Cosmological Spacetimes Research Articles

Ultraviolet cutoffs for quantum fields in cosmological spacetimes

We analyze critically the renormalization of quantum fields in cosmological spacetimes, using non covariant ultraviolet cutoffs. We compute explicitly the counterterms necessary to renormalize the semiclassical Einstein equations, using comoving and physical ultraviolet cutoffs. In the first case, the divergences renormalize bare conserved fluids, while in the second case it is necessary to break the covariance of the bare theory. We point out that, in general, the renormalized equations differ from those obtained with covariant methods, even after absorbing the infinities and choosing the renormalized parameters to force the consistency of the renormalized theory. We repeat the analysis for the evolution equation for the mean value of an interacting scalar field.

Higher spin extension of cosmological spacetimes in 3D: asymptotically flat behaviour with chemical potentials and thermodynamics

A generalized set of asymptotic conditions for higher spin gravity without cosmological constant in three spacetime dimensions is constructed. They include the most general temporal components of the gauge fields that manifestly preserve the original asymptotic higher spin extension of the BMS$_{3}$ algebra, with the same central charge. By virtue of a suitable permissible gauge choice, it is shown that this set can be directly recovered as a limit of the boundary conditions that have been recently constructed in the case of negative cosmological constant, whose asymptotic symmetries are spanned by two copies of the centrally-extended W$_{3}$ algebra. Since the generalized asymptotic conditions allow to incorporate chemical potentials conjugated to the higher spin charges, a higher spin extension of locally flat cosmological spacetimes becomes naturally included within the set. It is shown that their thermodynamic properties can be successfully obtained exclusively in terms of gauge fields and the topology of the Euclidean manifold, which is shown to be the one of a solid torus, but with reversed orientation as compared with one of the black holes. It is also worth highlighting that regularity of the fields can be ensured through a procedure that does not require an explicit matrix representation of the entire gauge group. In few words, we show that the temporal components of generalized dreibeins can be consistently gauged away, which partially fixes the chemical potentials, so that the remaining conditions can just be obtained by requiring the holonomy of the generalized spin connection along a thermal circle to be trivial. The extension of the generalized asymptotically flat behaviour to the case of spins $s\geq2$ is also discussed.

Self tuning scalar fields in spherically symmetric spacetimes

We search for self tuning solutions to the Einstein-scalar field equations for the simplest class of `Fab-Four' models with constant potentials. We first review the conditions under which self tuning occurs in a cosmological spacetime, and by introducing a small modification to the original theory—introducing the second and third Galileon terms—show how one can obtain de Sitter states where the expansion rate is independent of the vacuum energy. We then consider whether the same self tuning mechanism can persist in a spherically symmetric inhomogeneous spacetime. We show that there are no asymptotically flat solutions to the field equations in which the vacuum energy is screened, other than the trivial one (Minkowski space). We then consider the possibility of constructing Schwarzschild de Sitter spacetimes for the modified Fab Four plus Galileon theory. We argue that the only model that can successfully screen the vacuum energy in both an FLRW and Schwarzschild de Sitter spacetime is one containing `John' ∼ Gμν ∂μϕ∂νϕ and a canonical kinetic term ∼ ∂αϕ ∂αϕ. This behaviour was first observed in [1]. The screening mechanism, which requires redundancy of the scalar field equation in the `vacuum', fails for the `Paul' term in an inhomogeneous spacetime.

Lorenz gauge quantization in conformally flat spacetimes

Recently it was shown that Dirac's method of quantizing constrained dynamical systems can be used to impose the Lorenz gauge condition in a four-dimensional cosmological spacetime. In this paper we use Dirac's method to impose the Lorenz gauge condition in a general four-dimensional conformally flat spacetime and find that there is no particle production. We show that in cosmological spacetimes with dimension $D\neq 4$ there will be particle production when the scale factor changes, and we calculate the particle production due to a sudden change.

