Relaxing a large cosmological constant

The cosmological constant (CC) problem is the biggest enigma of theoretical physics ever. In recent times, it has been rephrased as the dark energy (DE) problem in order to encompass a wider spectrum of possibilities. It is, in any case, a polyhedric puzzle with many faces, including the cosmic coincidence problem, i.e. why the density of matter ρm${\rho }_m$ is presently so close to the CC density ρΛ${\rho }_{\Lambda }$. However, the oldest, toughest and most intriguing face of this polyhedron is the big CC problem, namely why the measured value of ρΛ${\rho }_{\Lambda }$ at present is so small as compared to any typical density scale existing in high energy physics, especially taking into account the many phase transitions that our Universe has undergone since the early times, including inflation. In this Letter, we propose to extend the field equations of General Relativity by including a class of invariant terms that automatically relax the value of the CC irrespective of the initial size of the vacuum energy in the early epochs. We show that, at late times, the Universe enters an eternal de Sitter stage mimicking a tiny positive cosmological constant. Thus, these models could be able to solve the big CC problem without fine-tuning and have also a bearing on the cosmic coincidence problem. Remarkably, they mimic the ΛCDM$\mathrm{\Lambda }\text{CDM}$ model to a large extent, but they still leave some characteristic imprints that should be testable in the next generation of experiments.     

Cosmic no-hair conjecture in scalar-tensor theories

We have shown that, within the context of scalar-tensor theories, the anisotropic Bianchi-type cosmological models evolve towards de Sitter Universe. A similar result holds in the case of cosmology in Lyra manifold. Thus the analogue of cosmic no-hair theorem of Wald [1] hold in both the cases. In fact, during inflation there is no difference between scalar-tensor theories, Lyra’s manifold and general relativity (GR).     

New solution of the cosmological constant problems

We extend the usual gravitational action principle by promoting the bare cosmological constant (CC) to a field which can take many possible values. Variation gives a new integral constraint equation for the classical value of the effective CC that dominates the wave function of the Universe. The expected value of the effective CC, is calculated from measurable quantities to be O(t(U)(-2)) as observed, where t(U) is the present age of the Universe in Planck units. This also leads to a falsifiable prediction for the observed spatial curvature parameter of Ω(k0) = -0.0055. Our proposal requires no fine-tunings or extra dark-energy fields but suggests a new view of time evolution.     

Dark energy as a massive vector field

We propose that the Universe is filled with a massive vector field non-minimally coupled to gravitation. The field equations of the model are consistently derived, and their application to cosmology is considered. The Friedmann equations acquire an extra dark-energy component, which is proportional to the mass of the vector particle. This leads to a late-time accelerated de Sitter type expansion. The free parameters of the model (gravitational coupling constants and initial value of the cosmological vector field) can be estimated by using the PPN solar system constraints. The mass of the cosmological massive vector particle, which may represent the main component of the Universe, is of the order of 10^-63 g. PACS 03.70.+k; 11.90.+t; 11.10.Kk     

Bianchi I cosmology in the presence of a causally regularized viscous fluid

We analyze the dynamics of a Bianchi I cosmology in the presence of a viscous fluid, causally regularized according to the Lichnerowicz approach. We show how the effect induced by shear viscosity is still able to produce a matter creation phenomenon, meaning that also in the regularized theory we address, the Universe is emerging from a singularity with a vanishing energy density value. We discuss the structure of the singularity in the isotropic limit, when bulk viscosity is the only retained contribution. We see that, as far as viscosity is not a dominant effect, the dynamics of the isotropic Universe possesses the usual non-viscous power-law behaviour but in correspondence to an effective equation of state, depending on the bulk viscosity coefficient. Finally, we show that, in the limit of a strong non-thermodynamical equilibrium of the Universe mimicked by a dominant contribution of the effective viscous pressure, a power-law inflation behaviour of the Universe appears, the cosmological horizons are removed and a significant amount of entropy is produced.     

Tensor modes from a primordial Hagedorn phase of string cosmology

It has recently been shown that a Hagedorn phase of string gas cosmology can provide a causal mechanism for generating a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of scalar metric fluctuations, without the need for an intervening period of de Sitter expansion. In this Letter, we compute the spectrum of tensor metric fluctuations (gravitational waves) in this scenario and show that it is also nearly scale invariant. However, whereas the spectrum of scalar modes has a small red tilt, the spectrum of tensor modes has a small blue tilt, unlike what occurs in slow-roll inflation. This provides a possible observational way to distinguish between our cosmological scenario and conventional slow-roll inflation.     

Dark energy and the cosmic microwave background radiation

We find that current cosmic microwave background anisotropy data strongly constrain the mean spatial curvature of the Universe to be near zero, or, equivalently, the total energy density to be near critical-as predicted by inflation. This result is robust to editing of data sets, and variation of other cosmological parameters (totaling seven, including a cosmological constant). Other lines of argument indicate that the energy density of nonrelativistic matter is much less than critical. Together, these results are evidence, independent of supernovae data, for dark energy in the Universe.     

