From a macroscopic theory of the quantum vacuum in terms of conserved relativistic charges (generically denoted by q^{(a)} with label a), we have obtained, in the low-energy limit, a particular type of f(R) model relevant to cosmology. The macroscopic quantum-vacuum theory allows us to distinguish between different phenomenological f(R) models on physical grounds.
We give a detailed and improved presentation of our recently proposed formalism for non-linear perturbations in cosmology, based on a covariant and fully non-perturbative approach. We work, in particular, with a covector combining the gradients of the energy density and of the local number of e-folds to obtain a non-linear generalization of the familiar linear uniform density perturbation. We show that this covector obeys a remarkably simple conservation equation which is exact, fully non-linear and valid at all scales. We relate explicitly our approach to the coordinate-based formalisms for l…
In this paper we report whether conserved currents can be sensibly defined in supersymmetric minisuperspaces. Our analysis deals with a k=1 FRW model. Supermatter in the form of scalar supermultiplets is included. We show that conserved currents cannot be adequately established except for some very simple scenarios.
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.
In $D$-dimentional gravity on arbitrary curved backgrounds using proven methods conserved currents, divergences of antisymmetrical tensor densities (superpotentials), are constructed. These superpotentials have two remarkable properties: they depend in an essential way on second derivatives in the Lagrangian and are independent on divergences added to it. The conserved currents are thus particulary well adapted to the case of perturbations in Gauss-Bonett cosmological brane theories.
In this paper we investigate whether conserved currents can be sensibly defined in supersymmetric minisuperspaces. Our analysis deals with k=1 FRW and Bianchi class--A models. Supermatter in the form of scalar supermultiplets is included in the former. Moreover, we restrict ourselves to the first-order differential equations derived from the Lorentz and supersymmetry constraints. The ``square-root'' structure of N=1 supergravity was our motivation to contemplate this interesting research. We show that conserved currents cannot be adequately established except for some very simple scenarios. Ot…
The $ΔN$ formalism, based on the counting of the number of e-folds during inflation in different local patches of the Universe, has been introduced several years ago as a simple and physically intuitive approach to calculate (non-linear) curvature perturbations from inflation on large sales, without resorting to the full machinery of (higher-order) perturbation theory. Later on, it was claimed the equivalence with the results found by introducing a conserved fully non-linear current $ζ_μ$, thereby allowing to directly connect perturbations during inflation to late-Universe observables. We disc…
Quantum gravity may remove classical space-time singularities and thus reveal what a universe at and before the big bang could be like. In loop quantum cosmology, an exactly solvable model is available which allows one to address precise dynamical coherent states and their evolution in such a setting. It is shown here that quantum fluctuations before the big bang are generically unrelated to those after the big bang. A reliable determination of pre-big bang quantum fluctuations would require exceedingly precise observations.
We examine the dynamical consequences of homogeneous cosmological magnetic fields in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. We show that a big-bounce occurs in a collapsing magnetized Bianchi I universe, thus extending the known cases of singularity-avoidance. Previous work has shown that perfect fluid Bianchi I universes in loop quantum cosmology avoid the singularity via a bounce. The fluid has zero anisotropic stress, and the shear anisotropy in this case is conserved through the bounce. By contrast, the magnetic field has nonzero anisotropic stress, and shear anisotropy is not conserved …
In this paper we will analyse the third quantization of a model of super-group field cosmology with gauge symmetry. The effect of creation and annihilation of bosonic and fermionic universes in the multiverse will also be analysed. We will also construct a third quantized Noether's charge which will be conserved even when the number of universes is not conserved. Finally, we will construct both the third quantized BRST and the third quantized anti-BRST charges for this theory and use them to show that the creation and annihilation of universes is a unitarity process.
This contribution reviews recent work on a new approach to the cosmological constant problem, which starts from the macroscopic behavior of a conserved relativistic microscopic variable q. First, the statics of the vacuum energy density is discussed and, then, the dynamics in a cosmological context.
Nonlocal models of cosmology might derive from graviton loop corrections to the effective field equations from the epoch of primordial inflation. Although the Schwinger-Keldysh formalism would automatically produce causal and conserved effective field equations, the models so far proposed have been purely phenomenological. Two techniques have been employed to generate causal and conserved field equations: either varying an invariant nonlocal effective action and then enforcing causality by the ad hoc replacement of any advanced Green's function with its retarded counterpart, or else introducin…
Cosmic strings of the GUT scale, generically formed during the SSB of supersymmetric hybrid inflation, are compatible with the most recent CMB data. The strong constraints on the allowed cosmic strings contribution to the measured temperature anisotropies impose limits on the free parameters of the inflationary models, namely the mass scales and the couplings.
