Scalar weak gravity conjectures (SWGCs) attempt to pinpoint the ranges of couplings consistent with a fundamental theory of all interactions. We identify a generic dynamical consequence of these conjectures for cosmology and show that SWGCs imply a particular behavior of the scalar fields in the early universe. A scalar field that develops a large expectation value during inflation must relax to the minimum of effective potential at a later time. SWGCs imply that a homogeneous distribution of the field is unstable with respect to fragmentation into localized lumps, which could potentially lead to significant consequences for cosmology.
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.
This contribution gives a brief overview of the theoretical ideas underlying our current understanding of the early Universe. Confronting the predictions of the early Universe models with cosmological observations, in particular of the cosmic microwave background fluctuations, will improve our knowledge about the physics of the primordial Universe.
We review and discuss recent work exploring the implications of the Higgs field for early universe cosmology, and vice versa. Depending on the model under consideration the Higgs may be one of a few scalar fields determining the evolution and fate of the Universe, or the Higgs field may be connected to a rich sector of scalar moduli with complicated dynamics. In particular we look at the potential consequences of the Higgs field for inflation and its predictions, for the (meta)stability of the Standard Model vacuum, and for the existence of dynamical selection mechanisms in the landscape.
To further shed light on whether pre-recombination models can resolve the Hubble tension, we explore constraints on the cosmic background evolution that are insensitive to early-universe physics. The analysis of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy has been thought to highly rely on early-universe physics. However, we show that the fact that the sound horizon at recombination being close to that at the end of the drag epoch is insensitive to early-universe physics. This allows us to link the absolute sizes of the two horizons and treat them as free parameters. Jointly, the CMB peak…
Mechanisms for the generation of the matter-antimatter asymmetry and dark matter strongly depend on the reheating temperature T_R, the maximal temperature reached in the early universe. Forthcoming results from the LHC, low energy experiments, astrophysical observations and the Planck satellite will significantly constrain baryogenesis and the nature of dark matter, and thereby provide valuable information about the very early hot universe. At present, a wide range of reheating temperatures is still consistent with observations. We illustrate possible origins of matter and dark matter with fou…
Assuming that superstring theory is the fundamental theory which unifies all forces of Nature at the quantum level, I argue that there are key limitations on the applicability of effective field theory techniques in describing early universe cosmology.
Observational cosmology is in its "golden age" with a vast amount of recent data on the distribution of matter and light in the universe. This data can be used to probe theories of the very early universe. It is small amplitude cosmological fluctuations which encode the information about the very early universe and relate it to current data. Hence, a central topic in these lectures is the "theory of cosmological perturbations", the theory which describes the generation of inhomogeneities in the very early universe and their evolution until the current time. I will apply this theory to three cl…
Cosmological inflation is not the only early universe scenario consistent with current observational data. I will discuss the criteria for a successful early universe cosmology, compare a couple of the proposed scenarios (inflation, bouncing cosmologies, and the {\it emergent} scenario), focusing on how future observational data will be able to distinguish between them. I will argue that we need to go beyond effective field theory in order to understand the early universe, and that principles of superstring theory will yield a nonsingular cosmology.
In these lectures I focus on early universe models which can explain the currently observed structure on large scales. I begin with a survey of inflationary cosmology, the current paradigm for understanding the origin of the universe as we observe it today. I will discuss some progress and problems in inflationary cosmology before moving on to a description of two alternative scenarios - the Matter Bounce and String Gas Cosmology. All early universe models connect to observations via the evolution of cosmological perturbations - a topic which will be discussed in detail in these lectures.
In this talk I will describe the role of supersymmetric flat directions in the early Universe cosmology. Particularly I will discuss how supergravity effects lift the flat direction potential and leads to interesting cosmological consequences.
We examine in the context of supersymmetric models whether the usual cosmological upper bound on the axion decay constant can be relaxed by assuming a period of stronger QCD in the early universe. By evaluating the axion potential in the early universe and also taking into account the dilaton potential energy, it is argued that a stronger QCD is not useful for raising up the bound.
In this work, the Friedman equations for hadronic matter in the Robertson-Walker metric in the early Universe are obtained. We consider the hadronic phase, formed after the hadronization of the quark-gluon plasma, that means times from 10^{-6}s to 1s. The set of equations is derived and the behavior of the system is studied considering one approximate analytical solution.
Using a formalism recently introduced we study the decaying of the cosmological parameter during the early evolution of an universe, whose evolution is governed by a vacuum equation of state. We use a stochastic approach in a nonperturbative treatment of the inflaton field from a Noncompact Kaluza-Klein (NKK) theory, to study the evolution of energy density fluctuations in the early universe.
In this thesis we study early universe in the frame work of M theory. In particular We assume that the early universe is homogeneous, anisotropic, and is dominated by the mutually BPS 22'55' intersecting branes of M theory. We find that, asymptotically, three spatial directions expand to infinity and the remaining spatial directions reach stabilised values. We give a physical description of the stabilisation mechanism.