When is a conductor not perfect? Sum rules fail under critical fluctuations

Perfect screening of all charges characterizes a conductor, a fact embodied in the Stillinger-Lovett sum rule: namely, the charge-charge correlation or structure factor, S(ZZ)(k), varies with momentum transfer k→0 as ξ(D)(2)k(2) where the Debye length ξ(D) is a universal function, √k(B)T/ρq(D)(2), of T and the ion density ρ, with a scaled charge q(D). For a charge-symmetric hard-sphere electrolyte our grand canonical simulations, with a new finite-size scaling device, confirm the Stillinger-Lovett rule except, contrary to current theory, for its failure at criticality. Furthermore, the k(4) term in the S(ZZ)(k) expansion is found to diverge like the compressibility when T→T(c) at ρ(c).     

Logarithmic correction to the Brane equationin topological Reissner-Nordström de Sitter space

In this paper we study braneworld cosmology when the bulk space is a charged black hole in de Sitter space (topological Reissner-Nordström de Sitter Space) in a general number of dimensions; then we compute the leading order correction to the Friedmann equation that arises from logarithmic corrections to the entropy in the holographic-braneworld cosmological framework. Finally we consider the holographic entropy bounds in this scenario, and we show that the entropy bounds are also modified by a logarithmic term.Received: 17 June 2004, Revised: 3 October 2004, Published online: 26 November 2004     

Stability of gravity with a cosmological constant

The stability properties of Einstein theory with a cosmological constant Λ are investigated. For Λ > 0, stability is established for small fluctuations, about the de Sitter background, occurring inside the event horizon and semiclassical stability is analyzed. For Λ < 0, stability is demonstrated for all asymptotically anti-de Sitter metrics. The analysis is based on the general construction of conserved flux-integral expressions associated with the symmetries of a chosen background. The effects of an event horizon, which lead to Hawking radiation, are expressedfor general field hamiltonians. Stability for Λ < 0 is proved, using supergravity techniques, in terms of the graded anti-de Sitter algebra with spinorial charges also expressed as flux integrals.     

Effects of cosmological constant on motion of UHECR particles

Recent astronomical observations manifest that about two-thirds of the whole energy in the Universe is contributed by a small positive cosmological constant A (> 0). Then, an asymptotically de Sitter spacetime is premised naturally. However, physics in the de Sitter spacetime is very different from that in the Minkowski spacetime. As the first step, a covariant formalism of the kinematics in the de Sitter spacetime is presented here. By solving exactly the equations of motion for a field, we obtain the dispersion relation of a free particle. It is noticed that the dispersion relation is dependent on the degree of freedom of angular momentum of the particle. We show the threshold anomaly of the ultra high energy cosmic ray disappears naturally in the framework of the de Sitter kinematics.     

Cosmological term in the general theory of relativity and localization of the de Sitter and Einstein groups

The theory of a gauge gravitational field with localization of the de Sitter group is formulated. Starting from the tetradic components of the de Sitter universe, a relationship is established between the Riemannian metric and the de Sitter gauge field. It is shown that the general theory of relativity with the cosmological term is the simplest variant of the de Sitter gauge theory of gravitation, which transforms in the limit of an infinite radius of curvature of the de Sitter universe into the Poincaré-invariant GTR without the cosmological term. A theory of a gauge gravitational field with localization of Einstein's group of motions of the uniform static universe (the Einstein group R × S0 (4)) is formulated in an analogous manner.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshykh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 86–90, August, 1984.     

Inflation and late-time acceleration in braneworld cosmological models with varying brane tension

Braneworld models with variable brane tension λ introduce a new degree of freedom that allows for evolving gravitational and cosmological constants, the latter being a natural candidate for dark energy. We consider a thermodynamic interpretation of the varying brane tension models, by showing that the field equations with variable λ can be interpreted as describing matter creation in a cosmological framework. The particle creation rate is determined by the variation rate of the brane tension, as well as by the brane–bulk energy-matter transfer rate. We investigate the effect of a variable brane tension on the cosmological evolution of the Universe, in the framework of a particular model in which the brane tension is an exponentially dependent function of the scale factor. The resulting cosmology shows the presence of an initial inflationary expansion, followed by a decelerating phase, and by a smooth transition towards a late accelerated de Sitter type expansion. The varying brane tension is also responsible for the generation of the matter in the Universe (reheating period). The physical constraints on the model parameters, resulting from the observational cosmological data, are also investigated.     

