We review the paradigm of quintom cosmology. This scenario is motivated by the observational indications that the equation of state of dark energy across the cosmological constant boundary is mildly favored, although the data are still far from being conclusive. As a theoretical setup we introduce a no-go theorem existing in quintom cosmology, and based on it we discuss the conditions for the equation of state of dark energy realizing the quintom scenario. The simplest quintom model can be achieved by introducing two scalar fields with one being quintessence and the other phantom. Based on the double-field quintom model we perform a detailed analysis of dark energy perturbations and we discuss their effects on current observations. This type of scenarios usually suffer from a manifest problem due to the existence of a ghost degree of freedom, and thus we review various alternative realizations of the quintom paradigm. The developments in particle physics and string theory provide potential clues indicating that a quintom scenario may be obtained from scalar systems with higher derivative terms, as well as from non-scalar systems. Additionally, we construct a quintom realization in the framework of braneworld cosmology, where the cosmic acceleration and the phantom divide crossing result from the combined effects of the field evolution on the brane and the competition between four and five dimensional gravity. Finally, we study the outsets and fates of a universe in quintom cosmology. In a scenario with null energy condition violation one may obtain a bouncing solution at early times and therefore avoid the Big Bang singularity. Furthermore, if this occurs periodically, we obtain a realization of an oscillating universe. Lastly, we comment on several open issues in quintom cosmology and their connection to future investigations.
In this paper, we study the possibility of model building of cyclic universe with Quintom matter in the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology. After a general demonstration, we provide two examples, one with double-fluid and another double-scalar field, to show how such a scenario is obtained. Analytical and numerical calculations are both presented in the paper.
The emergent universe scenario provides a possible alternative to bouncing cosmology to avoid the Big Bang singularity problem. In this paper we study the realization of the emergent universe scenario by making use of Quintom matter with an equation of state across the cosmological constant boundary. We will show explicitly the analytic and numerical solutions of emergent universe in two Quintom models, which are a phenomenological fluid and a nonconventional spinor field, respectively.
In the present work, we investigate the universe dominated by quintom or hessence energies in Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC). Interestingly enough, we find that there are some stable attractors in these two cases. In the case of quintom, all stable attractors have the feature of decelerated expansion. In the case of hessence, most of stable attractors have the feature of decelerated expansion while one stable attractor can have decelerated or accelerated expansion depend on the model parameter. In all cases, the equation-of-state parameter (EoS) of all stable attractors are larger than -1 and th…
We investigate the phase-space structure of the quintom paradigm in the framework of a spatially flat, open, or closed isotropic and homogeneous universe. We examine the dynamical evolution under the assumption of late-time dark energy domination, without specifying the explicit quintom potential form. The obtained cosmological behavior is qualitatively different than that acquired from the single phantom model.
We investigate quintom cosmology in FRW universes using isomorphic models consisting of three coupled oscillators, one of which carries negative kinetic energy. In particular, we examine the cosmological paradigms of minimally-coupled massless quintom, of two conformally-coupled massive scalars and of conformally-coupled massive quintom, and we obtain their qualitative characteristics as well as their quantitative asymptotic behavior. For open or flat geometries, we find that, independently of the specific initial conditions, the universe is always led to an eternal expansion.
University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学技术大学）；CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学院星系与宇宙学重点实验室，中国科学技术大学天文与空间科学学院）；Huazhong University of Science and Technology（华中科技大学）；Interdisciplinary Center for Theoretical Study & Peng Huanwu Center for Fundamental Theory, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学技术大学理论物理交叉中心及彭桓武基础理论中心）；Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院高能物理研究所）；School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学核科学与技术学院）
We develop the general reconstruction scheme in two scalar model. The quintom-like theory which may describe (different) non-singular Little Rip or de Sitter cosmology is reconstructed. (In)stability of such dark energy cosmologies as well as the flow to fixed points is studied. The stability of Little Rip universe which leads to dissolution of bound objects sometime in future indicates that no classical transition to de Sitter space occurs.
We investigate canonical, phantom and quintom models, with the various fields being non-minimally coupled to gravity, in the framework of holographic dark energy. We classify them and we discuss their cosmological implications. In particular, we examine the present value of the dark energy equation-of-state parameter and the crossing through the phantom divide, and we extract the conditions for a future cosmological singularity. The combined scenarios are in agreement with observations and reveal interesting cosmological behaviors.
