SEARCHING FOR QUANTUM GRAVITY EFFECTS IN COSMOLOGICAL DATA

Abstract

If the inflationary scenario describes our Universe, then it is possible that quantum gravity phenomena could be observed in anisotropy experiments of the microwave background as well as in galaxy clustering data. Primordial gravitational radiation arising from inflation is a consequence of quantum gravity. Moreover, the wavefunction of the Universe is currently being measured by the COBE satellite. A non-Gaussian distribution could be a signature of nonlinear quantum gravity. In fact, the excess power power seen in the APM survey of galaxies can arise from non-Gaussian initial conditions generated during inflation.