The nonequilibrium dynamics of quantum fields is studied in inflationary cosmology, with particular emphasis on applications to the problem of post-inflation reheating. The Schwinger-Keldysh closed-time-path (CTP) formalism is utilized along with the two-particle-irreducible (2PI) effective action in order to obtain coupled, nonperturbative equations for the mean field and variance in a general curved background spacetime. For a model consisting of a quartically self-interacting O(N) field theory (with unbroken symmetry) in spatially flat FRW spacetime, the dynamics of the mean field is studied numerically, at leading order in the large-N expansion. The time evolution of the scale factor is determined self-consistently using the semiclassical Einstein equation. It is found that cosmic expansion can dramatically affect the efficiency of parametric resonance-induced particle production. The production of fermions due to the oscillating inflaton mean field is studied for the case of a scalar inflaton coupled to a fermion field via a Yukawa coupling $f$. The dissipation and noise kernels appearing at $O(f^2)$ in the one-loop CTP effective action are shown to satisfy a zero-temperature fluctuation-dissipation relation (FDR). The effective stochastic equation obeyed by the inflaton zero mode at $O(f^4)$ contains multiplicative noise. It is shown that stochasticity becomes important to the dynamics of the inflaton zero mode before the end of reheating. The thermalization problem is discussed, and a strategy is presented for obtaining time-local equations for equal-time correlation functions which goes beyond the Hartree-Fock approximation.
Problem of cosmological singularity of general relativity theory is discussed. The possible resolution of this problem in the framework of inflationary cosmology is proposed. Physical conditions leading to bouncing inflationary solutions in the frame of general relativity theory and gauge theories of gravitation are compared. It is shown that gauge theories of gravitation allow to build regular inflationary cosmological models of closed, open and flat type with dominating ultrarelativistic matter at a bounce.
The holographic protection due to inflationary cosmology is a conse- quence of a quantum tricritical point. In this scenario a closed spacetime solution transitions into an inflationary de Sitter spacetime. Saturation of the holographic entropy bound is prevented by the phase change in the topology of the early universe.
Using the factorization approach of quantum mechanics, we obtain a family of isospectral scalar potentials for power law inflationary cosmology. The construction is based on a scattering Wheeler-DeWitt solution. These iso-spectrals have new features, they give a mechanism to end inflation, as well as the possibility to have new inflationary epochs. The procedure can be extended to other cosmological models.
We consider an alternative higher order gravity theory which is non-analytic in the Ricci curvature. It has power-law inflationary behaviour. This is further evidence that inflation is a general property of higher derivative gravity theories.
We review a procedure to use semiclassical methods in the quantization of General Relativistic shells and apply these techniques in some simplified models of inflationary cosmology. Some interesting open issues are introduced and the relevance of their solution in the broader context of Quantum Gravity is discussed.
We consider inflationary scenarios for FRLW supersymetric models with a scalar field, whose Wheeler-DeWitt equation has analytic solutions. Following previous work of the authors, we analyse the setting of the scalar field as clock, leading to an effective time dependent wave function, and a time dependent mean value of the scale factor. We study several superpotentials, which lead to an evolution that corresponds to consistent inflationary scenarios.
We study oscillatory universes within the context of Loop Quantum Cosmology. We make a comparative study of flat and positively curved universes sourced by scalar fields with either positive or negative potentials. We investigate how oscillating universes can set the initial conditions for successful slow-roll inflation, while ensuring that the semi-classical bounds are satisfied. We observe rich oscillatory dynamics with negative potentials, although it is difficult to respect the semi-classical bounds in models of this type.
An analysis of the decoherence of quantum fluctuations shows that production of classical adiabatic density perturbations may not take place in models of power-law inflation with power 1< p < 3. Some consequences for models of extended inflation are pointed out. In general, the condition for decoherence places new constraint on inflationary models, which does not depend on often complicated subsequent evolution.
We present a simple, exact and self-consistent cosmology with a phenomenological model of quantum creation of radiation due to decay of the scalar field. The decay drives a non-isentropic inflationary epoch, which exits smoothly to the radiation era, without reheating. The initial vacuum for radiation is a regular Minkowski vacuum. The created radiation obeys standard thermodynamic laws, and the total entropy produced is consistent with the accepted value. We analyze the difference between the present model and a model with decaying cosmological constant previously considered.
