arXiv subjects

Gustavo S. Vicente

Publications and source records attributed to Gustavo S. Vicente.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Polymerized spacetime dynamics with multifield source: Unraveling the pre-inflationary Universe

We study a multifield model in loop quantum cosmology for a maximally symmetric spacetime governed by the Einstein-Hilbert action minimally coupled to scalar fields. Using a Legendre transformation, we formulate the Hamiltonian dynamics in canonically equivalent geometrodynamical and Yang-Mills-type representations, incorporating nontrivial couplings through a geometric structure on the multifield configuration space. Implementing the $\barμ$-scheme polymerization, we obtain the loop-quantum-corrected Friedmann equations. By focusing on the two-field models as an example, we analyze the effective dynamics for specific potentials. The \textit{quantum bouncing, transition, and slow-roll inflationary} phases are investigated numerically, and viability of the models is assessed by evaluating the number of e-folds during the inflationary phase for certain given initial conditions. The global behavior of the background evolution is further examined through linear stability and dynamical-systems analyses.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Quantum Damping of Cosmological Shear: A New Prediction from Loop Quantum Cosmologies

We study the dynamics of the Bianchi I universe in modified loop quantum cosmology (mLQC-I) and uncover a robust mechanism for isotropization: the shear is dynamically suppressed after the bounce and decays rapidly in the quantum post-bounce regime, independently of the equation of state of standard matter sources. This naturally drives the Universe toward a homogeneous and isotropic expanding phase without fine-tuning. Our results show that mLQC-I provides a new quantum-gravitational mechanism for suppressing anisotropies, absent in other bounce models.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Genericness of quantum damping of cosmological shear in modified loop quantum cosmology

In arXiv:2603.18175, the authors argue, based on numerical studies of particular cases, that the quantum damping of cosmological shear in a modified loop quantum cosmological model (mLQC-I) that was recently found in arXiv:2510.14021 is not generic and that the universe never becomes truly classical. In this brief Note, we revisit these claims by carefully examining the underlying assumptions and the class of initial conditions considered. We show that the examples analyzed in arXiv:2603.18175 correspond to configurations that do not represent physically admissible collapsing Bianchi I universes, as they involve mixed expanding-contracting directions and lead to effectively lower-dimensional post-bounce geometries. Restricting to physically relevant initial conditions corresponding to genuine three-dimensional contraction, we find that the quantum damping of cosmological shear is a robust dynamical feature. This conclusion is supported by both numerical and perturbative analyses, which demonstrate that the post-bounce evolution admits an isotropic attractor, with anisotropies decaying exponentially and independently of the matter content, provided that the weak energy condition is satisfied. We further outline a plausible post-bounce mechanism for the onset of classicalization.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Constraining a de Broglie--Bohm quantum bounce cosmology with Planck data

This work investigates a singularity-free early Universe within the paradigm of quantum cosmology. We develop a bouncing model where the singularity is resolved via the de Broglie--Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics, which provides a deterministic trajectory for the scale factor through a quantum bounce. The primordial power spectrum for scalar perturbations is derived, incorporating a characteristic modulation (distortion function) imprinted by the nonstandard quantum gravitational dynamics near the bounce. We confront this model with the Planck 2018 cosmic microwave background data, establishing its strong compatibility with observations. Our analysis places a stringent upper bound on the fundamental scale of the bounce $k_B$, constraining the parameter space of such quantum cosmological scenarios. {}Furthermore, the model's specific scale-dependent anticorrelation between the spectral index and amplitude of perturbations offers a potential mechanism for mitigating the $H_0$-$σ_8$ tension, presenting a testable signature for future cosmological surveys.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Defying eternal inflation in warm inflation with a negative running

It was pointed out previously~\cite{Kinney:2014jya} that a sufficiently negative running of the spectral index of curvature perturbations from (ordinary i.e. cold) inflation is able to prevent eternal inflation from ever occurring. Here, we reevaluate those original results, but in the context of warm inflation, in which a substantial radiation component (produced by the inflaton) exists throughout the inflationary period. We demonstrate that the same general requirements found in the context of ordinary (cold) inflation also hold true in warm inflation; indeed an even tinier amount of negative running is sufficient to prevent eternal inflation. This is particularly pertinent, as models featuring negative running are more generic in warm inflation scenarios. Finally, the condition for the existence of eternal inflation in cold inflation -- that the curvature perturbation amplitude exceed unity on superhorizon scales -- becomes more restrictive in the case of warm inflation. The curvature perturbations must be even larger, i.e. even farther out on the potential, away from the part of the potential where observables, e.g. in the Cosmic Microwave Background, are produced.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Quantum geometric formulation of Brans-Dicke theory for Bianchi I spacetime