We derive a curved space generalization of a scalar to fermion decay rate with a Yukawa coupling in expanding Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universes. This is done using the full theory of quantum fields in curved spacetime and the added-up transition probability method. It is found that in an expanding universe the usual Minkowskian decay rates are considerably modified for early times. For conformally coupled scalars the decay rate is modified by a positive additive term proportional to the inverse of mass and related to the expansion rate of the Universe. We compare and contrast our results wi…
As we follow our Universe to early times, we find that matter was crushed to high densities, somewhat similar to the behavior at a black hole singularity. String theory has made progress in explaining the internal structure of black holes, so we would like to extrapolate the ideas learnt from black holes to the early Universe. If we assume that we want the most probable state of the Universe at early times, then we should look at the kind of state that describes a generic black hole. This suggests a definite equation of state for the matter in the early Universe. Quantum effects can stretch ac…
Torsion arising from fermionic matter in the Einstein-Cartan formulation of general relativity is considered in the context of Robertson-Walker geometries and the early Universe. An ambiguity in the way torsion arising from hot fermionic matter in chiral models should be implemented is highlighted and discussed. In one interpretation, chemical potentials in chiral models can contribute to the Friedmann equation and give a negative contribution to the energy density.
We have explored the possibility that the universe at very early stage was dominated by (macroscopic) heterotic strings. We have found that the dimensionless parameter $Gμ$ for the heterotic strings varies from $10^{-2}$ to $10^{-4}$ as the universe evolve from the matter dominance to radiation dominance. This led to the interesting consequence of epoch dependent gauge coupling constant. The gauge coupling constant at early times was found to be much stronger than the present strong interaction.
Quantum electrodynamics predicts that photons undergo one-loop scattering. The combined effect of this on the behaviour of a photon gas for temperatures above 10^{10} K results in a softening of the equation of state. We calculate the effect this has on the effective equation of state in the early universe, taking into account all the species of the Standard Model. The change to the dynamics of the early universe is discussed.
We develop a nonperturbative quantum field formalism to describe scalar gauge-invariant metric flucturations in the early universe from a 5D apparent (Ricci flat) vacuum.
A unified field theory in ten dimensions, of all interactions, can describe high energy processes occuring in the early universe. In such a theory transitions that give properties of the universe can occur due to the presence of algebraic and geometric structures. A correspondence between theory and observations of the universe is made, to obtain a new interpretation and properties. This paper consists of a field theory and cosmological model of dark and normal energy and matter, cosmological constant, acceleration and inflation in the early universe.
In the context of current particle physics theories, it is quite likely that topological defects may be present in our universe. An observation of these fossils from the early universe would lead to invaluable insight into cosmology and particle physics, while their absence provides important constraints on particle-cosmology model building. I describe recent efforts to address cosmological issues in condensed matter systems such as He-3 and a possible solution to the magnetic monopole problem due to defect interactions. (Invited talk at the 1997 RESCEU Symposium, University of Tokyo.)
These lectures discuss how the direct detection of gravitational waves can be used to probe the very early Universe. We review the main cosmological mechanisms which could have produced relic gravitational waves, and compare theoretical predictions with capabilities and time scales of current and upcoming experiments.
In this letter we complete a previously introduced formalism to study the gauge-invariant metric fluctuations from a noncompact Kaluza-Klein theory of gravity, to study the evolution of the early universe. The evolution of both, metric and inflaton field fluctuations are reciprocally related. We obtain that <δρ/ρ_b$ depends on the coupling of $Φ$ with $δϕ$ and the spectral index of its spectrum is: $0.9483 < n_1 < 1$.
Solitons formation through classical dynamics of two scalar fields with the potential having a saddle point and one minimum in (2+1)-space-time is discussed. We show that under certain conditions in the early Universe both domain walls and strings can be formed even if scalar fields are inflaton ones.
We study the modified theory of gravity in Friedmann Robertson Walker universe composed of several perfect fluids. We consider the power law inflation and determine the equation of state parameters in terms of the parameters of modified gravity's Lagrangian in the early universe. We also discuss briefly the gravitational baryogenesis in this model.
In the very early universe, a generalized Schwinger effect can create pairs from both electrical and gravitational fields. The expectation value of fermionic current induced by these newly created pairs has been recently computed in de Sitter spacetime. I will discuss different limiting cases of this result and some of its possible physical interpretations.
In the early Universe matter was crushed to high densities, in a manner similar to that encountered in gravitational collapse to black holes. String theory suggests that the large entropy of black holes can be understood in terms of fractional branes and antibranes. We assume a similar physics for the matter in the early Universe, taking a toroidal compactification and letting branes wrap around the cycles of the torus. We find an equation of state p_i=w_i rho, for which the dynamics can be solved analytically. For black holes, fractionation can lead to non-local quantum gravity effects across…
Effects of the vacuum polarization leading to change of the effective gravitational constant and particle creation in the early Universe are discussed. Gauss-Bonnet type coupling to the curvature is considered. Renormalization methods are generalized for such coupling and the N-dimensional space-time. Calculations of creation of entropy and visible matter of the Universe by the gravity of dark matter are made.