We prove that in the Hartle-Hawking approach to quantum cosmology the existence of an inflationary phase is a general property of minisuperspace models given by a closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe containing a massless scalar field with a $λϕ^{n}$ self-interaction. The evolution in time of the cosmic scale factor and of the scalar field in the very early universe is derived, together with the conditions to be satisfied in order to solve the horizon and flatness problems.
We analyze the existence of inflationary solutions in an inhomogeneous Kaluza-Klein cosmological model in 4+n dimensions. It is shown that the 5-dimensional case is the exception rather than the rule, in the sense that the system is integrable (under the assumption of the equation of state $ρ= kp$) for any value of k. It is also shown that the cases k=0 and k=1/3 are integrable if and only if n=1.
In this article we study closed inflationary universe models using the Gauss-Bonnet Brane. We determine and characterize the existence of a universe with $Ω> 1$, with an appropriate period of inflation. We have found that this model is less restrictive in comparison with the standard approach where a scalar field is considered. We use recent astronomical observations to constrain the parameters appearing in the model.
It has been suggested that wormholes and other non-trivial geometrical structures might have been formed during the quantum cosmological era ($t\sim 10^{-43}$s). Subsequent inflation of the universe might have enlarged these structures to macroscopic sizes. In this paper, spherical geometrical structures in an inflationary RW background are derived from the Einstein equations, using a constraint on the energy-momentum tensor which is an extension of the one expected for inflation. The possibility of dynamical wormholes and other spherical structures are explored in the framework of the solutio…
We review here some recent results that show that inflationary cosmological models must contain initial singularities. We also present a new singularity theorem. The question of the initial singularity re-emerges in inflationary cosmology because inflation is known to be generically future-eternal. It is natural to ask, therefore, if inflationary models can be continued into the infinite past in a non-singular way. The results that we discuss show that the answer to the question is ``no.'' This means that we cannot use inflation as a way of avoiding the question of the birth of the Universe. W…
Modifying the standard hot big bang model of cosmology with an inflationary event has been very successful in resolving most of the outstanding cosmological problems. The various inflationary mechanisms proposed depend on the production of expansion from exotic phenomena, false vacuum, scalar fields or other exotic particle behaviour within an environment of astronomically high energy, making such proposals relatively inaccessible for verification by experimental tests. Though descriptive of how space has been expanding, the models do not give a complete and consistent mathematical or physical…
We present a simple and self-consistent cosmology with a phenomenological model of quantum creation of radiation and matter due to decay of the cosmological constant $Λ$. The decay drives a non-isentropic inflationary epoch, which exits smoothly to the radiation-dominated era, without reheating, and then evolves to the dust era. The initial vacuum for radiation and matter is a regular Minkowski vacuum. The created radiation and matter obeys standard thermodynamic laws, and the total entropy produced is consistent with the accepted value. This paper is an extension of the model with the decayin…
We study cosmology in scalar-tensor (Bergmann Wagoner) gravity, restricting the coupling function, $ω(ϕ)$ to be constant. Rather than specify the form of the cosmological function, $λ(ϕ)$, the scalar field is modelled as a function which decays to its present value $ϕ=1$. Solutions of the field equations are found for which $λ(ϕ)$ evolves from a large value (approximately 1) near the singularity to a small, non-zero value at later times, avoiding the problem of pre-inflationary collapse in standard general relativistic cosmology. Interpreting the model within the framework of Brans-Dicke theor…
We review the results of a model of how nucleation of a new universe occurs, assuming a di quark identification for soliton-anti soliton constituent parts of a scalar field. Initially, we employ a false vacuum potential system; however ,when cosmological expansion is dominated by the Einstein cosmological constant at the end of chaotic inflation, the initial di quark scalar field is not consistent with respect to a semi classical consistency conditions we analyze as the potential changes to the chaotic inflationary potential utilized by Guth. We use Scherrer's derivation of a sound speed being…
We study a closed model of the universe filled with viscous fluid and quintessence matter components in a Brans-Dicke type cosmological model. The dynamical equations imply that the universe may look like an accelerated flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe at low redshift. We consider here dissipative processes which follow a causal thermodynamics. The theory is applied to viscous fluid inflation, where accepted values for the total entropy in the observable universe is obtained.
