action of the Hamiltonian constraint and with the second we find that the final state might be a superposition of states with different topologies. In the third and last application, we consider an homogeneous and isotropic Universe, calculating the difference equation that describes the evolution of the system and which are the f…
We study the evolution of Bianchi-I space-times filled with a global unidirectional electromagnetic field $F_{mn}$ interacting with a massless scalar dilatonic field according to the law Ψ(ϕ) F^{mn} F_{mn} where Ψ(ϕ) > 0 is an arbitrary function. A qualitative study, among other results, shows that (i) the volume factor always evolves monotonically, (ii) there exist models becoming isotropic at late times and (iii) the expansion generically starts from a singularity but there can be special models starting from a Killing horizon preceded by a static stage. All these features are confirmed for …
We implement Polymer Quantum Mechanics on the Hamiltonian formulation of the isotropic Universe in both the representations of the standard Ashtekar-Barbero-Immirzi connection and of a new generalized coordinate conjugate to the Universe volume. The resulting dynamics is a bouncing cosmology; when quantizing the volume-like variable the Big Bounce is an intrinsic cut-off on the cosmological dynamics, while when using the standard connection the Bounce density results to be dependent on the initial conditions of the prepared wave packet. Then we compare the nature of the resulting Bounce with w…
In this review article we compare the recent work of Peter Lynds, "On a finite universe with no beginning or end", with that of Stephen Hawking, primarily "Quantum Cosmology, M-Theory, and the Anthropic Principle", and two foundational works by Sean M. Carroll and Jennifer Chen, "Does Inflation Provide Natural Conditions for the Universe" and "Spontaneous Inflation and the Origin of the Arrow of Time", in order to evaluate their comparative treatments of the nature and role of causality, time ordering, thermodynamic reversibility, singularities and boundary conditions in the formation of the e…
University of Szczecin（谢切琴大学）；National Centre for Nuclear Research（国家核研究中心）；Copernicus Center for Interdisciplinary Studies（哥白尼跨学科研究中心）；Universidad Complutense de Madrid（马德里康普顿斯大学）
