The fundamental singularity theorem of FLRW cosmologies assumes that the matter content in the cosmological model obeys the strong energy condition along with a nonpositive cosmological constant which gives rise to an irrotational geodesic singularity. In this paper, we show that the important case of a spatially flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe with barotropic matter obeying only the \emph{weak} energy condition with a nonnegative cosmological constant also contains a past singularity. We accomplish this using topological methods from dynamical systems theory. The methods employed in this paper are sufficiently general that they could be extended to other models to study the existence of past singularities.
The standard energy conditions of classical general relativity are applied to FLRW cosmologies containing sudden future singularities. Here we show, in a model independent way, that although such cosmologies can satisfy the null, weak and strong energy conditions, they always fail to satisfy the dominant energy condition. They require a divergent spacelike energy flux in all but the comoving frame.
Exploiting the existence of two "cosmological" constants, one associated with the classical Lovelock theorem and one with the vacuum energy density, we argue, in a model independent way, that in spatially closed FLRW cosmologies with a positive definite effective cosmological constant there exists a range in this constant that serves as a sufficient condition for the satisfaction of the null, weak, strong and dominant energy conditions at a bounce. The application of energy conditions is not unambiguous and we show how the bounce can be considered classically and how, we believe more reasonabl…
In this paper, we first show that the Einstein field equations for all perfect-fluid FLRW cosmologies can be written as a planar dynamical system with the equation of state parameter $w$ and cosmological constant $Λ$ as parameters. An important equilibrium point of this dynamical system is the origin which represents Minkowski spacetime. It is shown that the Einstein field equations in a neigbourhood of this point are equivalent to a degenerate Bogdanov-Takens normal form. This normal form admits a set of equilibrium points that describes a set of solutions to the Einstein field equations that…
Scalar field cosmologies with a generalized harmonic potential and a matter fluid with a barotropic Equation of State (EoS) with barotropic index $γ$ for Locally Rotationally Symmetric (LRS) Bianchi III metric and open Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric are investigated. Methods from the theory of averaging of nonlinear dynamical systems are used to prove that time-dependent systems and their corresponding time-averaged versions have the same late-time dynamics. Therefore, simple time-averaged systems determine the future asymptotic behavior. Depending on values of barotropic in…
Scalar field cosmologies with a generalized harmonic potential and matter with energy density $ρ_m$, pressure $p_m$, and barotropic equation of state (EoS) $p_m=(γ-1)ρ_m, \; γ\in[0,2]$ in Kantowski-Sachs (KS) and closed Friedmann--Lemaître--Robertson--Walker (FLRW) metrics are investigated. We use methods from non--linear dynamical systems theory and averaging theory considering a time--dependent perturbation function $D$. We define a regular dynamical system over a compact phase space, obtaining global results. That is, for KS metric the global late--time attractors of full and time--averaged…
The standard model of cosmology is based on homogeneous-isotropic solutions of Einstein's equations. These solutions are known to be gravitationally unstable to local inhomogeneous perturbations, commonly described as evolving on a background given by the same solutions. In this picture, the FLRW backgrounds are taken to describe the average over inhomogeneous perturbations for all times. We study in the present article the (in)stability of FLRW dust backgrounds within a class of averaged inhomogeneous cosmologies. We examine the phase portraits of the latter, discuss their fixed points and or…
We use phase space method to study possible consequences of fixed points in flat FLRW models. One of these consequences is that a fluid with a finite sound speed, or a differentiable pressure, reaches a fixed point in an infinite time and has no finite-time singularities of types I, II and III described in hep-th/0501025. It is impossible for such a fluid to cross the phantom divide in a finite time. We show that a divergent $dp/dH$, or a speed of sound is necessary but not sufficient condition for phantom crossing. We use pressure properties, such as asymptotic behavior and fixed points, to q…
Conjugate points play an important role in the proofs of the singularity theorems of Hawking and Penrose. We examine the relation between singularities and conjugate points in FLRW spacetimes with a singularity. In particular we prove a theorem that when a non-comoving, non-spacelike geodesic in a singular FLRW spacetime obeys conditions (39) and (40), every point on that geodesic is part of a pair of conjugate points. The proof is based on the Raychaudhuri equation. We find that the theorem is applicable to all non-comoving, non-spacelike geodesics in FLRW spacetimes with non-negative spatial…
A novel analytical method for f(R) modified theories without matter in Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker spacetimes is introduced. The equation of motion for the scale factor in terms of cosmic time is reduced to the equation for the evolution of the Ricci scalar R with the Hubble parameter H. The solution of equation of motion for actions of the form of power law in Ricci scalar R, is presented with a detailed elaboration of the action quadratic in R. The reverse use of the introduced method is exemplified in finding functional forms f(R) which lead to specified scale factor functions. The …
An effective Lagrangian approach based on an extended Einstein-Aether (EA) model is presented and formulated in a generic non flat Fridman-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) space-time. For a flat FLRW space-time, a Friedmann equation similar to the one obtained in Quantum Loop Cosmology (QLC) is reproduced, with related non singular bounce solution. Finally, the Static Spherically Symmetric (SSS) solutions are investigated.