The Planck collaboration has provided us rich information about the early universe, and a host of new observational missions will soon shed further light on the `anomalies' that appear to exist on the largest angular scales. From a quantum gravity perspective, it is natural to inquire if one can trace back the origin of such puzzling features to Planck scale physics. Loop quantum cosmology provides a promising avenue to explore this issue because of its natural resolution of the big bang singularity. Thanks to advances over the last decade, the theory has matured sufficiently to allow concrete…
In this paper, we will study the effect of having a minimum measurable length on inflationary cosmology. We will analyze the inflationary cosmology in the Jacobson approach. In this approach, gravity is viewed as an emergent thermodynamical phenomenon. We will demonstrate that the existence of a minimum measurable length will modify the Friedmann equations in the Jacobson approach. We will use this modified Friedmann equation to analyze the effect of minimum measurable length scale on inflationary cosmology. This analysis will be performed using the Hamiltonian-Jacobi approach. We compare our …
We study particle creation in the presence of bulk viscosity of cosmic fluid in the early universe within the framework of open thermodynamical systems. Since the first-order theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics is non-causal and unstable, we try to solve the bulk viscosity equation of the cosmic fluid with particle creation through the full causal theory. By adopting an appropriate function for particle creation rate of "Creation of Cold Dark Matter" model, we obtain analytical solutions which do not suffer from the initial singularity and are in agreement with equivalent solutions of Lam…
Recently proposed two swampland criteria that arising from string theory landscape lead to the important challenge of the realization of single-field inflationary models. Especially one of swampland criteria which implies a large tensor-to-scalar ratio is strongly in tension with recent observational results. In this paper, we explore the possibility if the swampland conjectures could be compatible with single-field inflationary scenarios if the effects due to the quantum theory of gravity are considered. We show that the quantum gravitational effects due to the nonlinear dispersion relation p…
We further clarify how scalar metric perturbations are amplified in an inflationary cosmology. We first construct a simple, analytic model of an inflationary cosmology in which the expansion scale factor evolves continuously from an inflationary era to a radiation-dominated era. From this model, it is clear to see how scalar perturbations are amplified. Second, we examine the recent claims of Grishchuk, and the reply by Deruelle and Mukhanov, regarding the evolution of scalar perturbations through an abrupt transition in the equation of state of the cosmological fluid. We demonstrate that the …
We consider the inflation produced by two coupled fluids in the flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. Different cosmological models for describing inflation by use of an inhomogeneous equation of state for the fluid are investigated. The gravitational equations for energy and matter are solved, and analytic representations for the Hubble parameter and the energy density are obtained. Corrections in the energy density for matter inducing the inflation and the coupling with energy are discussed. We analyze the description of inflation induced by non-constant equation-of-state parameters from…
A formalization of the recently introduced formalism for inflation is developed from noncompact Kaluza-Klein theory. In particular, the case for a single scalar field inflationary model is studied. We obtain that the scalar potential, which assume different representations in different frames, has a geometrical origin.
We review some recent progress in the extraction of inflationary observables in loop quantum cosmology. Inverse-volume quantum corrections induce a growth of power in the large-scale cosmological spectra and are constrained by observations.
Cosmological solutions are obtained by continuation of black D-brane solutions into the region between the horizons. It is investigated whether one can find exponential expansion when probing the cosmology with D-branes. A unique configuration exhibiting exponential expansion is discussed.
Starting with a study of the cosmological solution to the Einstein equations for the internal spacetime of an extreme supermassive cosmic string kink, and by evaluating the probability measure for the formation of such a kink in semiclassical approximation using a minisuperspace with the appropriate symmetry, we have found a set of arguments in favor of the claim that the kinked extreme string can actually be regarded as a unbounded chain of pairs of Planck- sized universes. Once one such universe pairs is created along a primordial phase transition at the Planck scale, it undergoes an endless…
In this article we study closed inflationary universe models proposed by Linde in a brane world cosmological context. In this scenario we determine and characterize the existence of a closed universe, in presence of one self-interacting scalar field with an inflationary stage. Our results are compared to those found in General Relativity.
Physical scenarios, leading to highly energetic stochastic gravitational waves backgrounds (for frequencies ranging from the $μ$Hz up to the GHz) are examined. In some cases the typical amplitude of the logarithmic energy spectrum can be even eight orders of magnitude larger than the ordinary inflationary prediction. Scaling violations in the frequency dependence of the energy density of the produced gravitons are discussed.