The theory of nonlinear massive gravity can be extended into the F(R) form as developed in Phys.Rev.D90, 064051 (2014). Being free of the Boulware-Deser ghost, such a construction has the additional advantage of exhibiting no linear instabilities around a cosmological background. We investigate various cosmological evolutions of a universe governed by this generalized massive gravitational theory. Specifically, under the Starobinsky ansantz, this model provides a unified description of the cosmological history, from early-time inflation to late-time self-acceleration. Moreover, under viable F(…
In this work, first, we study a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Universe with two scalar fields but only one potential term, which can be thought as a simple quintessence plus a K-essence model. Employing the Hamiltonian formalism we are able to obtain the classical and quantum solutions. The second model studied, is also a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Universe with two scalar fields, with the difference that the two potentials are considered as well as the standard kinetic energy and the mixed term (chiral field approach). Regarding this second model, it is shown that setting to zero the c…
We propose a modification of Einstein-Cartan gravity equations. The modified cosmology departs from the standard model of cosmology for small Hubble parameter. A characteristic Hubble scale h0, which is intrinsically related to cosmological constant, marks the boundary between the validity domains of the standard model of cosmology and modified cosmology. For large Hubble parameter, the standard model of cosmology is restored. In the opposite limit of small Hubble parameter, which is the case for present epoch, Lorentz-violating effects would manifest themselves. One of the implications is tha…
In multi-scalar field cosmologies new dynamical degrees of freedom are introduced which can explain the observational phenomena. Unlike the usual scalar field theory where a single scalar field is considered, the multi-scalar field cosmologies allow more than one scalar field and exhibits interetsing consequences, such as quintom, hybrid inflation etc. The current work studies the existence of exact solutions and integrable dynamical systems in multi-scalar field cosmology. We present the exact analytic solutions for a system of $N$-scalar fields. In particular, we consider a multi scalar fiel…
The bouncing cosmology provides a successful solution of the cosmological singularity problem. In this paper, we study the bouncing behavior of a single scalar field model with tachyon field non-minimally coupled to itself, its derivative and to the curvature. By utilizing the numerical calculations we will show that the bouncing solution can appear in the universe dominated by such a quintom matter with equation of state crossing the phantom divide line. We also investigate the classical stability of our model using the phase velocity of the homogeneous perturbations of the tachyon scalar fie…
We investigate how the properties of dark energy affect the cosmological measurements of neutrino mass and extra relativistic degrees of freedom. We limit ourselves to the most basic extensions of $Λ$ cold dark matter (CDM) model, i.e. the $w$CDM model with one additional parameter $w$, and the $w_{0}w_{a}$CDM model with two additional parameters, $w_{0}$ and $w_{a}$. In the cosmological fits, we employ the 2015 cosmic microwave background temperature and polarization data from the Planck mission, in combination with low-redshift measurements such as the baryon acoustic oscillations, Type Ia s…
I review the "Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture" (TCC) and its implications for cosmology, in particular for the inflationary universe scenario. Whereas the inflationary scenario is tightly constrained by the TCC, alternative early universe scenarios are not restricted.
We consider a cosmology in which the final stage of the Universe is neither accelerating nor decelerating, but approaches an asymptotic state where the scale factor becomes a constant value. In order to achieve this, we first bring in a scale factor with the desired property and then determine the details of the energy contents as a result of the cosmological evolution equations. We show that such a scenario can be realized if we introduce a generalized quintom model which consists of a scalar field and a phantom with a {\it negative} cosmological constant term. The standard cold dark matter w…
The way physics of loop quantum gravity is affected by the underlying quantization ambiguities is an open question. We address this issue in the context of loop quantum cosmology using gauge-covariant fluxes. Consequences are explored for two choices of regularization parameters: $μ_0$ and $\bar μ$ in presence of a positive cosmological constant, and two choices of regularizations of the Hamiltonian constraint in loop quantum cosmology: the standard and the Thiemann regularization. We show that novel features of singularity resolution and bounce, occurring due to gauge-covariant fluxes, exist …
Within the context of supersymmetric space-time (D-particle) foam in string/brane-theory, we discuss a Finsler-induced Cosmology and its implications for (thermal) Dark Matter abundances. This constitutes a truly microscopic model of dynamical space-time, where Finsler geometries arise naturally. The D-particle foam model involves point-like brane defects (D-particles), which provide the topologically non-trivial foamy structures of space-time. The D-particles can capture and emit stringy matter and this leads to a recoil of D-particles. It is indicated how one effect of such a recoil of D-par…
We investigate a possibility of realizing the entropic force into the cosmology. A main issue is how the holographic screen is implemented in the Newtonian cosmology. Contrary to the relativistic realization of Friedmann equations, we do not clarify the connection between Newtonian cosmology and entropic force because there is no way of implementing the holographic screen in the Newtonian cosmology.
