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, and the dependence on various parameters is discussed. Generically, one has a collapse after a finite number of cycles. By fine-tuning the parameters we construct an example of a space-time which is time-periodic, thus running through an infinite number of contraction and expansion cycles.
Einstein's equation, in its standard form, breaks down at the Big Bang singularity. A new version, equivalent to Einstein's whenever the latter is defined, but applicable in wider situations, is proposed. The new equation remains smooth at the Big Bang singularity of the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker model. It is a tensor equation defined in terms of the Ricci part of the Riemann curvature. It is obtained by taking the Kulkarni-Nomizu product between Einstein's equation and the metric tensor.
We present a simplified dynamic-vacuum-energy model for a time-symmetric Milne-like universe. The big bang singularity in this simplified model, like the one in a previous model, is just a coordinate singularity with finite curvature and energy density. We then calculate the dynamic behavior of scalar metric perturbations and find that these perturbations destabilize the big bang singularity.
The singularity for the big bang state can be represented using the generalized anisotropic Friedmann equation, resulting in a system of differential equations in a central force field. We study the regularizability of this singularity as a function of a parameter, the equation of state, $w$. We prove that for $w >1$ it is regularizable only for $w$ satisfying relative prime number conditions, and for $w \leq 1$ it can always be regularized. This is done by using a McGehee transformation, usually applied in the three and four-body problems. This transformation blows up the singularity into an …
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…
We investigate a particular regularization of big bang singularity, which remains within the domain of 4-dimensional general relativity but allowing for degenerate metrics. We study the geodesics and geodesic congruences in the modified Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe. In particular, we calculate the expansion of timelike and null geodesic congruences. Based on these results, we also briefly discuss the cosmological singularity theorems.
We study the classical dynamics of the universe undergoing a transition from contraction to expansion through a big bang singularity. The dynamics is described by a system of differential equations for a set of physical quantities, such as the scale factor $a$, the Hubble parameter $H$, the equation of state parameter $w$, and the density parameter $Ω$. The solutions of the dynamical system have a singularity at the big bang. We study if the solutions can be regularized at the singularity in the sense of whether they have unique branch extensions through the singularity. In particular, we cons…
A 5-dimensional gravity theory, motivated by the brane world picture, with factorisable metric and with Kaluza scalar $G_{55}(r)$, is shown to give rise to a positive contribution to the Raychaudhuri equation. This inhibits the focusing of geodesics and possibly cause non-focusing of the geodesics. This feature is translated into the situation in which the universe has an infinite age and hence no beginning avoiding the big bang singularity.
Following up on earlier work on the regularization of the singular Schwarzschild solution, we now apply the same procedure to the singular Friedmann solution. Specifically, we are able to remove the divergences of the big bang singularity, at the price of introducing a 3-dimensional spacetime defect with a vanishing determinant of the metric. This particular regularization also suggests the existence of a "pre-big-bang" phase.
The possibility of avoiding the big bang singularity by means of a generalized uncertainty principle is investigated. In relation with this matter, the statistical mechanics of a free-particle system obeying the generalized uncertainty principle is studied and it is shown that the entropy of the system has a finite value in the infinite temperature limit. It is then argued that negative temperatures and negative pressures are possible in this system. Finally, it is shown that this model can remove the big bang singularity.
The R+S^2 theories of gravity, where S^2 denotes the quadratic torsion terms, are analyzed under three cases. In the first two cases, the matter fields are described by two different spin fluids which are not homogeneous and isotropic. In the third case, a homogeneous and isotropic torsion field is used. It is found that under all the three cases, the R+S^2 theories may avert the big-bang singularity of the Robertson--Walker universe, with three corresponding constraints on the parameters.
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 note, we investigate the possibility of avoiding the Big Bang singularity with a single scalar field which couples non-minimally to gravity. We show that in the case that gravity couples linearly to the field, some severe conditions on the field's potential have to be imposed. However, in non-linear case, it is quite generic to avoid the singularity with single scalar field.