Classical string cosmology consists of two branches related to each other by scale-factor duality: a super-inflation branch and a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) branch. Curvature and string coupling singularity separates the two branches, hence posing `graceful exit problem' to super-inflationary string cosmology. In an exactly soluble two-dimensional compactification model it is shown that quantum back reaction retards curvature and string coupling growth and connects the super-inflation branch to the FRW branch without encountering a singularity. This may offer an attractive solution to th…
We investigate the holographic quantum entanglement of a visible universe in an inflationary cosmology. To do so, we consider an AdS space with a dS boundary which represents an expanding space in time. In an inflationary cosmology, there exists a natural entangling surface called a cosmic event horizon which divides a universe into visible and invisible parts. In this model, cosmic event horizon monotonically decreases and approaches a constant value proportional to the inverse of Hubble constant. We show that the quantum entanglement between the visible and invisible universes divided by cos…
The brane cosmology has invoked new challenges to the usual Big Bang cosmology. In this paper we present a brief account on thermal history of the post-inflationary brane cosmology. We have realized that it is not obvious that the post-inflationary brane cosmology would always deviate from the standard Big Bang cosmology. However, if it deviates some stringent conditions on the brane tension are to be satisfied. In this regard we study various implications on gravitino production and its abundance. We discuss Affleck-Dine mechanism for baryogenesis and make some comments on moduli and dilaton …
In this paper we describe in detail how to solve the problems of pre-inflationary cosmology within the holographic cosmology model of McFadden and Skenderis \cite{McFadden:2009fg}. The solutions of the smoothness and horizon problems, the flatness problem, the entropy and perturbation problems and the baryon asymmetry problem are shown, and the mechanisms for them complement the inflationary solutions. Most of the paper is devoted to the solution of the monopole relic problem, through a detailed calculation of 2-loop correlators of currents in a toy model which we perform in $d$ dimensions, in…
We investigate inflationary cosmology by solving the effective action of the M-theory, which consists of the 11 dimensional supergravity and quartic terms of the Weyl tensor. The metric is simply expressed by two scale factors, one for the spatial directions and the other for the internal directions. Since the effective action of the M-theory is constructed perturbatively, we also solve the equations of motion perturbatively. We will show that the classical solution of the 11 dimensional supergravity does not represent the inflationary expansion, but if we include the quantum corrections, the …
We investigate observational constraints on inflationary parameters in the context of an holographic cosmology with an induced gravity correction. We consider two situations where a universe is firstly filled with a scalar field and secondly with a tachyon field. Both cases are investigated in a slow-roll regime. We adopt a quadratic potential and an exponential potential for the scalar and the tachyon inflation respectively. In this regard, the standard background and perturbative parameters characterizing the inflationary era are modified by correction terms. We show a good agreement between…
We show that the constraints which follow from the {\it Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture} for inflationary cosmology can be strengthened if the pre-inflationary universe was dominated by radiation. The resulting upper bound on the energy scale of inflation is $η\sim 10^4 {\rm GeV}$, close to the scale accessible to accelerator experiments.
It is stressed that the kinematical problems of the standard cosmological model can be solved by a phase of accelerated contraction of the cosmic scale factor. Such a behaviour is only a particular case of a more general ``pre-big-bang" inflationary scenario, arising naturally in a string cosmology context, and driven asymptotically by the free dilaton field without any self-interaction potential and/or vacuum contribution.
Inflationary cosmology has provided a predictive and phenomenologically very successful scenario for early universe cosmology. Attempts to implement inflation using scalar fields, however, lead to models with serious conceptual problems. I will discuss some of the problems, explain why string theory could provide solutions to a subset of these problems, and give a brief overview of ``string gas cosmology'', one of the approaches to merge string theory and early universe cosmology.
We consider the effective evolution of a phenomenological model from FLRW supersymmetric quantum cosmology with a scalar field. The scalar field acts as a clock and inflaton. We examine a family of simple superpotentials that produce an inflation whose virtual effect on inhomogeneous fluctuations shows very good agreement with PLANCK observational evidence for the tensor-to-scalar ratio and the scalar spectral index.
In this article, we study a type of one-field approach for open inflationary universe scenario in the context of braneworld models with a Gauss-Bonnet correction term. For a one-bubble universe model, we determine and characterize the existence of the Coleman-De Lucia instanton together with the period of inflation after tunneling has occurred. Our results are compared those analogous obtained when the usual Einstein Theory of Gravitation is used.
Cosmological equations for homogeneous isotropic models filled by scalar fields and ultrarelativistic matter are investigated in the framework of gauge theories of gravity. Regular inflationary cosmological models of flat, closed and open type with dominating ultrarelativistic matter at a bounce are discussed. It is shown that essential part of inflationary cosmological models has bouncing character.