Generalized Noether's theory is a useful method for researching the modified gravity theories about the conserved quantities and symmetries. A generally Gauss-Bonnet gravity $f(R,\mathcal{G})$ theory was proposed as an alternative gravity model. Through the generalized Noether symmetry, polynomial and product forms of the $f(R,\mathcal{G})$ theory with corresponding conserved quantities and symmetries are researched. Then suitable general forms of the polynomial form $f(R,\mathcal{G}) \!=\! k_1 R^n + (6)^{\frac{n}{2}}(-1)^{n+1} k_1 \mathcal{G}^{\frac{n}{2}}$ and the product form $f(R,\mathcal{…
It is widely believed that quantum field fluctuation in an inflating background creates the primeval seed perturbation which through subsequent evolution leads to the observed large scale structure of the universe. The standard inflationary scenario produces scale invariant power spectrum quite generically but it produces, unless fine tuned, too large amplitude for the primordial density perturbation than observed. Using similar techniques it is shown that loop quantum cosmology induced inflationary scenario can produce scale invariant power spectrum as well as small amplitude for the primordi…
We analyze the quantum supersymmetric cosmological FRW model with a scalar field, with a conditional probability density and the scalar field identified as time. The Hilbert space has a spinorial structure and there is only one consistent solution, with a conserved probability density. The dynamics of the scale factor is obtained from its mean value. The uncertainty relations are fulfilled and the corresponding fluctuations are consistent with a semiclassical Universe. We give two examples which turn out to have negative potential.
A new symmetry for Newtonian Dynamics is analyzed, this corresponds to going to an accelerated frame, which introduces a constant gravitational field into the system and subsequently. We consider the addition of a linear contribution to the gravitational potential \(ϕ\) which can be used to cancel the gravitational field induced by going to the accelerated from, the combination of these two operations produces then a symmetry. This symmetry leads then to a Noether current which is conserved. The conserved charges are analyzed in special cases. The charges may not be conserved if the Noether cu…
In this paper, we make a close comparison of a covariant definition of an energy/entropy in general relativity, recently proposed by a collaboration including the present authors, with existing definitions of energies such as the one from the pseudo-tensor and the quasi-local energy. We show that existing definitions of energies in general relativity are conserved charges from the Noether's 2nd theorem for the general coordinate transformation, whose conservations are merely identities implied by the local symmetry and always hold without using equations of motion. Thus none of existing defini…
The origin of seed perturbations in the Universe is studied within the framework of a specific minisuperspace model. It is shown that the `creation' of the Universe as a result of a quantum transition from a flat empty spacetime would lead to a flat FLRW (Friedmann Lema\^ıtre Robertson-Walker) Universe with weak inhomogeneous perturbations at large wavelengths. The power spectrum of these perturbations is found to be scale invariant at horizon crossing (i.e., the Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum). It is also recognised that the seed perturbations generated in our model would be generically of the i…
In this article we perform von Neumann analysis of the difference equations that arise as a result of loop quantum gravity being applied to models of cosmology and black holes. In particular, we study the numerical stability of Bianchi I LRS (symmetric and non-symmetric constraint) and Schwarzschild interior (symmetric constraint) models, and find that there exist domains over which there are instabilities, generically. We also present explicit evolutions of wave-packets in these models and clearly demonstrate the presence of these instabilities.
The present work deals with quantum cosmology for non-minimally coupled scalar field in the background of FLRW space--time model. The Wheeler-DeWitt equation is constructed and symmetry analysis is carried out. The Lie point symmetries are related to the conformal algebra of the minisuperspace while solution of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation is obtained using conserved currents of the Noether symmetries.
