Dynamics Of Loop Quantum Cosmology Research Articles

Exploring the pre-inflationary dynamics in loop quantum cosmology with a DBI scalar field

Loop quantum cosmology is a symmetry-reduced application of loop quantum gravity. The theory predicts a bounce for the universe at the Planck scale and resolves the singularity of standard cosmology. The dynamics is also governed by an effective Hamiltonian, which predicts a modified Friedmann equation containing the quadratic terms of the energy density. The term plays an essential role in the high energy regime, but the equations return to the standard form in the low energy regime. The evolution of the universe in the pre-inflationary period is studied in the framework of loop quantum cosmology, where the DBI scalar field is assumed to be the dominant component of the universe. Using the numerical method, we provide the evolution of the DBI field. The background evolution shows that there are three phases as: bouncing phase, transition phase and slow-roll inflationary phase. There is also a short period of super-inflation just at the beginning of the bounce phase. The field first climbs the potential and then reaches the turning point where ϕ̇ disappears and the potential energy becomes the dominant part of the energy density. This is the time when the slow roll inflation begins and the field slowly rolls down the potential. The results indicate that there are a few e-fold expansions in the bounce phase, about N = 3.5–4, and the universe experiences about N = 59 e-fold expansions in the slow-roll inflation phase.

Regularizations and quantum dynamics in loop quantum cosmology

Regularizations and quantum dynamics in loop quantum cosmology

Spherical symmetric gravitational collapse of a dust cloud: Polymerized dynamics in reduced phase space

Based on the effective dynamics in the $\bar \mu$ scheme of the spherical symmetry reduced model in the reduced phase space formulation of loop quantum gravity (LQG), we investigate the gravitational collapse of a homogeneous dust cloud, with Gaussian dust serving as both the reference field and the source of the gravitational collapse. The effective dynamics from the considered model for a homogeneous dust cloud reduces precisely to the effective dynamics of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) with extrinsic curvature based K-quantization, indicating that the LQC effective dynamics lives as a subsector of the model presented here. In both the marginally bound and the bound cases of the collapse in effective dynamics, the singularity is resolved and replaced by a bounce. Though quantum geometric modification from spatial curvature is not directly included in the K-quantization it does affect the qualitative dynamics of the collapsing dust cloud in the sense that on the one hand for the marginally bound case, the dust cloud bounces once at fixed maximum energy density and on the other hand for the bound case, the dust cloud undergoes infinite cycles of contraction and expansion at energy densities dependent on the dust mass. Finally, the mass threshold for the formation of a trapped surface in each case is found and the matching conditions between the interior collapsing spacetime and an effective exterior static solution are discussed.

Gravitational particle production and the validity of effective descriptions in loop quantum cosmology

The effective approach in loop quantum cosmology (LQC) has provided means to obtain predictions for observable quantities in LQC models. While an effective dynamics in LQC has been extensively considered in different scenarios, a robust demonstration of the validity of effective descriptions for the perturbative level still requires further attention. The consistency of the description adopted in most approaches requires the assumption of a test field approximation, which is limited to the cases in which the backreaction of the particles gravitationally produced can be safely neglected. Within the framework of LQC, some of the main approaches to quantize the linear perturbations are the dressed metric, the hybrid approaches and the closed or deformed algebra approach. Here, we analyze the consistency of the test field assumption in these frameworks by computing the energy density stored in the particles gravitationally produced compared to the background energy density. This analysis ultimately provides us with a consistency test of the effective descriptions of LQC.

A semi-classical model of regular inflationary cosmology

Quantum-effective gravity must lead to a regularized cosmology and thereby by itself source and regulate the high energy inflaton fields required for an appropriate inflationary beginning of the Universe. Pursuing this premise, we involve in the generic code of extended theories of gravity in conceiving semi-classical imprinting of quantum effects into gravitation. Hence, we prescribe a general semi-classical procedure of constructing the regular, quantum-effective form of the spatially flat FLRW cosmology whereby two alternative classes of the admissible dynamics are distinguished. In this paper, we explore only the particular class holding a minimally inflationary de Sitter UV-phase. Curiously, the low energy phase of the newly modeled Universe recovers the conventional dynamics of loop quantum cosmology. However, unlike the loop quantum cosmology, the high energy phase of the newly conceived cosmology has no bounce, instead, has a regular whimpering emergence of the Universe replacing the Big Bang. Our analysis manifests that without needing any non-standard equation of state, ordinary matter admits an inflationary beginning of the Universe.