A general overview of the history and present status of inflationary cosmology is given. Recent developments discussed in this paper include the hybrid inflation scenario, the theory of reheating, and the theory of inflating tolopogical defects. We also discuss the theory of a stationary self-reproducing inflationary universe, and its possible implications for evaluating the most probable values of the gravitational and cosmological constants. Finally, we discuss some preliminary results concerning possible nonperturbative large-scale deviations of density from the critical density in inflatio…
We review inflationary cosmology in modified gravity such as $R^2$ gravity with its extensions in order to generalize the Starobinsky inflation model. In particular, we explore inflation realized by three kinds of effects: modification of gravity, the quantum anomaly, and the $R^2$ term in loop quantum cosmology. It is explicitly demonstrated that in these inflationary models, the spectral index of scalar modes of the density perturbations and the tensor-to-scalar ratio can be consistent with the Planck results. Bounce cosmology in $F(R)$ gravity is also explained.
Concepts of quantum open systems and ideas of correlation dynamics in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, as well as methods of closed-time-path effective action and influence functional in quantum field theory can be usefully applied for the analysis of quantum statistical processes in gravitation and cosmology. We raise a few conceptual questions and suggest some new directions of research on selected currrent topics on the physics of the early universe, such as entropy generation in cosmological particle creation, quantum theory of galaxy formation, and phase transition in inflationary co…
These lecture notes intend to form a short pedagogical introduction to inflationary cosmology, highlighting selected areas of recent progress such as reheating and the theory of cosmological perturbations. Problems of principle for inflationary cosmology are pointed out, and some new attempts at solving them are indicated, including a nonsingular Universe construction by means of higher derivative terms in the gravitational action, and the study of back-reaction of cosmological perturbations.
We derive an analogue of the Berry phase associated with inflationary cosmological perturbations of quantum mechanical origin by obtaining the corresponding wavefunction. We have further shown that cosmological Berry phase can be completely envisioned through the observable parameters, viz. spectral indices. Finally, physical significance of this phase is discussed from the point of view of theoretical and observational aspects with some possible consequences of this quantity in inflationary cosmology.
In this review I briefly describe the evolution of the inflationary theory from the scenario based on the idea of supercooling and expansion in the false vacuum toward the theory of eternally expanding self-reproducing inflationary universe. I describe recent development of inflationary cosmology with Omega < 1, and then discuss some issues related to the possibility to verify inflation by comparing its predictions with observational data. I argue that it is possible to verify and disprove many particular models of inflationary cosmology, but it is very difficult to kill the basic idea of infl…
Equipped with concrete examples of Type IIB orientifolds featuring poly-instanton corrections to the superpotential, the effects on moduli stabilization and inflationary cosmology are analyzed. Working in the framework of the LARGE volume scenario, the Kaehler modulus related to the size of the four-cycle supporting the poly-instanton contributes sub-dominantly to the scalar potential. It is shown that this Kaehler modulus gets stabilized and, by displacing it from its minimum, can play the role of an inflaton. Subsequent cosmological implications are discussed and compared to experimental dat…
For most initial conditions, cosmologically relevant physical modes were trans-planckian at the bounce time, often by many magnitude orders. We improve the usual loop quantum cosmology calculation of the primordial power spectra -- in the inflationary framework -- by accounting for those trans-planckian effects through modified dispersion relations. This can induce drastic changes in the spectrum, making it either compatible or incompatible with observational data, depending on the details of the choices operated.
A warm inflationary universe model in loop quantum cosmology is studied. In general we discuss the condition of inflation in this framework. By using a chaotic potential, $V(ϕ)\propto ϕ^2$, we develop a model where the dissipation coefficient $Γ=Γ_0=$ constant. We use recent astronomical observations for constraining the parameters appearing in our model.
We analyze the impact of certain modifications to short distance physics on the inflationary perturbation spectrum. For the specific case of power-law inflation, we find distinctive -- and possibly observable -- effects on the spectrum of density perturbations.
This paper presents a review of the basic, model-independent differences between the pre-big bang scenario, arising naturally in a string cosmology context, and the standard inflationary scenario. We use an unconventional approach in which the introduction of technical details is avoided as much as possible, trying to focus the reader's attention on the main conceptual aspects of both scenarios. The aim of the paper is not to conclude in favour either of one or of the other scenario, but to raise questions that are left to the reader's meditation. Warnings: the paper does not contain equations…
The first aim of this lecture is to highlight two areas of recent progress in inflationary cosmology, namely reheating and the quantum theory of cosmological perturbations. The second aim is to discuss important conceptual problems for the current realizations of inflation based on fundamental scalar matter fields, and to present some new approaches at solving these problems.