In this talk we review the appearance of new types of singularities (big rip, sudden singularities...) in FLRW cosmological models that have arisen on considering explanations for accelerated expansion of our universe.
The shape of the orbit of a free particle is examined in FLRW cosmologies. The spatial projection of the orbit is time-independent and has a simple geometric description. We relate this description to the expression in terms of standard FLRW coordinates.
We consider the evolution of a 4D-universe embedded in a five-dimensional (bulk) world with a large extra dimension and a cosmological constant. The cosmology in 5D possesses "wave-like" character in the sense that the metric coefficients in the bulk are functions of the extra coordinate and time in a way similar to a pulse or traveling wave propagating along the fifth dimension. This assumption is motivated by some recent work presenting the big-bang as a higher dimensional shock wave. We show that this assumption, together with an equation of state for the effective matter quantities in 4D, …
Scalar field cosmologies with a generalized harmonic potential and a matter fluid with a barotropic Equation of State (EoS) with barotropic index $γ$ for the Locally Rotationally Symmetric (LRS) Bianchi I and flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metrics are investigated. Methods from the theory of averaging of nonlinear dynamical systems are used to prove that time-dependent systems and their corresponding time-averaged versions have the same late-time dynamics. Therefore, the simplest time-averaged system determines the future asymptotic behavior. Depending on the values of $γ$, th…
It is shown that Milne models (a subclass of FLRW spacetimes with negative spatial curvature) are nonlinearly stable in the set of solutions to the Einstein-Vlasov-Maxwell system, describing universes with ensembles of collisionless self-gravitating, charged particles. The system contains various slowly decaying borderline terms in the mutually coupled equations describing the propagation of particles and Maxwell fields. The effects of those terms are controlled using a suitable hierarchy based on the energy density of the matter fields.
We consider FLRW cosmological models with standard Friedmann equations, but leaving free the equation of state. We assume that the dark energy content of the universe is encoded in an equation of state $p=f(ρ)$, which is expressed with most generality in the form of a power expansion. The inclusion of this expansion in Friedmann equations allows us to construct a perturbative solution and to relate the coefficients of the equation of state with the formation of singularities of different types.
We point out that past-incompleteness of geodesics in FLRW spacetimes does not necessarily imply that these spacetimes start from a singularity. Namely, if a test particle that follows such a trajectory has a non-vanishing velocity, its energy was super-Planckian at some time in the past if it kept following that geodesic. That indicates a breakdown of the particle's description, which is why we should not consider those trajectories for the definition of an initial singularity. When one only considers test particles that do not have this breakdown of their trajectory, it turns out that the on…
Different regularizations of the Hamiltonian constraint in loop quantum cosmology yield modified loop quantum cosmologies, namely mLQC-I and mLQC-II, which lead to qualitatively different Planck scale physics. We perform a comprehensive analysis of resolution of various singularities in these modified loop cosmologies using effective spacetime description and compare with earlier results in standard loop quantum cosmology. We show that the volume remains non-zero and finite in finite time evolution for all considered loop cosmological models. Interestingly, even though expansion scalar and ene…
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.
