Observable relics of the simple harmonic universe

Abstract

We analyze observational signatures arising from an epoch in cosmology corresponding to the simple harmonic universe, which consists of positive curvature, a negative cosmological constant, and one or more exotic matter sources with −1<w=p/ρ≤−1/3, which may then evolve or tunnel into an inflating and hot Big Bang phase. Particular relics specific to this class of models include spatial curvature with Ωk<0, modifications to the dark energy sector due to the presence of residual exotic matter, and the possibility that the cosmological constant may ultimately be negative. We review the constraints on the relevant parameters from Planck and other cosmological data sets, focusing on the roles of exotic matter and curvature, and we find that while sources with w≈−1 tend to tighten the constraints on Ωk, matter with w=−1/3 can decouple curvature from the expansion history. For the case where the dark energy sector includes a negative cosmological constant, we use the experimental data to find an associated lower bound on the lifetime of the expansion of the Universe.