Limiting curvature mimetic gravity for group field theory condensates

Nonsingular bouncing cosmologies are realized in limiting curvature mimetic gravity by means of a multi-valued potential $f(\Box\phi)$ depending on the d'Alembertian of a scalar field $\phi$. We determine the functional form of such a potential so as to exactly reproduce the cosmological background dynamics obtained in the group field theory approach to quantum gravity. The original proposal made by Chamseddine and Mukhanov [JCAP 1703, no. 03, 009 (2017)], which was shown to lead to a background dynamics reproducing the effective dynamics of loop quantum cosmology, is here recovered as a particular case for some specific choices of the parameters of our model. We also clarify some issues related to the multi-valuedness of the function $f$, showing in particular that its functional form can be unambiguously reconstructed by imposing appropriate matching conditions at the branching points.

The Vacuum State of Primordial Fluctuations in Hybrid Loop Quantum Cosmology

We investigate the role played by the vacuum of the primordial fluctuations in hybrid Loop Quantum Cosmology. We consider scenarios where the inflaton potential is a mass term and the unperturbed quantum geometry is governed by the effective dynamics of Loop Quantum Cosmology. In this situation, the phenomenologically interesting solutions have a preinflationary regime where the kinetic energy of the inflaton dominates over the potential. For these kind of solutions, we show that the primordial power spectra depend strongly on the choice of vacuum. We study in detail the case of adiabatic states of low order and the non-oscillating vacuum introduced by Martín de Blas and Olmedo, all imposed at the bounce. The adiabatic spectra are typically suppressed at large scales, and display rapid oscillations with an increase of power at intermediate scales. In the non-oscillating vacuum, there is power suppression for large scales, but the rapid oscillations are absent. We argue that the oscillations are due to the imposition of initial adiabatic conditions in the region of kinetic dominance, and that they would also be present in General Relativity. Finally, we discuss the sensitivity of our results to changes of the initial time and other data of the model.

Deriving loop quantum cosmology dynamics from diffeomorphism invariance

We use the requirement of diffeomorphism invariance in the Bianchi I context to derive the form of the quantum Hamiltonian constraint. After imposing the correct classical behavior and making a certain minimality assumption, together with a certain restriction to "planar loops", we then obtain a unique expression for the quantum Hamiltonian operator for Bianchi I to both leading and subleading orders in $\hbar$. Specifically, this expression is found to exactly match the form proposed by Ashtekar and Wilson-Ewing in the loop quantum cosmology (LQC) literature. Furthermore, by using the projection map from the quantum states of the Bianchi I model to the states of the isotropic model, we constrain the dynamics also in the homogeneous isotropic case, and obtain, again to both leading and subleading order in $\hbar$, a quantum constraint which exactly matches the standard `improved dynamics' of Ashtekar, Pawlowski and Singh. This result in the isotropic case does not require a restriction to planar loops, but only the minimality assumption. Our results strengthen confidence in LQC dynamics and its observational predictions as consequences of more basic fundamental principles. Of the assumptions made in the isotropic case, the only one not rigidly determined by physical principle is the minimality principle, our work also shows the exact freedom allowed when this assumption is relaxed.

Measuring the effects of loop quantum cosmology in the CMB data

In this paper we investigate the observational signatures of Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) in the CMB data. First, we concentrate on the dynamics of LQC and we provide the basic cosmological functions. We then obtain the power spectrum of scalar and tensor perturbations in order to study the performance of LQC against the latest CMB data. We find that LQC provides a robust prediction for the main slow-roll parameters, like the scalar spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar fluctuation ratio, which are in excellent agreement within [Formula: see text] with the values recently measured by the Planck collaboration. This result indicates that LQC can be seen as an alternative scenario with respect to that of standard inflation.

State refinements and coarse graining in a full theory embedding of loop quantum cosmology

Bridging between descriptions involving few large and many small quantum numbers is the main open problem in loop quantum gravity. In other words, one would like to be able to represent the same physical system in terms of a few ‘coarse’ quantum numbers, while the effective dynamics at the coarse level should agree with the one induced by a description involving many small quantum numbers. Efforts to understand this relationship face the problem of the enormous computational complexity involved in evolving a generic state containing many quanta. In a cosmological context however, certain symmetry assumptions on the quantum states allow one to simplify the problem. In this paper, we will show how quantum states describing a spatially flat homogeneous and isotropic universe can be refined and coarse grained. Invariance of the dynamics of the coarse observables is shown to require a certain scaling property (familiar from loop quantum cosmology) of the quantum states if no running of parameters is taken into account. The involved states are solutions to the Hamiltonian constraint when terms coming from spatial derivatives are neglected, i.e. one works in the approximation of non-interacting FRW patches. The technical means to arrive at this result are a version of loop quantum gravity based on variables inspired by loop quantum cosmology, as well as an exact solution to the quantum dynamics of loop quantum cosmology which extends to the full theory in the chosen approximation.