Holonomy corrections to scalar perturbations are investigated in the loop quantum cosmology framework. Due to the effective approach, modifications of the algebra of constraints generically lead to anomalies. In order to remove those anomalies, counter-terms are introduced. We find a way to explicitly fulfill the conditions for anomaly freedom and we give explicit expressions for the counter-terms. Surprisingly, the "new quantization scheme" naturally arises in this procedure. The gauge invariant variables are found and equations of motion for the anomaly-free scalar perturbations are derived.…
In this article, we review the use of numerical techniques to obtain solutions for the quantum Hamiltonian constraint in loop quantum cosmology (LQC). First, we summarize the basic features of LQC, and describe features of the constraint equations to solve - generically, these are difference (rather than differential) equations. Important issues such as differing quantization methods, stability of the solutions, the semi-classical limit, and the relevance of lattice refinement in the difference equations are discussed. Finally, the cosmological models already considered in the literature are l…
We show that the Bel-Robinson (BR) tensor is - generically, as well as in its original GR setting - an autonomously conserved part of the, manifestly conserved, double gradient of a system's stress-tensor. This suggests its natural extension from GR to matter models, first to (known) massless scalars and vectors, then to massive ones, including tensors. These massive versions are to be expected, given that they arise upon KK reduction of massless D+1 ones. We exhibit the resulting spin (0, 1, 2) "massive" BR.
Loop quantum cosmology provides an efficient framework to study the evolution of the Universe beyond the classical Big Bang paradigm. Because of holonomy corrections, the singularity is replaced by a "bounce". The dynamics of the background is investigated into the details, as a function of the parameters of the model. In particular, the conditions required for inflation to occur are carefully considered and are shown to be generically met. The propagation of gravitational waves is then investigated in this framework. By both numerical and analytical approaches, the primordial tensor power spe…
We summarize the use of Noether symmetries in Minisuperspace Quantum Cosmology. In particular, we consider minisuperspace models, showing that the existence of conserved quantities gives selection rules that allow to recover classical behaviors in cosmic evolution according to the so called Hartle criterion. Such a criterion selects correlated regions in the configuration space of dynamical variables whose meaning is related to the emergence of classical observable universes. Some minisuperspace models are worked out starting from Extended Gravity, in particular coming from scalar tensor, f(R)…
We argue that the anomalous power asymmetry observed in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) may have originated in a cosmic bounce preceding inflation. In loop quantum cosmology (LQC) the big bang singularity is generically replaced by a bounce due to quantum gravitational effects. We compute the spectrum of inflationary non-Gaussianity and show that strong correlation between observable scales and modes with longer (super-horizon) wavelength arise as a consequence of the evolution of perturbations across the LQC bounce. These correlations are strongly scale dependent and induce a dipole-dom…
We study the dynamics of gauge-invariant scalar perturbations in cosmological scenarios with a modified Friedmann equation, such as quantum gravity bouncing cosmologies. We work within a separate universe approximation which captures wavelengths larger than the cosmological horizon; this approximation has been successfully applied to loop quantum cosmology and group field theory. We consider two variables commonly used to characterise scalar perturbations: the curvature perturbation on uniform-density hypersurfaces $ζ$ and the comoving curvature perturbation $\mathcal{R}$. For standard cosmolo…
A non-singular bouncing cosmology is generically obtained in loop quantum cosmology due to non-perturbative quantum gravity effects. A similar picture can be achieved in standard general relativity in the presence of a scalar field with a non-standard kinetic term such that at high energy densities the field evolves into a ghost condensate and causes a non-singular bounce. During the bouncing phase, the perturbations can be stabilized by introducing a Horndeski operator. Taking the matter content to be a dust field and an ekpyrotic scalar field, we compare the dynamics in loop quantum cosmolog…
The Rastall's theory is a modification of General Relativity touching one of the cornestone of gravity theory: the conservation laws. In Rastall's theory, the energy-momentum tensor is not conserved anymore, depending now on the gradient of the Ricci curvature. In this sense, this theory can be seen as a classical implementation of quantum effects in a curved background space-time. We exploit this structure in order to reproduce some results of an effective theory of quantum loop cosmology. Later, we propose a model for the dark sector of the universe. In this case, the corresponding $Λ$CDM mo…
We consider the application of group invariant transformations in order to constrain a flat isotropic and homogeneous cosmological model, containing of a Brans-Dicke scalar field and a perfect fluid with a constant equation of state parameter $w$, where the latter is not interacting with the scalar field in the gravitational action integral. The requirement that the Wheeler-DeWitt equation be invariant under one-parameter point transformations provides us with two families of power-law potentials for the Brans-Dicke field, in which the powers are functions of the Brans-Dicke parameter $ω_{BD}$…
This is a brief review of modified gravity cosmologies. Generically extensions of gravity action involve higher derivative terms, which can result in ghosts and instabilities. There are three ways to circumvent this: Chern-Simons terms, first order variational principle and nonlocality. We consider recent cosmological applications of these three classes of modified gravity models, in particular to the dark energy problem. The viable parameter spaces can be very efficiently constrained by taking into account cosmological data from all epochs in addition to Solar system tests and stability consi…
We study the cosmological sector of the Lorentzian Barrett-Crane (BC) model coupled to a free massless scalar field in its Group Field Theory (GFT) formulation, corresponding to the mean-field hydrodynamics obtained from coherent condensate states. The relational evolution of the condensate with respect to the scalar field yields effective dynamics of homogeneous and isotropic cosmologies, similar to those previously obtained in $\text{SU}(2)$-based EPRL-like models. Also in this manifestly Lorentzian setting, in which only continuous $\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$-representations are used, we obta…
Quantum-corrected equations of motion generically contain higher time derivatives, computed here in the setting of canonically quantized systems. The main example in which detailed derivations are presented is a general anharmonic oscillator, but conclusions can be drawn also for systems in quantum gravity and cosmology.