This thesis concerns the compatibility of inhomogeneous cosmologies with our present understanding of the universe. It is a problem of some interest to find the class of all relativistic cosmological models which are capable of providing a reasonable `fit' to the universe. This thesis, in some respects, is part of this process. We consider Stephani models, which are a generalisation of the standard Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) models, which can be thought of as FLRW models with acceleration and pressure gradients. Thus these models generalise the `dust' assumption of standard cos…
Gauge versus (hidden) physical symmetries of FLRW cosmologies
Universidad Complutense de Madrid（马德里康普顿斯大学）；Sorbonne Université（索邦大学）；CNRS（法国国家科学研究中心）；ENS-Université PSL（巴黎高等师范学院-巴黎文理研究大学）；Collège de France（法兰西公学院）；Università degli Studi di Padova（帕多瓦大学）；INFN, Sezione di Padova（意大利国家核物理研究所帕多瓦分部）
We study a previously largely unexplored branch of homogeneous and isotropic background solutions in ghost-free massive bigravity with consistent double matter coupling. For a certain family of parameters we find `self-inflated' FLRW cosmologies, i.e. solutions with an accelerated early-time period during the radiation-dominated era. In addition, these solutions also display an accelerated late-time period closely mimicking GR with a cosmological constant. Interestingly, within this family, the particular case of $β_1=β_3=0$ gives bouncing cosmologies, where there is an infinite contracting pa…
Assuming that time exists, a new, effective formulation of gravity is introduced, which lies in between the Wheeler-DeWitt approach and ordinary QFT. Remarkably, the Penrose-Hawking singularity of usual Friedman-Robertson-Walker cosmologies is naturally avoided there. The theory is made explicit via specific examples, and compared with loop quantum cosmology. It is argued that it is the regularization of the classical Hamiltonian performed in this last theory what avoid the singularity, rather than quantum effects as in our case.
We show that globally and regularly hyperbolic future geodesically incomplete isotropic universes, except for the standard all-encompassing `big crunch', can accommodate singularities of only one kind, namely, those having a non-integrable Hubble parameter, $H$. We analyze several examples from recent literature which illustrate this result and show that such behaviour may arise in a number of different ways. We also discuss the existence of new types of lapse singularities in inhomogeneous models, impossible to meet in the isotropic ones.
We study the dynamics near finite-time singularities of flat isotropic universes filled with two interacting but otherwise arbitrary perfect fluids. The overall dynamical picture reveals a variety of asymptotic solutions valid locally around the spacetime singularity. We find the attractor of all solutions with standard decay, and for `phantom' matter asymptotically at early times. We give a number of special asymptotic solutions describing universes collapsing to zero size and others ending at a big rip singularity. We also find a very complicated singularity corresponding with a logarithmic …
We review our recent work on the classification of finite time singularities that arise in isotropic universes. This scheme is based on the exploitation of the Bel Robinson energy in a cosmological setting. We comment on the relation between geodesic completeness and the Bel Robinson energy and present evidence that relates the divergence of the latter to the existence of closed trapped surfaces.
We apply the results of singularity analysis to the isotropic cosmological models in general relativity and string theory with a variety of matter terms. For some of these models the standard Painlevé test is sufficient to demonstrate integrability or nonintegrability in the sense of Painlevé. For others of these models it is necessary to use a less algorithmic procedure.
This paper considers some physically interesting cosmological dynamical systems in the FRW-scalarfield category which are examined for integrability according to the criterion of Painlevé. In the literature these systems have been examined from the point of view of dynamical systems and the results from the two disparate methods of analysis are compared. This allows some more general comments to be made on the use of the Painlevé method in covariant systems.
We investigate the dynamical features of a large family of running vacuum cosmologies for which $Λ$ evolves as a polynomial in the Hubble parameter. Specifically, using the critical point analysis we study the existence and the stability of singular solutions which describe de-Sitter, radiation and matter dominated eras. We find several classes of $Λ(H)$ cosmologies for which new analytical solutions are given in terms of Laurent expansions. Finally, we show that the Milne universe and the $R_{h}=ct$ model can be seen as perturbations around a specific $Λ(H)$ model, but this model is unstable.
Local and global phase-space descriptions and averaging methods are used to find qualitative features of solutions for the FLRW and the Bianchi I metrics in the context of scalar field cosmologies with arbitrary potentials and arbitrary couplings to matter. The stability of the equilibrium points in a phase-space as well as the dynamics in the regime where the scalar field diverges are studied. Equilibrium points that represent some solutions of cosmological interest such as: several types of scaling solutions, a kinetic dominated solution representing a stiff fluid, a solution dominated by an…
We study the possible singularities of isotropic cosmological models that have a varying speed of light as well as a varying gravitational constant. The field equations typically reduce to two dimensional systems which are then analyzed both by dynamical systems techniques in phase space and by applying the method of asymptotic splittings. In the general case we find initially expanding closed models which recollapse to a future singularity and open universes that are eternally expanding towards the future. The precise nature of the singularities is also discussed.