This paper investigates Bianchi I spacetimes within the Jordan frame of Brans-Dicke theory, incorporating the framework of effective loop quantum gravity. After developing general formulas, we analyze the robustness of classical singularity resolution due to quantum geometric effects using two common quantization schemes. We then compare the resulting physical properties. We find that both schemes replace classical singularities with regular quantum bounces. Notably, in contrast to similar studies based on general relativity, we find that all three directional scale factors of the Bianchi I spacetimes increase and after the quantum bounce they reach values similar to their initial values, leading to a merging with classical spacetimes in both schemes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

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/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.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Gravitational Particle Production in Loop Quantum Cosmology

We investigate the gravitational particle production in the bounce phase of Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC). We perform both analytical and numerical analysis of the particle production process in a LQC scenario with Bunch-Davies vacuum initial condition in the contracting phase. We obtain that if we extend the validity of the dressed metric approach beyond the limit of small backreaction in which it is well justified, this process would lead to a radiation dominated phase in the pre-inflationary phase of LQC. Our results indicate that the test field approximation, which is required in the truncation scheme used in the dressed metric approach, might not be a valid assumption in a LQC scenario with such initial conditions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Eternal inflation in a dissipative and radiation environment: Heated demise of eternity

Eternal inflation is studied in the context of warm inflation. We focus on different tools to analyze the effects of dissipation and the presence of a thermal radiation bath on the fluctuation-dominated regime, for which the self-reproduction of Hubble regions can take place. The tools we explore are the threshold inflaton field and threshold number of e-folds necessary to establish a self-reproduction regime and the counting of Hubble regions, using generalized conditions for the occurrence of a fluctuation-dominated regime. We obtain the functional dependence of these quantities on the dissipation and temperature. A Sturm-Liouville analysis of the Fokker-Planck equation for the probability of having eternal inflation and an analysis for the probability of having eternal points are performed. We have considered the representative cases of inflation models with monomial potentials of the form of chaotic and hilltop ones. Our results show that warm inflation tends to initially favor the onset of a self-reproduction regime for smaller values of the dissipation. As the dissipation increases, it becomes harder than in cold inflation (i.e., in the absence of dissipation) to achieve a self-reproduction regime for both types of models analyzed. The results are interpreted and explicit analytical expressions are given whenever that is possible.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2014

Bivelocity picture in the nonrelativistic limit of relativistic hydrodynamics

We discuss the nonrelativistic limit of the relativistic Navier-Fourier-Stokes (NFS) theory. The next-to-leading order relativistic corrections to the NFS theory for the Landau-Lifshitz fluid are obtained. While the lowest order truncation of the velocity expansion leads to the usual NFS equations of nonrelativistic fluids, we show that when the next-to-leading order relativistic corrections are included, the equations can be expressed concurrently with two different fluid velocities. One of the fluid velocities is parallel to the conserved charge current (which follows the Eckart definition) and the other one is parallel to the energy current (which follows the Landau-Lifshitz definition). We compare this next-to-leading order relativistic hydrodynamics with bivelocity hydrodynamics, which is one of the generalizations of the NFS theory and is formulated in such a way to include the usual mass velocity and also a new velocity, called the volume velocity. We find that the volume velocity can be identified with the velocity obtained in the Landau-Lifshitz definition. Then, the structure of bivelocity hydrodynamics, which is derived using various nontrivial assumptions, is reproduced in the NFS theory including the next-to-leading order relativistic corrections.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2012

Stability analysis for the background equations for inflation with dissipation and in a viscous radiation bath

The effects of bulk viscosity are examined for inflationary dynamics in which dissipation and thermalization are present. A complete stability analysis is done for the background inflaton evolution equations, which includes both inflaton dissipation and radiation bulk viscous effects. Three representative approaches of bulk viscous irreversible thermodynamics are analyzed: the Eckart noncausal theory, the linear and causal theory of Israel-Stewart and a more recent nonlinear and causal bulk viscous theory. It is found that the causal theories allow for larger bulk viscosities before encountering an instability in comparison to the noncausal Eckart theory. It is also shown that the causal theories tend to suppress the radiation production due to bulk viscous pressure, because of the presence of relaxation effects implicit in these theories. Bulk viscosity coefficients derived from quantum field theory are applied to warm inflation model building and an analysis is made of the effects to the duration of inflation. The treatment of bulk pressure would also be relevant to the reheating phase after inflation in cold inflation dynamics and during the radiation dominated regime, although very little work in both areas has been done, the methodology developed in this paper could be extended to apply to these other problems.

astro-ph.CO↗