Geodesic completeness and the lack of strong singularities in effective loop quantum Kantowski–Sachs spacetime

Resolution of singularities in the Kantowski–Sachs model due to non-perturbative quantum gravity effects is investigated. Using the effective spacetime description for the improved dynamics version of loop quantum Kantowski–Sachs spacetimes, we show that even though expansion and shear scalars are universally bounded, there can exist events where curvature invariants can diverge. However, such events can occur only for very exotic equations of state when pressure or derivatives of energy density with respect to triads become infinite at a finite energy density. In all other cases curvature invariants are proved to remain finite for any evolution in finite proper time. We find the novel result that all strong singularities are resolved for arbitrary matter. Weak singularities pertaining to above potential curvature divergence events can exist. The effective spacetime is found to be geodesically complete for particle and null geodesics in finite time evolution. Our results add to a growing evidence for generic resolution of strong singularities using effective dynamics in loop quantum cosmology by generalizing earlier results on isotropic and Bianchi-I spacetimes.

Quantum reduced loop gravity and the foundation of loop quantum cosmology

Quantum reduced loop gravity is a promising framework for linking loop quantum gravity and the effective semiclassical dynamics of loop quantum cosmology. We review its basic achievements and its main perspectives, outlining how it provides a quantum description of the Universe in terms of a cuboidal graph which constitutes the proper framework for applying loop techniques in a cosmological setting.

An embedding of loop quantum cosmology in variables into a full theory context

Loop quantum cosmology in (b, v) variables, which is governed by a unit step size difference equation, is embedded into a full theory context based on similar variables. A full theory context here means a theory of quantum gravity arrived at using the quantisation techniques used in loop quantum gravity, however based on a different choice of elementary variables and classical gauge fixing suggested by loop quantum cosmology. From the full theory perspective, the symmetry reduction is characterised by the vanishing of certain phase space functions which are implemented as operator equations in the quantum theory. The loop quantum cosmology dynamics arise as the action of the full theory Hamiltonian on maximally coarse states in the kernel of the reduction constraints. An application of this reduction procedure to spherical symmetry is also sketched, with similar results, but only one canonical pair in (b, v) form.

Timelike information broadcasting in cosmology

We study the transmission of information and correlations through quantum fields in cosmological backgrounds. With this aim, we make use of quantum information tools to quantify the classical and quantum correlations induced by a quantum massless scalar field in two particle detectors, one located in the early universe (Alice's) and the other located at a later time (Bob's). In particular, we focus on two phenomena: a) the consequences on the transmission of information of the violations of the strong Huygens principle for quantum fields, and b) the analysis of the field vacuum correlations via correlation harvesting from Alice to Bob. We will study a standard cosmological model first and then assess whether these results also hold if we use other than the general relativistic dynamics. As a particular example, we will study the transmission of information through the Big Bounce, that replaces the Big Bang, in the effective dynamics of Loop Quantum Cosmology.

Quantum reduction to Bianchi I models in loop quantum gravity

We propose a quantum symmetry reduction of loop quantum gravity to Bianchi I spacetimes. To this end, we choose the diagonal metric gauge for the spatial diffeomorphism constraint at the classical level, leading to an $\mathbb{R}_{\text{Bohr}}$ gauge theory, and quantise the resulting theory via loop quantum gravity methods. Constraints which lead classically to a suitable reduction are imposed at the quantum level. The dynamics of the resulting model turn out to be very simple and manifestly coincide with those of a polymer quantisation of a Bianchi I model for the simplest choice of full theory quantum states compatible with the Bianchi I reduction. In particular, the "improved" $\bar{\mu}$ dynamics of loop quantum cosmology can be obtained by modifying the regularisation of the Hamiltonian constraint with similar ideas, in turn yielding insights into the full theory dynamics.

Nonsingular AdS-dS transitions in a landscape scenario

Understanding transitions between different vacua of a multiverse allowing eternal inflation is an open problem whose resolution is important to gain insights on the global structure of the spacetime as well as the problem of measure. In the classical theory, transitions from the anti-deSitter to deSitter vacua are forbidden due to the big crunch singularity. In this article, we consider toy landscape potentials: a double well and a triple well potential allowing anti-deSitter and de-Sitter vacua, in the effective dynamics of loop quantum cosmology for the $k=-1$ FRW model. We show that due to the non-perturbative quantum gravity effects as understood in loop quantum cosmology, non-singular anti-deSitter to de-Sitter transitions are possible. In the future evolution, an anti-deSitter bubble universe does not encounter a big crunch singularity but undergoes a big bounce occurring at a scale determined by the underlying quantum geometry. These non-singular transitions provide a mechanism through which a probe or a `watcher', used to define a local measure, can safely evolve through the bounce and geodesics can be smoothly extended from anti-deSitter to de-Sitter vacua.