A simple model for a scalar field and gravity admits homogeneous isotropic cosmological solutions which cross the Big Bang singularity. In the scaling frame with field dependent effective Planck mass these solutions are regular. They become singular in the Einstein frame with fixed Planck mass. This field singularity arises since the field transformation of the metric to the Einstein frame is singular at the crossing point of a vanishing scalar field. No physical singularity is present for these solutions. Within general models with no more than two derivatives we find that the possibility of …
We show that there exist modified theories of gravity in which the metric satisfies second-order equations and in which the Big Bang singularity is replaced by a cosmic bounce without violating any energy condition. In fact, the bounce is possible even for presureless dust. We give a characterization of such theories, which are formulated in the Palatini formalism, and discuss their dynamics in the region near the bounce. We consider spatially flat and non-flat homogeneous and isotropic universes.
We show that the big bang is a coordinate singularity for a large class of $k = -1$ inflationary FLRW spacetimes which we have dubbed 'Milne-like.' By introducing a new set of coordinates, the big bang appears as a past boundary of the universe where the metric is no longer degenerate -- a result which has already been investigated in the context of vacuum decay [12]. We generalize their results and approach the problem from a more mathematical perspective. Similar to how investigating the geometrical properties of the $r = 2m$ event horizon in Schwarzschild led to a better understanding of bl…
We show how to regularize the big bang singularity in the presence of random perturbations modeled by Brownian motion using stochastic methods. We prove that the physical variables in a contracting universe dominated by a scalar field can be continuously and uniquely extended through the big bang as a function of time to an expanding universe only for a discrete set of values of the equation of state satisfying special co-prime number conditions. This result significantly generalizes a previous result \cite{Xue:2014} that did not model random perturbations. This result implies that the extensi…
The origin of Big Bang singularity in 3+1 dimensions can be understood in an exact string theory background obtained by an analytic continuation of a cigar like geometry with a nontrivial dilaton. In a T-dual conformal field theory picture there exists a closed string tachyon potential which excises the singular space-time of a strongly coupled regime to ensure that a higher dimensional universe has no curvature singularity. However in 3+1 dimensions the universe exhibits all the pathology of a standard Big Bang cosmology. The emergence of a singularity now owes to a higher dimensional orbifol…
So far all known singularity-free cosmological models are cylindrically symmetric. Here we present a new family of spherically symmetric non-singular models filled with imperfect fluid and radial heat flow, and satisfying the weak and strong energy conditions. For large $t$ anisotropy in pressure and heat flux tend to vanish leading to a perfect fluid. There is a free function of time in the model, which can be suitably chosen for non-singular behaviour and there exist multiplicity of such choices.
We present a physics model for a time-symmetric Milne-like universe. The model is based on the $q$-theory approach to the cosmological constant problem, supplemented by an assumed vacuum-matter energy exchange possibly due to quantum-dissipative effects. Without fine-tuning of the initial vacuum energy density, we obtain a harmless big bang singularity (with finite values of the Ricci and Kretschmann curvature scalars) and attractor behavior towards Minkowski spacetime. The time-symmetric spacetime manifold of our model may provide the proper setting for a possible CPT-symmetric universe.
In this article we follow a previously developed theoretical approach, based in the tools of the singular semi-Riemannian geometry, to push the limits of time beyond the primordial spacetime singularity. By complexifying the Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric and Friedmann's equations we model a branch cut universe, in which the cosmic FLRW metric scale factor is analytically continued to the complex plane, and becomes equivalent from a conceptual point of view of describing a hypothetical general metric of maximally symmetric and homogeneous superposed multiple universes.
Relativistic quantum theories are usually thought of as being quantum field theories, but this is not the only possibility. Here we consider relativistic quantum theories with a fixed number of particles that interact neither through potentials nor through exchange of bosons. Instead, the interaction can occur directly along light cones, in a way similar to the Wheeler-Feynman formulation of classical electrodynamics. For two particles, the wave function is here of the form $ψ(x_1,x_2)$, where $x_1$ and $x_2$ are spacetime points. Specifically, we consider a natural class of covariant equation…
We propose a new version of the $AdS/CFT$ correspondence, where polymer structures similar to Loop Quantum Cosmology spin networks can be induced on an isotropic and homogeneous flat Randall-Sundrum II brane, corresponding to the holographic duals of closed string states living in the bulk. Such polymer structures drive a discrete evolution of the braneworld spacetime that leads to the regularization of the Big Bang singularity. The present results show that the $AdS/CFT$ conjecture can be a possible bridge between String theory and Loop Quantum Gravity.