We study early universe cosmologies derived from a scalar-tensor action containing cosmological constant terms and massless fields. The governing equations can be written as a dynamical system which contains no past or future asymptotic equilibrium states (i.e. no sources nor sinks). This leads to dynamics with very interesting mathematical behaviour such as the existence of heteroclinic cycles. The corresponding cosmologies have novel characteristics, including cyclical and bouncing behaviour possibly indicating chaos. We discuss the connection between these early universe cosmologies and tho…
In recent work, it was shown that velocity-dependent forces between parallel fundamental strings moving apart in a D-dimensional spacetime implied an expanding universe in D-1-dimensional spacetime. Here we expand on this work to obtain exact solutions for various string/brane cosmological toy models.
After a brief summary of general relativity and cosmology, we present the basic concepts underlying inflation, the currently best motivated models for the early Universe. We describe the simplest inflation models, based on a single scalar field, and discuss how primordial cosmological perturbations are generated. We then review some recent developments concerning multi-field inflation models, in particular multi-field Dirac-Born-Infeld inflation.
This thesis tackles the vast question of generating accelerated periods of expansion of the universe. Models loosely related were developed in the early and late universe. In the early universe, generalizations of the Schwinger effect were developed in curved (de Sitter) space and some backreaction effects were estimated. In the late universe, a fractal model was developed and confronted to supernovae data. This relies on the idea of an accelerated expanding universe being nothing but a mirage due to inhomogeneities disposed in a fractal (in this particular model) way. Finally a model of inter…
Quantum fluctuations endow spacetime with a foamy texture. The degree of foaminess is dictated by blackhole physics to be of the holographic type. Applied to cosmology, the holographic foam model predicts the existence of dark energy with critical energy density in the current (late) universe, the quanta of which obey infinite statistics. Furthermore we use the deep similarities between turbulence and the spacetime foam phase of strong quantum gravity to argue that the early universe was in a turbulent regime when it underwent a brief cosmic inflation with a "graceful" transition to a laminar …
We demonstrate that the static ground state atom, which interacts with a conformally coupled massless scalar field in the de Sitter invariant vacuum, can obtain a position-dependent energy-level shift and this shift could cause a Casimir-Polder-like force on it. Interestingly no such force arises on the inertial atom bathed in a thermal radiation in the Minkowski universe. Thus, although the energy-level shifts of the static atom for these two cases are structurally the same, whether the energy-level shift causes the Casimir-Polder-like force, in principle, could be as an indicator to distingu…
According to the Big Bang Theory as we go back in time the Universe becomes progressively hotter and denser. This leads us to believe that the early Universe was filled with hot plasma of elementary particles. Among many questions concerning this phase of history of the Universe there are questions of existence and fate of magnetic monopoles and primordial black holes. Static solution of Einstein-Yang-Mills system may be used as a toy model for such a black hole. Using methods of field theory we will show that its existence and regularity depend crucially on the presence of fermions around it.
In this paper, we suggest that the early universe starts from a high-energetic state with a two dimensional description and the state recovers to be four dimensional when the universe evolves into the radiation dominated phase. This scenario is consistent with the recent viewpoint that quantum gravity should be effectively two dimensional in the ultraviolet and recovers to be four dimensional in the infrared. A relationship has been established between the running of effective dimension and that of the entropy inside particle horizon of the universe, i.e., as the effective dimension runs from …
Using a previously introduced model in which the expansion of the universe is driven by a single scalar field subject to gravitational attraction induced by a white hole during the expansion (from a 6D vacuum state), we study the origin of squared inflaton fluctuations spectrum on astrophysical scales.
We introduce a quantum model for the Universe at its early stages, formulating a mechanism for the expansion of space and matter from a quantum initial condition, with particle interactions and creation driven by algebraic extensions of the Kac-Moody Lie algebra $\mathbf{e_9}$. We investigate Kac-Moody and Borcherds algebras, and we propose a generalization that meets further requirements that we regard as fundamental in quantum gravity.
In a previous paper (gr-qc/9907063) we described the early inflationary universe in terms of quantum information. In this paper, we analize those results in more detail, and we stress the fact that, during inflation, the universe can be described as a superposed state of quantum registers. The self-reduction of the superposed quantum state is consistent with the Penrose's Objective Reduction (OR) model. The quantum gravity threshold is reached at the end of inflation, and corresponds to a superposed state of 10^9 quantum registers. This is also the number of superposed tubulins-qubits in our b…
According to the inflationary scenario for the very early Universe, all inhomogeneities in the Universe are of genuine quantum origin. On the other hand, looking at these inhomogeneities and measuring them, clearly no specific quantum mechanical properties are observed. We show how the transition from their inherent quantum gravitational nature to classical behaviour comes about -- a transition whereby none of the successful quantitative predictions of the inflationary scenario for the present-day universe is changed. This is made possible by two properties. First, the quantum state for the sp…
This Astro-2020 White Paper deals with what we might learn from future gravitational wave observations about the early universe phase transitions and their energy scales, primordial black holes, Hubble parameter, dark matter and dark energy, modified theories of gravity and extra dimensions.