Preferred instantaneous vacuum for linear scalar fields in cosmological space-times

We discuss the problem of defining a preferred vacuum state at a given time for a quantized scalar field in Friedmann, Lema\^itre, Robertson Walker (FLRW) space-time. Among the infinitely many homogeneous, isotropic vacua available in the theory, we show that there exists at most one for which every Fourier mode makes vanishing contribution to the adiabatically renormalized energy-momentum tensor at any given instant. For massive fields such a state exists in the most commonly used backgrounds in cosmology, and provides a natural candidate for the ground state at that instant of time. The extension to the massless and the conformally coupled case are also discussed.

Polymer inflation

We consider the semi-classical dynamics of a free massive scalar field in a homogeneous and isotropic cosmological spacetime. The scalar field is quantized using the polymer quantization method assuming that it is described by a gaussian coherent state. For quadratic potentials, the semi-classical equations of motion yield a universe that has an early "polymer inflation" phase which is generic and almost exactly de Sitter, followed by a epoch of slow-roll inflation. We compute polymer corrections to the slow roll formalism, and discuss the probability of inflation in this model using a physical Hamiltonian arising from time gauge fixing. We also show how in this model, it is possible to obtain a significant amount of slow-roll inflation from sub-Planckain initial data, hence circumventing some of the criticisms of standard scenarios. These results show the extent to which a quantum gravity motivated quantization method affects early universe dynamics.

Gravitational redshift of photons traversing a collapsing dust cloud and observable consequences

We analyze the frequency shift of photons propagating on an asymptotically flat spacetime describing a collapsing, spherical dust cloud. We focus on the case where the interaction of the photons with the matter can be neglected. Under fairly general assumptions on the initial data characterizing the collapse, we show that photons with zero angular momentum which travel from past to future null infinity, crossing the collapsing cloud through its center, are always redshifted with respect to stationary observers. We compute this redshift as a function of proper time of a distant stationary observer and discuss its dependency on the mass distribution of the cloud. Possible implications of this redshift effect for weak cosmic censorship and light propagation in cosmological spacetimes are also briefly discussed.

Kantowski–Sachs spacetime in loop quantum cosmology: bounds on expansion and shear scalars and the viability of quantization prescriptions

Using effective dynamics, we investigate the behavior of expansion and shear scalars in different proposed quantizations of the Kantowski–Sachs spacetime with matter in loop quantum cosmology. We find that out of the various proposed choices, there is only one known prescription which leads to the generic bounded behavior of these scalars. The bounds turn out to be universal and are determined by the underlying quantum geometry. This quantization is analogous to the so called ‘improved dynamics’ in the isotropic loop quantum cosmology, which is also the only one to respect the freedom of the rescaling of the fiducial cell at the level of effective spacetime description. Other proposed quantization prescriptions yield expansion and shear scalars which may not be bounded for certain initial conditions in effective dynamics. These prescriptions also have a limitation that the ‘quantum geometric effects’ can occur at an arbitrary scale. We show that the ‘improved dynamics’ of Kantowski–Sachs spacetime turns out to be a unique choice in a general class of possible quantization prescriptions, in the sense of leading to generic bounds on expansion and shear scalars and the associated physics being free from fiducial cell dependence. The behavior of the energy density in the ‘improved dynamics’ reveals some interesting features. Even without considering any details of the dynamical evolution, it is possible to rule out pancake singularities in this spacetime. The energy density is found to be dynamically bounded. These results show that the Planck scale physics of the loop quantized Kantowski–Sachs spacetime has key features common with the loop quantization of isotropic and Bianchi-I spacetimes.

The Weyl tensor correlator in cosmological spacetimes

We give a general expression for the Weyl tensor two-point function in a general Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetime. We work in reduced phase space for the perturbations, i.e., quantize only the dynamical degrees of freedom without adding any gauge-fixing term. The general formula is illustrated by a calculation in slow-roll single-field inflation to first order in the slow-roll parameters ϵ and δ, and the result is shown to have the correct de Sitter limit as ϵ, δ → 0. Furthermore, it is seen that the Weyl tensor correlation function in slow-roll does not suffer from infrared divergences, unlike the two-point functions of the metric and scalar field perturbations. Lastly, we show how to recover the usual tensor power spectrum from the Weyl tensor correlation function.