The creation of universes in entangled pairs may avoid the initial singularity and it would have observable consequences in a large macroscopic universe like ours, at least in principle. In this paper we describe the creation of an entangled pair of universes from a double instanton, which avoids the initial singularity, in the case of a homogeneous and isotropic universe with a conformally coupled massless scalar field. The thermodynamical properties of inter-universal entanglement might have observable consequences on the properties of our single universe provided that the thermodynamics of …
We provide a novel mechanism that resolves the Big Bang Singularity present in FRW space-times without the need for ghost fields. Building on the fact that a four-fermion interaction arises in General Relativity when fermions are covariantly coupled, we show that at early times the decrease in scale factor enhances the correlation between pairs of fermions. This enhancement leads to a BCS-like condensation of the fermions and opens a gap dynamically driving the Hubble parameter $H$ to zero and results in a non-singular bounce, at least in some special cases.
The big bang singularity of the expanding-universe Friedmann solution of the Einstein gravitational field equation can be regularized by the introduction of a degenerate metric and a nonzero length scale $b$. The result is a nonsingular bounce of the cosmic scale factor with a contracting prebounce phase and an expanding postbounce phase. The corresponding maximum values of the curvature and the energy density occur at the moment of the bounce and are proportional to powers of $1/b$. This article presents a detailed calculation of the dynamics of such a nonsingular bounce. In addition, a compa…
A possible way to resolve the singularities of general relativity is proposed based on the assumption that the description of space-time using commuting coordinates is not valid above a certain fundamental scale. Beyond that scale it is assumed that the space-time has noncommutative structure leading in turn to a resolution of the singularity. As a first attempt towards realizing the above programme a modification of the Kasner metric is constructed which is commutative only at large time scales. At small time scales, near the singularity, the commutation relations among the space coordinates …
In this contribution we identify two scenarios for the evolutionary branch cut universe. In the first scenario, the universe evolves continuously from the negative complex cosmological time sector, prior to a primordial singularity, to the positive one, circumventing continuously a branch cut, and no primordial singularity occurs in the imaginary sector, only branch points. In the second scenario, the branch cut and branch point disappear after the realisation of the imaginary component of the complex time by means of a Wick rotation, which is replaced by the thermal time. In the second scenar…
In the recently proposed cosmological constant (CC) filter mechanism based on modified gravity in the Palatini formalism, gravity in the radiation, matter and late-time de Sitter eras is insensitive to energy sources with the equation of state -1. This implies that finite vacuum energy shifts from phase transitions are filtered out, too. In this work we investigate the CC filter model at very early times. We find that the initial big bang singularity is replaced by a cosmic bounce, where the matter energy density and the curvature are finite. In a certain case this finiteness can be observed a…
We investigate a cosmological model whose energy content is described by a Chaplygin gas represented by a scalar field $ϕ$ with an associated potential producing a big bang singularity such that for vanishing scale factor, $a\to 0$, one has $|ϕ|\to \infty$. The classical version of the model is discussed in detail, however, our main interest lies in its quantization. Upon quantization of this model in the Schrödinger picture, we get the Wheeler--DeWitt equation which can be solved exactly in the two limits $a\to 0$ and $a\to\infty$, respectively. Employing the DeWitt criterium that the wave fu…
We propose a picture, within the pre-big-bang approach, in which the universe emerges from a bath of plane gravitational and dilatonic waves. The waves interact gravitationally breaking the exact plane symmetry and lead generically to gravitational collapse resulting in a singularity with the Kasner-like structure. The analytic relations between the Kasner exponents and the initial data are explicitly evaluated and it is shown that pre-big-bang inflation may occur within a dense set of initial data. Finally, we argue that plane waves carry zero gravitational entropy and thus are, from a thermo…
In a recent article, we propose a general geometric notion of initial data on big bang singularities. This notion is of interest in its own right. However, it also serves the purpose of giving a unified perspective on many of the results in the literature. In the present article, we give a partial justification of this statement by rephrasing the results concerning Bianchi class A orthogonal stiff solutions and solutions in the $\mathbb{T}^{3}$-Gowdy symmetric vacuum setting in terms of our general geometric notion of initial data on the big bang singularity.