A braneworld universe from colliding bubbles

Much work has been devoted to the phenomenology and cosmology of the so-called braneworld universe, where the (3+1)-dimensional universe familiar to us lies on a brane surrounded by a (4+1)-dimensional bulk spacetime that is essentially empty except for a negative cosmological constant and the various modes associated with gravity. For such a braneworld cosmology, the difficulty of justifying a set of preferred initial conditions inevitably arises. The various proposals for inflation restricted to the brane only partially explain the homogeneity and isotropy of the resulting braneworld universe because the three-dimensional homogeneity and isotropy of the bulk must be assumed a priori. In this Letter we propose a mechanism by which a brane surrounded by AdS space arises naturally in such a way that the homogeneity and isotropy of both the brane and the bulk are guaranteed. We postulate an initial false vacuum phase of (4+1)-dimensional de Sitter, or possibly Minkowski, space subsequently decaying to a true vacuum of anti-de Sitter space, assumed discretely degenerate. This decay takes place through bubble nucleation. When two bubbles of the true AdS vacuum eventually collide, because of the degeneracy of the true AdS vacuum, a brane (or domain wall) inevitably forms separating the two AdS phases. It is on this brane that we live. The SO(3,1) symmetry of the collision geometry ensures the three-dimensional spatial homogeneity and isotropy of the universe on the brane as well as of the bulk. In the semi-classical (→0) limit, this SO(3,1) symmetry is exact. We sketch how the leading quantum corrections translate into cosmological perturbations.     

The big bang as a result of the first-order phase transition driven by a change of the scalar curvature in an expanding early Universe: The “hyperinflation” scenario

We suggest that the Big Bang could be a result of the first-order phase transition driven by a change in the scalar curvature of the 4D spacetime in an expanding cold Universe filled with a nonlinear scalar field φ and neutral matter with an equation of state p = νε (where p and ε are the pressure and energy density of the matter, respectively). We consider the Lagrangian of a scalar field with nonlinearity φ⁴ in a curved spacetime that, along with the term–ξR|φ|² quadratic in φ (where ξ is the interaction constant between the scalar and gravitational fields and R is the scalar curvature), contains the term ξRφ₀(φ + φ⁺) linear in φ, where φ₀ is the vacuum mean of the scalar field amplitude. As a consequence, the condition for the existence of extrema of the scalar-field potential energy is reduced to an equation cubic in φ. Provided that ν > 1/3, the scalar curvature R = [κ(3ν–1)ε–4Λ] (where κ and Λ are Einstein’s gravitational and cosmological constants, respectively) decreases with decreasing ε as the Universe expands, and a first-order phase transition in variable “external field” parameter proportional to R occurs at some critical value R _c < 0. Under certain conditions, the critical radius of the early Universe at the point of the first-order phase transition can reach an arbitrary large value, so that this scenario of unrestricted “inflation” of the Universe may be called “hyperinflation.” After the passage through the phase-transition point, the scalar-field potential energy should be rapidly released, which must lead to strong heating of the Universe, playing the role of the Big Bang.     

Quantum instabilities and the cosmological constant

Several recent studies have found that the stress-energy of quantum fields in de Sitter space will take the form of a growing effective cosmological constant (Λ) with sign opposite to that of the background spacetime. This leads, in self-consistent scheme, to the spontaneous decay of the effective value of Λ, and has been proposed as a possible solution to the “problem of the cosmological constant”. By modeling the back-reaction of the spacetime to the quantum-stress-energy, it is shown that it is unlikely that such quantum instabilities can lower the value of Λ by a large factor and yield a universe even remotely like our own.     

De Sitter solutions in higher order gravity

We consider de Sitter solutions, relevant for instance in studies of inflation, in cosmologies where the gravitational Lagrangian is a functionf(R),R being the scalar curvature. Previous investigations have mostly concentrated onf(R) = R+R² which always has a solution matching the conventional de Sitter one. We show that this circumstance is rather exceptional, and that one must go to higher terms to see signs of the generic behaviour, In general the de Sitter solutions are different from those of Einstein gravity. We present complete solutions for the general cubic Lagrangian. We also address the question of when the solutions to equations from truncated actions can be expected to well represent solutions of some full (and possibly unknown) theory. Such theories provide the possibility of weakening the bounds on the energy density of the inflaton, allowing an easier reconciliation of the inflationary universe with structure-forming topological defects.     

Evolution of cosmological perturbations in a brane-universe

In our present Letter, we analyze the impact of the existence of extra dimensions on cosmology, in particular, on the evolution of cosmological perturbations. For a five-dimensional anti-de Sitter spacetime where ordinary matter is confined to a brane-universe, the equations governing the cosmological perturbations are presented in a form very close to the equations of standard cosmology. Two types of corrections appear: corrections due to the unconventional evolution of the homogeneous solution, which change the background-dependent coefficients of the equations, and corrections due to the curvature along the fifth dimension, which act as source terms in the evolution equations.     

General relativity with an auxiliary dimension

I consider an extension of General Relativity by an auxiliary nondynamical dimension that enables our space–time to acquire an extrinsic curvature. Obtained gravitational equations, without or with a cosmological constant, have a selfaccelerated solution that is independent of the value of the cosmological constant, and can describe the cosmic speedup of the Universe as a geometric effect. Background evolution of the selfaccelerated solution is identical to that of ordinary de Sitter space. I show that linear perturbations on this solution describe either a massless graviton, or a massive graviton and a scalar, which are free of ghosts and tachyons for certain choices of boundary conditions. The obtained linearized expressions suggest that nonlinear interactions should, for certain boundary conditions, be strongly coupled, although this issue is not studied here. The full nonlinear Hamiltonian of the theory is shown to be positive for the selfaccelerated solution, while in general, it reduces to surface terms in our and auxiliary dimensions.