No Arabic abstract
The exactly solvable quantum model of the homogeneous, isotropic and closed universe in the matter-energy production epoch is considered. It is assumed that the universe is originally filled with a uniform scalar field and a perfect fluid which defines a reference frame. The stationary state spectrum and the wave functions of the quantum universe are calculated. In this model the matter-energy in the universe has a component in the form of a condensate of massive zero-momentum excitation quanta of oscillations of primordial scalar field. The mean value of the scale factor of the universe in a given state is connected with the mass of a condensate by a linear relation. The nucleation rate of the universe from the initial cosmological singularity point is calculated. It is demonstrated that the process of nucleation of the universe can have an exponential (explosive) nature. The evolution of the universe is described as transitions with non-zero probabilities between the states of the universe with different masses of a condensate.
We study the amplification of the electromagnetic fluctuations, and the production of seeds for the cosmic magnetic fields, in a class of string cosmology models whose scalar and tensor perturbations reproduce current observations and satisfy known phenomenological constraints. We find that the condition of efficient seeds production can be satisfied and compatible with all constraints only in a restricted region of parameter space, but we show that such a region has significant intersections with the portions of parameter space where the produced background of relic gravitational waves is strong enough to be detectable by aLIGO/Virgo and/or by eLISA.
The production of a background of super-horizon curvature perturbations with the appropriate (red) spectrum needed to trigger the cosmic anisotropies observed on large scales is associated, in the context of pre-big bang inflation, with a phase of growing string coupling. The extension towards the past of such a phase is not limited in time by the dynamical backreaction of the quantum perturbations of the cosmological geometry and of its sources. A viable, slightly red spectrum of scalar perturbations can thus be the output of an asymptotic, perturbative regime which is well compatible with an initial string-vacuum state satisfying the postulate of Asymptotic Past Triviality.
By carrying out a systematic investigation of linear, test quantum fields $hat{phi}(x)$ in cosmological space-times, we show that $hat{phi}(x)$ remain well-defined across the big bang as operator valued distributions in a large class of Friedmann, Lema^itre, Robertson, Walker space-times, including radiation and dust filled universes. In particular, the expectation values $langle hat{phi}(x),hat{phi}(x)rangle$ are well-defined bi-distributions in the extended space-time in spite of the big bang singularity. Interestingly, correlations between fields evaluated at spatially and temporally separated points exhibit an asymmetry that is reminiscent of the Belinskii, Khalatnikov, Lifshitz behavior. The renormalized products of fields $langle hat{phi}^2(x)rangle_{rm ren}$ and $langle hat{T}_{ab}(x) rangle_{rm ren}$ also remain well-defined as distributions. Conformal coupling is not necessary for these considerations to hold. Thus, when probed with observables associated with quantum fields, the big bang (and the big crunch) singularities are quite harmless.
We examine the string cosmology equations with a dilaton potential in the context of the Pre-Big Bang Scenario with the desired scale factor duality, and give a generic algorithm for obtaining solutions with appropriate evolutionary properties. This enables us to find pre-big bang type solutions with suitable dilaton behaviour that are regular at $t=0$, thereby solving the graceful exit problem. However to avoid fine tuning of initial data, an `exotic equation of state is needed that relates the fluid properties to the dilaton field. We discuss why such an equation of state should be required for reliable dilaton behaviour at late times.
In the light of the recent results concerning CMB observations and GW detection we address the question of whether it is possible, in a self-consistent inflationary framework, to simultaneously generate a spectrum of scalar metric perturbations in agreement with Planck data and a stochastic background of primordial gravitational radiation compatible with the design sensitivity of aLIGO/Virgo and/or eLISA. We suggest that this is possible in a string cosmology context, for a wide region of the parameter space of the so-called pre-big bang models. We also discuss the associated values of the tensor-to-scalar ratio relevant to the CMB polarization experiments. We conclude that future, cross-correlated results from CMB observations and GW detectors will be able to confirm or disprove pre-big bang models and -- in any case -- will impose new significant constraints on the basic string theory/cosmology parameters.