We elaborate on a recently discovered phenomenon where a scalar field close to big-bang is forced to climb a steep potential by its dynamics. We analyze the phenomenon in more general terms by writing the leading order equations of motion near the singularity. We formulate the conditions for climbing to exist in the case of several scalars and after inclusion of higher-derivative corrections and we apply our results to some models of moduli stabilization. We analyze an example with steep stabilizing potential and notice again a related critical behavior: for a potential steepness above a criti…
The hot Big-Bang standard model for the evolution of the universe, despite strong successes, lets unresolved a number of problems. One of its main drawbacks, known as the horizon problem, was until now thought to be only solvable by an inflationary scenario. Here is proposed a class of inhomogeneous models of universe, getting rid of some of the worst drawbacks of standard cosmology. The horizon problem is solved by means of an initial singularity of "delayed" type and without need for any inflationary phase. The flatness and cosmological constant problems disappear.
The window is found in the space of the free parameters of the theory of viscoelastic matter for which the Friedmann singularity is stable. Under stability we mean that in the presence of the shear stresses the \textit{generic} solution of the equations of relativistic gravity possessing the isotropic, homogeneous and thermally equilibrated cosmological singularity exists.
A background-independent quantization of the Universe near its Big Bang singularity is considered using a drastically simplified toy model. Several conceptual issues are addressed. (1) The observable spatial-geometry characteristics of our empty-space expanding Universe is sampled by the time-dependent operator $Q=Q(t)$ of the distance between two space-attached observers (``Alice and Bob''). (2) For any pre-selected guess of the simple, non-covariant time-dependent observable $Q(t)$ one of the Kato's exceptional points (viz., $t=τ_{(EP)}$) is postulated {\em real-valued}. This enables us to t…
We establish a formal relationship between stationary axisymmetric spacetimes and $T^3$ Gowdy cosmological models which allows us to derive several preliminary results about the generation of exact cosmological solutions and their possible behavior near the initial singularity. In particular, we argue that it is possible to generate a Gowdy model from its values at the singularity and that this could be used to construct cosmological solutions with any desired spatial behavior at the Big Bang.
Big bang of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW)-brane universe is studied. In contrast to the spacelike initial singularity of the usual FRW universe, the initial singularity of the FRW-brane universe is point-like from the viewpoint of causality including gravitational waves propagating in the bulk. Existence of null singularities (seam singuralities) is also shown in the flat and open FRW-brane universe models.
We study the conformal structure of exotic (non-big-bang) singularity universes using the hybrid big-bang/exotic singularity/big-bang and big-rip/exotic singularity/big-rip models by investigating their appropriate Penrose diagrams. We show that the diagrams have the standard structure for the big-bang and big-rip and that exotic singularities appear just as the constant time hypersurfaces for the time of a singularity and because of their geodesic completeness are potentially transversable. We also comment on some applications and extensions of the Penrose diagram method in studying exotic si…
Over the last three years, a number of fundamental issues in quantum gravity were addressed in the framework of quantum geometry, discussed extensively by John Baez in this conference. In particular, these include: A statistical mechanical derivation of the horizon entropy, encompassing astrophysically interesting black holes cosmological horizons, and a natural resolution of the big-bang singularity. The goal of this article is to communicate these advances in general terms.