Stationary circularly symmetric solutions of General Relativity with negative cosmological constant coupled to the Maxwell field are analyzed in three spacetime dimensions. Taking into account that the fall-off of the fields is slower than the standard one for a localized distribution of matter, it is shown that, by virtue of a suitable choice of the electromagnetic Lagrange multiplier, the action attains a bona fide extremum provided the asymptotic form of the electromagnetic field fulfills a nontrivial integrability condition. As a consequence, the mass and the angular momentum become automa…
A complete model of the universe needs at least three parts: (1) a complete set of physical variables and dynamical laws for them, (2) the correct solution of the dynamical laws, and (3) the connection with conscious experience. In quantum cosmology, item (2) is the quantum state of the cosmos. Hartle and Hawking have made the `no-boundary' proposal, that the wavefunction of the universe is given by a path integral over all compact Euclidean 4-dimensional geometries and matter fields that have the 3-dimensional argument of the wavefunction on their one and only boundary. This proposal is incom…
Loop quantum cosmology is a symmetry reduced quantization of cosmological spacetimes based on loop quantum gravity. While it has been successful in resolution of various cosmological singularities and connecting Planck scale physics to phenomenology, its connection with loop quantum gravity has remained elusive. It is therefore important to integrate more and more features of the full theory into this framework and understand the reliability of physical predictions. In particular, if one wishes to connect the effective Hamiltonian in loop quantum cosmology to an expectation value of the scalar…
A cosmological model with two global internal times shows that time reparameterization invariance, and therefore covariance, is not guaranteed by deparameterization. In particular, it is impossible to derive proper-time effective equations from a single deparameterized model if quantum corrections from fluctuations and higher moments are included. The framework of effective constraints shows how proper-time evolution can consistently be defined in quantum cosmological systems, such that it is time reparameterization invariant when compared with other choices of coordinate time. At the same tim…
We propose a model for a power-counting renormalizable field theory living in a fractal spacetime. The action is Lorentz covariant and equipped with a Stieltjes measure. The system flows, even in a classical sense, from an ultraviolet regime where spacetime has Hausdorff dimension 2 to an infrared limit coinciding with a standard $D$-dimensional field theory. We discuss the properties of a scalar field model at classical and quantum level. Classically, the field lives on a fractal which exchanges energy-momentum with the bulk of integer topological dimension D. Although an observer experiences…
We study the loop quantum cosmology of a flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker space-time with a Maxwell field. We show that many of the qualitative properties derived for the case of a massless scalar field also hold for a Maxwell field. In particular, the big-bang singularity is replaced by a quantum bounce, and the operator corresponding to the matter energy density is bounded above by the same critical energy density. We also numerically study the evolution of wave functions that are sharply peaked in the low energy regime, and derive effective equations which very closely approximate t…
The full set of cosmological observables coming from linear scalar and tensor perturbations of loop quantum cosmology is computed in the presence of inverse-volume corrections. Background inflationary solutions are found at linear order in the quantum corrections; depending on the values of quantization parameters, they obey an exact or perturbed power-law expansion in conformal time. The comoving curvature perturbation is shown to be conserved at large scales, just as in the classical case. Its associated Mukhanov equation is obtained and solved. Combined with the results for tensor modes, th…
Motivated by Aoki et al.'s recent research on conserved charges and entropy current, we investigated the conservation of relativistic Ertel's current, which has received little attention outside the field of geophysical fluid dynamics. Ertel's charge is an important indicator of the correlation between vortex vectors and entropy gradient fields in Earth's meridional heat transport. We first show that in the generalized Hamiltonian structure of baroclinic fluids, the duality between the total energy and the Casimir as a function of Ertel's charge plays an important role in the nonrelativistic c…
We investigate the dynamics of single and multiple scalar fields with exponential potentials, leading to power-law and assisted inflation, in loop quantum cosmology. Unlike in the classical theory, dynamical trajectories in loop quantum cosmology are generically non-singular, with a big bounce replacing classical big bang in the Planck regime. Post bounce, after a phase of super-inflation, dynamical trajectories evolve towards the classical attractor in the inflationary scenarios. Depending on the initial conditions, bounce is shown to occur in kinetic as well as potential dominated regimes. W…