Entanglement in curved spacetimes and cosmology

We review recent results regarding entanglement in quantum fields in cosmological spacetimes and related phenomena in flat spacetime such as the Unruh effect. We begin with a summary of important results about field entanglement and the mathematics of Bogoliubov transformations that is very often used to describe it. We then discuss the Unruh–DeWitt detector model, which is a useful model of a generic local particle detector. This detector model has been successfully used as a tool to obtain many important results. In this context we discuss two specific types of these detectors: a qubit and a harmonic oscillator. The latter has recently been shown to have important applications when one wants to probe nonperturbative physics of detectors interacting with quantum fields. We then detail several recent advances in the study and application of these ideas, including echoes of the early universe, entanglement harvesting, and a nascent proposal for quantum seismology.

Constant Energy of Time Involute Particles of Biharmonic Particles in Bianchi Type-I Cosmological Model Spacetime

In this paper, we study energy of time involute particles of biharmonic particles in Bianchi type-I (B-I) cosmological model spacetime. We give a geometrical description of energy for a Frenet vector fields of timelike biharmonic particle. Finally, using the Frenet frame of the given particle, we obtain different cases for this particles and give important characterizations about them in Bianchi type-I (B-I) cosmological model spacetime.

Black hole solutions in a cosmological spacetime background

We propose and analyze a new metric that has two conformal factors a(t) and b(t) that combine the expansion of the universe and its effects on the spatial and temporal part of the Schwarzschild metric in isotropic coordinates. We present the solutions, their descriptions and we comment on their shortcomings. In the spatially flat case of an expanding universe, we derive from the proposed metric the special solutions of the field equations for the dust approximation and the McVittie metric. We show that the presence of a black hole does not modify the a(t)αt2/3 law for dust and H = const. for dark energy.

Scalar field inflation and Shan-Chen fluid models

A scalar field equivalent to a non-ideal "dark energy fluid" obeying a Shan-Chen-like equation of state is used as the background source of a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological spacetime to describe the inflationary epoch of our universe. Within the slow-roll approximation, a number of interesting features are presented, including the possibility to fulfill current observational constraints as well as a graceful exit mechanism from the inflationary epoch.

Bianchi Type-I Cosmological Models for Biharmonic Particles and its Transformations in Spacetime

In this article, we study timelike biharmonic particles in Bianchi type-I (B-I) cosmological model spacetime. We give a geometrical description of timelike biharmonic particle in spacetime. Moreover, we obtain transformations this particles. Some physical and geometric behaviour of these particles are also discussed in Bianchi type-I (B-I) cosmological model spacetime.

Global Existence of Solutions of the Semiclassical Einstein Equation for Cosmological Spacetimes

We study the solutions of the semiclassical Einstein equation in flat cosmological spacetimes driven by a massive conformally coupled scalar field. In particular, we show that it is possible to give initial conditions at finite time to get a state for the quantum field which gives finite expectation values for the stress-energy tensor. Furthermore, it is possible to control this expectation value by means of a global estimate on regular cosmological spacetimes. The obtained estimates permit to write a theorem about the existence and uniqueness of the local solutions encompassing both the spacetime metric and the matter field simultaneously. Finally, we show that one can always extend local solutions up to a point where the scale factor becomes singular or the Hubble function reaches a critical value $H_c = 180\pi/G$, which both correspond to a divergence of the scalar curvature, namely a spacetime singularity.

Past incompleteness of a bouncing multiverse

According to classical GR, Anti-de Sitter (AdS) bubbles in the multiverse terminate in big crunch singularities. It has been conjectured, however, that the fundamental theory may resolve these singularities and replace them by nonsingular bounces. This may have important implications for the beginning of the multiverse. Geodesics in cosmological spacetimes are known to be past-incomplete, as long as the average expansion rate along the geodesic is positive, but it is not clear that the latter condition is satisfied if the geodesic repeatedly passes through crunching AdS bubbles. We investigate this issue in a simple multiverse model, where the spacetime consists of a patchwork of FRW regions. The conclusion is that the spacetime is still past-incomplete, even in the presence of AdS bounces.