Harmonic slicing has in recent years become a standard way of prescribing the lapse function in numerical simulations of general relativity. However, as was first noticed by Alcubierre (1997), numerical solutions generated using this slicing condition can show pathological behaviour. In this paper, analytic and numerical methods are used to examine harmonic slicings of Kasner and Gowdy cosmological spacetimes. It is shown that in general the slicings are prevented from covering the whole of the spacetimes by the appearance of coordinate singularities. As well as limiting the maximum running ti…
The problem of matching different regions of spacetime in order to construct inhomogeneous cosmological models is investigated in the context of Lagrangian theories of gravity constructed from general analytic functions f(R), and from non-analytic theories with f(R)=R^n. In all of the cases studied, we find that it is impossible to satisfy the required junction conditions without the large-scale behaviour reducing to that expected from Einstein's equations with a cosmological constant. For theories with analytic f(R) this suggests that the usual treatment of weak-field systems as perturbations…
It was recently pointed out that linear quantum fields $\hat ϕ(x)$ can be meaningfully propagated across the big bang (and the big crunch) singularities of spatially flat Friedmann, Lemaître, Robertson, Walker (FLRW) universes \cite{ADLS2021}. Recall that $\hat ϕ(x)$, as well as renormalized observables $\langle\hat ϕ(x)^2 \rangle_{ren}$ and $\langle \hat T_{ab}(x)\rangle_{ren}$, are distribution-valued already in Minkowskian quantum field theories. It was shown that they can be extended as well-defined distributions even when these space-times are enlarged to include the big-bang (or the big …
In this work, we explore cosmological sudden singularities arising in the dynamically equivalent scalar-tensor representation of generalized hybrid metric-Palatini gravity. Using a FLRW background, we show that the structure of the field equations prevents sudden singularities from arising at time derivatives of the scale factor of orders lower than four, but that they are allowed to appear for time derivatives of higher orders. Imposing an ansatz for the scale factor, we provide an explicit solution where these sudden singularities appear in the fourth-order time derivative of the scale facto…
We analyse spacetimes with a conformal scalar field source, a cosmological constant and a quartic self-interaction term for the scalar field. We also consider additional matter contents in the form of Maxwell and Yang-Mills fields or radiation fluids. Existence theorems for weakly asymptotically flat spacetimes are given. We give a generalisation of Bekenstein's result [Ann. Phys. 82, 535 (1974)] and use it to derive existence theorems for spacetimes that contain an isotropic singularity. The results are combined to suggest a mathematical setup for Penrose's CCC scenario using a conformal scal…
Cosmological models with time dependent $Λ$ (read as $Λ(t)$) have been investigated widely in the literature. Models that solve background dynamics analytically, are of special interest. Additionally, the allowance of past or future singularities at finite cosmic time in a specific model signals for a generic test on its viabilities with the current observations. Following these, in this work we consider a variety of $Λ(t)$ models focusing on their evolutions and singular behaviour. We found that a series of models in this class can be exactly solved when the background universe is described b…
We come back on the dynamical properties of k-essential cosmological models and show how the interesting phenomenological features of those models are related to the existence of boundaries in the phase surface. We focus our attention to the branching points where the energy density has an extremum and the effective speed of sound diverges. We discuss the behaviour of solutions of a general class of cosmological models exhibiting such curves and give two possible interpretations; the most interesting possibility regards the arrow of time that is reversed in trespassing the branching curve. Thi…
We consider the problem of the nature and possible types of spacetime singularities that can form during the evolution of \emph{FRW} universes in general relativity. We show that by using, in addition to the Hubble expansion rate and the scale factor, the Bel-Robinson energy of these universes we can consistently distinguish between the possible different types of singularities and arrive at a complete classification of the singularities that can occur in the isotropic case. We also use the Bel-Robinson energy to prove that known behaviours of exact flat isotropic universes with given singular…