At first, we discuss parallels electric and magnetic fields solutions in a gravitational background. Then, considering eletromagnetic and gravitational waves symmetries we show a particular solution for stationary gravitational waves. Finally we consider gravitation as a gauge theory (effective gravitational theory), evaluate the propagators of the model, analyze the corresponding quantum excitations and verify (confirm) the tree-level unitarity at many places of the model.
The noncommutativity of the space-time had important implications for the very early Universe, when its size was of the order of the Planck length. An important implication of this effect is the deformation of the standard dispersion relation of special relativity. Moreover, in the Planck regime gravity itself must be described by a quantum theory. We consider the implications of the modified dispersion relations for a photon gas, filling the early Universe, in the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology, a theoretical approach to quantum gravity. We consider three types of deformations of the dis…
In this paper we consider realistic model of inflation embedded in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. Phase of inflation is preceded here by the phase of a quantum bounce. We show how parameters of inflation depend on the initial conditions established in the contracting, pre-bounce phase. Our investigations indicate that phase of the bounce easily sets proper initial conditions for the inflation. Subsequently we study observational effects that might arise due to the quantum gravitational modifications. We perform preliminary observational constraints for the Barbero-Immirzi parameter $…
We study the effects of modifications of gravity after Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) which would manifest themselves mainly before recombination. We consider their effects on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation and on the formation of large scale structure. The models that we introduce here represent all screened modifications of General Relativity (GR) which evade the local tests of gravity such as the violation of the strong equivalence principle as constrained by the Lunar Ranging experiment. We use the tomographic description of modified gravity which defines models with scree…
In this paper we investigate the physical implications of the dynamical scalar mode in pure Horava-Lifshitz gravity on cosmology. We find that it can produce a scale-invariant power spectrum in UV era if the detailed balance condition on the action is relaxed. This indicates that the physical scalar mode may seed the large scale structure and Horava-Lifshitz cosmology could be a qualified alternative to inflationary scenario.
After a review of theoretical motivations to consider theories with direct couplings of scalar fields to Ricci and gauge curvature terms, we consider the dynamics and non-perturbative stabilization of a dilaton in three and in four dimensions. In particular, we derive generalized Coulomb potentials in the presence of a dilaton and discuss a low energy effective dilaton potential induced by instanton effects and the S--dual coupling to axions. We conclude with a discussion of cosmological implications of a light dilaton.
The restriction to invariant connections in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-time is discussed via the analysis of the Dirac brackets associated with the corresponding gauge fixing. This analysis allows us to establish the proper correspondence between reduced and un-reduced variables. In this respect, it is outlined how the holonomy-flux algebra coincides with the one of Loop Quantum Gravity if edges are parallel to simplicial vectors and the quantization of the model is performed via standard techniques by restricting admissible paths. Within this scheme, the discretization of the area spe…
We describe here how the late time behavior of the decaying states, which is predicted to deviate from an exponential form, while normally of insignificant consequence, may have important cosmological implications in the case of false vacuum decay. It may increase the likelihood of eternal inflation, and may help explain the likelihood of observing a small vacuum energy at late times, as well as arguing against decay into a large negative energy (anti-de Sitter space), vacuum state as has been motivated by some string theory considerations. Several interesting open questions are raised, includ…
We consider the introduction of anisotropy in a class of bouncing models of cosmology. The presence of anisotropy often spells doom on bouncing models, since the energy density due to the anisotropic stress outweighs that of other matter components, as the universe contracts. Different suggestions have been made in the literature to resolve this pathology, classically. Here, we introduce a family of bouncing models, in which the shear density can be tuned to either allow or forbid classical bouncing scenarios. Following this, we show that quantum cosmological considerations can drastically cha…
The present paper is devoted to the study of bouncing cosmology in $f(R,T)$ modified gravity where we presume $f(R,T) = R + 2 λT$, with $R$ the Ricci scalar, $T$ the trace of energy momentum tensor and $λ$ the model parameter. We present here a novel parametrization of Hubble parameter which is apt in representing a successful bouncing scenario undergoing no singularity. We proceed to present a complete analysis of the proposed bouncing model by studying the evolution of primordial curvature perturbations, energy conditions and stability against linear homogeneous perturbations in flat space-t…