We analyze the quantum dynamics of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Universe in the context of a Generalized Uncertainty Principle. Since the isotropic Universe dynamics resembles that of a one-dimensional particle, we quantize it with the commutation relations associated to an extended formulation of the Heisenberg algebra. The evolution of the system is described in terms of a massless scalar field taken as a relational time. We construct suitable wave packets and analyze their dynamics from a quasi-classical region to the initial singularity. The appearance of a non singular dynamics comes ou…
We look at the possibility of superinflationary behavior in a class of anisotropic Type-IIB superstring cosmologies in the context of Pre-big Bang scenario and find that there exists a rather narrow range of parameters for which these models inflate. We then show that, although in general this behavior is left untouched by the introduction of a Ramond-Ramond axion field through a SL(2,R) rotation, there exists a particular class of axions for which inflation disappears completely. Asymptotic past initial conditions are briefly discussed, and some speculations on the possible extension of Pre-b…
The Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the string cosmology is solved using the gradient expansion method. The zeroth order solution is taken to be the standard pre-big bang model and the second order solution is found for the dilaton and the three-metric. It indicates that corrections generated by inhomogeneities of the seed metric are suppressed near the singularity and are growing towards the asymptotic past, but corrections generated by the dilaton inhomogeneities are growing near the singularity and are suppressed in the past. Possible influences of initial metric inhomogeneities on the pre-big…
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…
Spatially homogeneous but possibly anisotropic cosmologies have two main types of singularities: (1) asymptotically velocity term dominated (AVTD) - (reversing the time direction) the universe evolves to the singularity with fixed anisotropic collapse rates ; (2) Mixmaster-the anisotropic collapse rates change in a deterministicaly chaotic way. Much less is known about spatially inhomogeneous universes. It has been claimed that a generic universe would evolve toward the singularity as a different Mixmaster universe at each spatial point. I shall discuss how to predict whether a cosmology has a…
We consider the wave equation, $\square_gψ=0$, in fixed flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker and Kasner spacetimes with topology $\mathbb{R}_+\times\mathbb{T}^3$. We obtain generic blow up results for solutions to the wave equation towards the Big Bang singularity in both backgrounds. In particular, we characterize open sets of initial data prescribed at a spacelike hypersurface close to the singularity, which give rise to solutions that blow up in an open set of the Big Bang hypersurface $\{t=0\}$. The initial data sets are characterized by the condition that the Neumann data should domin…
We consider the thermodynamical behavior of Banks-Zaks theory close to the conformal point in a cosmological setting. Due to the anomalous dimension, the resulting pressure and energy density deviate from that of radiation and result in various interesting cosmological scenarios. Specifically, for a given range of parameters one avoids the cosmological singularity. We provide a full "phase diagram" of possible Universe evolution for the given parameters. For a certain range of parameters, the thermal averaged Banks-Zaks theory alone results in an exponentially contracting universe followed by …
We consider a contracting universe and its transition to expansion through the big bang singularity with a time varying equation of state $w$, where $w$ approaches $1$ as the universe contracts to the big bang. We show that this singularity is non-regularizable. That is, there is no unique extension of the physical quantities after the transition, but rather infinitely many. This is entirely different from the case of $w > 1$ studied in \cite{Xue:2014}, where $w$ approaches a constant value $w_c > 1$ as the universe contracts. In that case a continuous transition through the big bang to yield …
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 show that the Big Bang singularity of the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker model does not raise major problems to General Relativity. We prove a theorem showing that the Einstein equation can be written in a non-singular form, which allows the extension of the spacetime before the Big Bang. The physical interpretation of the fields used is discussed. These results follow from our research on singular semi-Riemannian geometry and singular General Relativity.
We study an alternative geometrical approach on the problem of classical cosmological singularity. It is based on a generalized function $f (x, y) = x^{2} + y^{2} = (1 - z)z^{n}$ which consists of a cusped coupled isosurface. Such a geometry is computed and discussed into the context of Friedmann singularity-free cosmology where a pre-big bang scenario is considered. Assuming that the mechanism of cusp formation is described by non-linear oscillations of a pre-big bang extended very high energy density field ($> 3 \times 10^{94} kg/m^{3} $), we show that the action under the gravitational fiel…