Non-singular bounce scenarios in loop quantum cosmology and the effective field description

A non-singular bouncing cosmology is generically obtained in loop quantum cosmology due to non-perturbative quantum gravity effects. A similar picture can be achieved in standard general relativity in the presence of a scalar field with a non-standard kinetic term such that at high energy densities the field evolves into a ghost condensate and causes a non-singular bounce. During the bouncing phase, the perturbations can be stabilized by introducing a Horndeski operator. Taking the matter content to be a dust field and an ekpyrotic scalar field, we compare the dynamics in loop quantum cosmology and in a non-singular bouncing effective field model with a non-standard kinetic term at both the background and perturbative levels. We find that these two settings share many important properties, including the result that they both generate scale-invariant scalar perturbations. This shows that some quantum gravity effects of the very early universe may be mimicked by effective field models.

A quantum gravitational inflationary scenario in Bianchi-I spacetime

We investigate the ϕ2 inflationary model in the Bianchi-I spacetime using the effective spacetime description of loop quantum cosmology to understand the issues of the resolution of initial singularity, isotropization, effect of anisotropies on the amount of inflation, and the phase-space attractors in the presence of non-perturbative quantum gravitational modifications. A comparative analysis with the classical theory by including more general initial conditions than the ones previously considered in the latter is also performed. We show that, in general, the classical singularity is replaced by a bounce of the mean scale factor in loop quantum cosmology. Due to the underlying quantum geometric effects, the energy density of the inflaton and the anisotropic shear remain bounded throughout the non-singular evolution. Starting from arbitrary anisotropic initial conditions, a loop quantum universe isotropizes either before or soon after the onset of slow-roll inflation. We find a double attractor behavior in the phase-space dynamics of loop quantum cosmology, similar to the one in classical theory, but with some additional subtle features. Quantum modifications to the dynamical equations are such that, unlike the classical theory, the amount of inflation does not monotonically depend on the initial anisotropy in loop quantum cosmology. Our results suggest that a viable non-singular inflationary model can be constructed from highly anisotropic initial conditions in the Planck regime.

The pre-inflationary dynamics of loop quantum cosmology: confronting quantum gravity with observations

Using techniques from loop quantum gravity, the standard theory of cosmological perturbations was recently generalized to encompass the Planck era. We now apply this framework to explore pre-inflationary dynamics. The framework enables us to isolate and resolve the true trans-Planckian difficulties, with interesting lessons both for theory and observations. Specifically, for a large class of initial conditions at the bounce, we are led to a self consistent extension of the inflationary paradigm over the 11 orders of magnitude in density and curvature, from the big bounce to the onset of slow roll. In addition, for a narrow window of initial conditions, there are departures from the standard paradigm, with novel effects—such as a modification of the consistency relation between the ratio of the tensor to scalar power spectrum and the tensor spectral index, as well as a new source for non-Gaussianities—which could extend the reach of cosmological observations to the deep Planck regime of the early universe.Communicated by P Singh

Quantum gravitational Kasner transitions in Bianchi-I spacetime

Because of nonperturbative quantum gravitational effects, the classical big bang singularity is replaced by a quantum big bounce of the mean scale factor in loop quantization of Bianchi-I spacetime. An important issue is to understand the various differences in the physical properties of the spacetime across the bounce. We investigate this issue in the context of various geometrical structures, identified by the Kasner exponents of the metric, which arise on approach to the singularity in the classical theory. Using an effective spacetime description of the Bianchi-I model in loop quantum cosmology with dust, radiation and stiff matter, we find that as in the classical theory, geometrical structures such as a cigar or a pancake form, but they are finite and nonsingular. Depending on the initial conditions of the matter and anisotropies, different geometric structures are possible in the pre- and post-bounce phases in physical evolution. Thus, quantum gravitational effects can cause a Kasner transition in Bianchi-I spacetime, which is not possible at the classical level. Interestingly, we find that not all transitions are allowed at the level of effective dynamics in loop quantum cosmology. We find the selection rules and underlying conditions for all allowed and forbidden transitions. The selection rules suggest that for a given set of initial conditions on anisotropies, the occurrence of Kasner transitions follows a distinct pattern, and certain transitions are more favored than others.