The Weyl curvature hypothesis of Penrose attempts to explain the high homogeneity and isotropy, and the very low entropy of the early universe, by conjecturing the vanishing of the Weyl tensor at the Big-Bang singularity. In previous papers it has been proposed an equivalent form of Einstein's equation, which extends it and remains valid at an important class of singularities (including in particular the Schwarzschild, FLRW, and isotropic singularities). Here it is shown that if the Big-Bang singularity is from this class, it also satisfies the Weyl curvature hypothesis. As an application, we …
Non-singular two and three dimensional string cosmologies are constructed using the exact conformal field theories corresponding to SO(2,1)/SO(1,1) and SO(2,2)/SO(2,1). {\it All} semi-classical curvature singularities are canceled in the exact theories for both of these cosets, but some new quantum curvature singularities emerge. However, considering different patches of the global manifolds, allows the construction of non-singular spacetimes with cosmological interpretation. In both two and three dimensions, we construct non-singular oscillating cosmologies, non-singular expanding and inflati…
We discuss a class of phantom ($p < - \varrho$) cosmological models. Except for phantom we admit various forms of standard types of matter and discuss the problem of singularities for these cosmologies. The singularities are different from those of standard matter cosmology since they appear for infinite values of the scale factor. We also find an interesting relation between the phantom models and standard matter models which is like the duality symmetry of string cosmology.
A flat FLRW cosmological model with perfect fluid comprising of variable Chaplygin gas has been studied in context of f(R; T) gravity with particle creation. The considered scale factors describe the accelerated expansion of universe due to the effective negative pressure produced during evolution of universe. The role of particle creation pressure on the cosmological parameters have been discussed in detail. By considering well accepted values of free parameters, the late time expansion of the universe with energy conditions have also been studied. The state-finder diagnostic for the consider…
Non-singular two and three dimensional string cosmologies are constructed using the exact conformal field theories corresponding to SO(2,1)/SO(1,1) and SO(2,2)/SO(2,1). All semi-classical curvature singularities are canceled in the exact theories for both of these cosets, but some new quantum curvature singularities emerge. However, considering different patches of the global manifolds, allows the construction of non-singular spacetimes with cosmological interpretation. In both two and three dimensions, we construct non-singular oscillating cosmologies, non-singular expanding and inflationary …
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.
Analytic properties of physical quantities in the cosmic fluid such as energy density ρ(t) and Hubble parameter H(t) are investigated near the future singularity (Big Rip). Both 4D and 5D cosmologies are considered (the Randall-Sundrum II model in the 5D case), and the fluid is assumed to possess a bulk viscosity ζ. We consider both Einstein gravity and modified gravity, where in the latter case the Lagrangian contains a term R^αwith αa constant. If ζis proportional to the power (2α-1) of the scalar expansion, the fluid can pass from the quintessence region into the phantom region as a consequ…
In this article, we examine the possibility that there exist special scalar-tensor theories of gravity with completely nonsingular FRW solutions. Our investigation in fact shows that while most probes living in such a Universe never see the singularity, gravity waves always do. This is because they couple to both the metric and the scalar field, in a way which effectively forces them to move along null geodesics of the Einstein conformal frame. Since the metric of the Einstein conformal frame is always singular for configurations where matter satisfies the energy conditions, the gravity wave w…
In the context of theories of Kaluza-Klein type, with a large extra dimension, we study self-similar cosmological models in 5D that are homogeneous, anisotropic and spatially flat. The "ladder" to go between the physics in 5D and 4D is provided by Campbell-Maagard's embedding theorems. We show that the 5-dimensional field equations $R_{AB} = 0$ determine the form of the similarity variable. There are three different possibilities: homothetic, conformal and "wave-like" solutions in 5D. We derive the most general homothetic and conformal solutions to the 5D field equations. They require the extr…
The tension between early and late Universe probes of the Hubble constant has motivated various new FLRW cosmologies. Here, we reanalyse the Hubble tension with a recent age of the Universe constraint. This allows us to restrict attention to matter and a dark energy sector that we treat without assuming a specific model. Assuming analyticity of the Hubble parameter $H(z)$, and a generic low redshift modification to flat $Λ$CDM, we find that low redshift data ($z \lesssim 2.5$) and well-motivated priors only permit a dark energy sector close to the cosmological constant $Λ$. This restriction ru…