We investigate the occurrence of various exotic spacelike singularities in the past and the future evolution of $k = \pm 1$ Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model and loop quantum cosmology using a sufficiently general phenomenological model for the equation of state. We highlight the non-trivial role played by the intrinsic curvature for these singularities and the new physics which emerges at the Planck scale. We show that quantum gravity effects generically resolve all strong curvature singularities including big rip and big freeze singularities. The weak singularities, which include sudden and b…
We consider a spatially homogeneous and isotropic system of Dirac particles coupled to classical gravity. The dust and radiation dominated closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-times are recovered as limiting cases. We find a mechanism where quantum oscillations of the Dirac wave functions can prevent the formation of the big bang or big crunch singularity. Thus before the big crunch, the collapse of the universe is stopped by quantum effects and reversed to an expansion, so that the universe opens up entering a new era of classical behavior. Numerical examples of such space-times are given,…
We present a technique, {\em the uniform asymptotic approximation}, to construct accurate analytical solutions of the linear perturbations of inflation after quantum effects of the early universe are taken into account, for which the dispersion relations generically become nonlinear. We construct explicitly the error bounds associated with the approximations and then study them in detail. With the understanding of the errors and the proper choice of the Liouville transformations of the differential equations of the perturbations, we show that the analytical solutions describe the exact evoluti…
We offer a new proposal for cosmic singularity resolution based upon a quantum cosmology with a unitary bounce. This proposal is illustrated via a novel quantization of a mini-superspace model in which there can be superpositions of the cosmological constant. This possibility leads to a finite, bouncing unitary cosmology. Whereas the usual Wheeler--DeWitt cosmology generically displays pathological behaviour in terms of non-finite expectation values and non-unitary dynamics, the finiteness and unitarity of our model are formally guaranteed. For classically singular models with a massless scala…
Anisotropies generically dominate the earliest stages of expansion of a homogeneous universe. They are particularly relevant in bouncing models, since shears grow in the contracting phase of the cosmos, making the isotropic situation unstable. This paper extends the study of cosmological perturbations in loop quantum cosmology (LQC) to anisotropic Bianchi I models that contain a bounce followed by a phase of slow-roll inflation. We show that, although the shear tensor dilutes and the universe isotropizes soon after the bounce, cosmic perturbations retain memory of this short anisotropic phase.…
We analyse when and why unitarity violations might occur in quantum cosmology restricted to minisuperspace. To this end we discuss in detail backscattering transitions between expanding and contracting solutions of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. We first show that upon neglecting only backscattering, one obtains an intermediate regime in which matter evolves unitarily but which does not correspond to any Schrödinger equation in a given geometry since gravitational backreaction effects are taken into account at the quantum level. We then show that backscattering amplitudes are exponentially small…
We give an explicit, rigorous framework for calculating quantum probabilities in a model theory of quantum gravity. Specifically, we construct the decoherence functional for the Wheeler-DeWitt quantization of a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology with a free, massless, minimally coupled scalar field, thus providing a complete decoherent histories formulation for this quantum cosmological model. The decoherence functional is applied to study predictions concerning the model's Dirac (relational) observables; the behavior of semiclassical states and superpositions of such states; and to stu…
Loop quantum cosmology is a symmetry-reduced application of loop quantum gravity that has led to the resolution of classical singularities such as the big bang, and those at the center of black holes. This can be seen through numerical simulations involving the quantum Hamiltonian constraint that is a partial difference equation. The equation allows one to study the evolution of sharply-peaked Gaussian wave packets that generically exhibit a quantum "bounce" or a non-singular passage through the classical singularity, thus offering complete singularity resolution. In addition, von-Neumann stab…