Evolution of vacuum fluctuations generated during and before inflation

We calculate the time evolution of the expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor for a minimally coupled massless scalar field in cosmological spacetimes, with an application to dark energy in mind. We first study the evolution from inflation until the present, fixing the Bunch-Davies initial condition. The energy density of a quantum field evolves as $\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\sim}3({H}_{I}H{)}^{2}/32{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}$ in the matter-dominated (MD) period, where ${H}_{I}$ and $H$ are the Hubble parameters during inflation and at each moment. Its equation of state, $w=\ensuremath{\rho}/p$, changes from a negative value to $w=1/3$ in the radiation-dominated (RD) period, and from $1/3$ to $w=0$ in the MD period. We then consider possible effects of a Planckian universe, which may have existed before inflation, by assuming there was another inflation with the Hubble parameter ${H}_{P}(>{H}_{I})$. In this case, modes with wavelengths longer than the current horizon radius are mainly amplified, and the energy density of a quantum field grows with time as $\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\sim}(a/{a}_{0})({H}_{P}H{)}^{2}/32$ in the MD period, where $a$ and ${a}_{0}$ are the scale factors at each time and at present. Hence, if ${H}_{P}$ is of the order of the Planck scale ${M}_{P}$, $\ensuremath{\rho}$ becomes comparable to the critical density $3({M}_{P}H{)}^{2}$ at the present time. The contribution to $\ensuremath{\rho}$ from the long wavelength fluctuations generated before the ordinary inflation has $w=\ensuremath{-}1/3$ in the free field approximation. We mention a possibility that interactions further amplify the energy density and change the equation of state.

Uniqueness of the Fock quantization of scalar fields and processes with signature change in cosmology

We study scalar fields subject to an equation of the Klein-Gordon type in nonstationary spacetimes, such as those found in cosmology, assuming that all the relevant spatial dependence is contained in the Laplacian. We show that the field description ---with a specific canonical pair--- and the Fock representation for the quantization of the field are fixed indeed in a unique way (except for unitary transformations that do not affect the physical predictions) if we adopt the combined criterion of (a) imposing the invariance of the vacuum under the group of spatial symmetries of the field equations and (b) requiring a unitary implementation of the dynamics in the quantum theory. Besides, we provide a spacetime interpretation of the field equations as those corresponding to a scalar field in a cosmological spacetime that is conformally ultrastatic. In addition, in the privileged Fock quantization, we investigate the generalization of the evolution of physical states from the hyperbolic dynamical regime to an elliptic regime. In order to do this, we contemplate the possibility of processes with signature change in the spacetime where the field propagates and discuss the behavior of the background geometry when the change happens, proving that the spacetime metric degenerates. Finally, we argue that this kind of signature change leads naturally to a phenomenon of particle creation, with exponential production.

Dynamical emergence of universal horizons during the formation of black holes

Motivations for the existence of a fundamental preferred frame range from pure phenomenology to attempts to solve the non-renormalizability of quantum gravity, the problem of time (and scale), and the cosmological constant problem(s). In many explicit constructions, such as Einstein-Aether or Gravitational Aether theories, K-essence, Cuscuton theory, Shape Dynamics, or (non-projectable) Horava-Lifshitz gravity, the low energy theory contains a fluid (which defines a preferred frame) with superluminal or incompressible excitations. We study here the formation of black holes in the presence of such a fluid. In particular, we focus on the incompressible limit of the fluid (or Constant Mean Curvature foliation) in the space-time of a spherically collapsing shell within an asymptotically cosmological space-time. In this case, ignoring the fluid back reaction, we can analytically show that an observer inside 3/4 of the Schwarzschild radius cannot send a signal outside, after a stage in collapse, even using signals that propagate infinitely fast in the preferred frame. This confirms the dynamical emergence of universal horizons that have been previously found in static solutions. We argue that this universal horizon should be considered as the future boundary of the classical space-time.

Effective dynamics of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime in loop quantum cosmology

Effective dynamics of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime in loop quantum cosmology