I investigate the impact of a "would be" fundamental symmetry of the laws of nature under the interchange of gravity and antigravity, on the understanding of negative energies in general relativity. For this purpose a toy model that is based on Einstein-Hilbert gravity with two minimally coupled self-interacting scalar fields is explored, where the second (exotic) scalar field with negative energy density may be regarded, alternatively, as an antigravitating field with positive energy. Spontaneous breakdown of reflection symmetry is then considered in order to discuss the implications the prop…
In this review we focus on the main cosmological implications of the Group Field Theory approach, according to which an effective continuum macroscopic dynamics can be extracted from the underlying formalism for quantum gravity. Within this picture what counts is the collective behaviour of a large number of quanta of geometry. The resulting state is a condensate-like structure made of "pre-geometric" excitations of the Group Field Theory field over a no-space vacuum. Starting from the kinematics and dynamics, we offer an overview of the way in which Group Field Theory condensate cosmology tre…
We study the dynamics of the size of an extra-dimensional manifold stabilised by fluxes. Inspecting the potential for the 4D field associated with this size (the radion), we obtain the conditions under which it can be stabilised and show that stable compactifications on hyperbolic manifolds necessarily have a negative four-dimensional cosmological constant, in contradiction with experimental observations. Assuming compactification on a positively curved (spherical) manifold we find that the radion has a mass of the order of the compactification scale, M_c, and Planck suppressed couplings. We a…
We modify the scalar Einstein-aether theory by breaking the Lorentz invariance of a gravitational theory coupled to a Galileon type scalar field. This is done by introducing a Lagrange multiplier term into the action, thus ensuring that the gradient of the scalar field is time-like, with unit norm. The theory can also be considered as an extension to the mimetic dark matter theory, by adding some derivative self interactions to the action, which keeps the equation of motion at most second order in time derivatives. The cosmological implications of the model are discussed in detail. In particul…
The second string revolution, which begin around 1995, has led to a drastic alteration in our perception of the universe, perhaps even more so then did the first string revolution of 1984. That is, extending 10-dimensional string theory to 11-dimensional M-theory has had more profound implications than did the original extension of 4-dimensional quantum mechanics and relativity to 10-dimensional string theory. After a brief review of M-theory, I discuss some implications of large extra dimensions. I then consider astronomical evidence for, and constraints on, large compactified dimensions. I c…
Motivated by cosmological Hartle-Hawking and microcanonical density matrix prescriptions for the quantum state of the Universe we develop Schwinger-Keldysh in-in formalism for generic nonequilibrium dynamical systems with the initial density matrix. We build the generating functional of in-in Green's functions and expectation values for a generic density matrix of the Gaussian type and show that the requirement of particle interpretation selects a distinguished set of positive/negative frequency basis functions of the wave operator of the theory, which is determined by the density matrix param…
The implications of string theory for understanding the dimension of uncompactified spacetime are investigated. Using recent ideas in string cosmology, a new model is proposed to explain why three spatial dimensions grew large. Unlike the original work of Brandenberger and Vafa, this paradigm uses the theory of random walks. A computer model is developed to test the implications of this new approach. It is found that a four-dimensional spacetime can be explained by the proper choice of initial conditions.
No more salient issue exists in contemporary astrophysics and cosmology than that of the elusive "dark matter". For many years already Milgrom's paradigm of modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) has provided an alternative way to interpret observations without appeal to invisible dark matter. MOND had been successful in elucidating economically the dynamics of disk galaxies of all scales, while doing less well for clusters of galaxies; in its original form it could not address gravitational lensing or cosmology. After reviewing some of the evidence in favor of MOND, I recollect the development of…
We consider a minimum uncertainty vacuum choice at a fixed energy scale Lambda as an effective description of trans-Planckian physics, and discuss its implications for the linear perturbations of a massless scalar field in power-law inflationary models. We find possible effects with a magnitude of order H/Λin the power spectrum, in analogy with previous results for de-Sitter space-time.
We include the brane curvature scalar to study its cosmological implication in the brane world cosmology. This term is usually introduced to obtain the well-defined stress-energy tensor on the boundary of anti de Sitter-Schwarzschild space. Here we treat this as the perturbed term for cosmological purpose. We find corrections to the well-known equation of the brane cosmology. It contains new interesting terms which may play the important role in the brane cosmology.
In this letter we discuss the implications of the recently proposed TransPlanckian Censorship Conjecture (TCC) for Holographic Cosmology. For models of holographic inflation that are dual to inverse renormalization group (RG) flows, assuming the TCC to be true, we found a bound on the running of the field theory coupling and the corresponding maximum energy scale above which the RG flow should be modified. We also discuss on the transPlanckian problem in non-geometrical holographic models.
