arXiv subjects

James E. Lidsey

Publications and source records attributed to James E. Lidsey.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Correspondence between Loop-inspired and Braneworld Cosmology

Braneworld scenarios are motivated by string/M-theory and can be characterized by the way in which they modify the conventional Friedmann equations of Einstein gravity. An alternative approach to quantum gravity, however, is the loop quantum cosmology program. In the semi-classical limit, the cosmic dynamics in this scenario can also be described by a set of modified Friedmann equations. We demonstrate that a dynamical correspondence can be established between these two paradigms at the level of the effective field equations. This allows qualitatively similar features between the two approaches to be compared and contrasted as well as providing a framework for viewing braneworld scenarios in terms of constrained Hamiltonian systems. As concrete examples of this correspondence, we illustrate the relationships between different cosmological backgrounds representing scaling solutions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Cosmic No Hair for Braneworlds with a Bulk Dilaton Field

Braneworld cosmology supported by a bulk scalar field with an exponential potential is developed. A general class of separable backgrounds for both single and two-brane systems is derived, where the bulk metric components are given by products of world-volume and bulk coordinates and the world-volumes represent any anisotropic and inhomogeneous solution to an effective four-dimensional Brans-Dicke theory of gravity. We deduce a cosmic no hair theorem for all ever expanding, spatially homogeneous Bianchi world-volumes and find that the spatially flat and isotropic inflationary scaling solution represents a late-time attractor when the bulk potential is sufficiently flat. The dependence of this result on the separable nature of the bulk metric is investigated by applying the techniques of Hamilton-Jacobi theory to five-dimensional Einstein gravity. We employ the spatial gradient expansion method to determine the asymptotic form of the bulk metric up to third-order in spatial gradients. It is found that the condition for the separable form of the metric to represent the attractor of the system is precisely the same as that for the four-dimensional world-volume to isotropize. We also derive the fourth-order contribution to the Hamilton-Jacobi generating functional. Finally, we conclude by placing our results within the context of the holographic approach to braneworld cosmology.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

Primordial non-gaussianities from multiple-field inflation

We calculate the three-point correlation function evaluated at horizon crossing for a set of interacting scalar fields coupled to gravity during inflation. This provides the initial condition for the three-point function of the curvature perturbation in the Sasaki--Stewart δN formulation. We find that the effect is small, of the order of a slow-roll parameter, and that the non-gaussianity can be determined on large scales once the unperturbed background evolution is known. As an example of the use of our formalism, we calculate the primordial non-gaussianity arising in a model of assisted inflation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Primordial non-gaussianities in single field inflation

We calculate the three-point function for primordial scalar fluctuations in a single field inflationary scenario where the scalar field Lagrangian is a completely general function of the field and its first derivative. We obtain an explicit expression for the three-point correlation function in a self-consistent approximation scheme where the expansion rate varies slowly, analogous to the slow-roll limit in standard, single-field inflation. The three-point function can be written in terms of the familiar slow-roll parameters and three new parameters which measure the non-trivial kinetic structure of the scalar field, the departure of the sound speed from the speed of light, and the rate of change of the sound speed.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

An emergent universe from a loop

Closed, singularity-free, inflationary cosmological models have recently been studied in the context of general relativity. Despite their appeal, these so called emergent models suffer from a number of limitations. These include the fact that they rely on an initial Einstein static state to describe the past eternal phase of the universe. Given the instability of such a state within the context of general relativity, this amounts to a very severe fine tuning. Also in order to be able to study the dynamics of the universe within the context of general relativity, they set the initial conditions for the universe in the classical phase. Here we study the existence and stability of such models in the context of Loop Quantum Cosmology and show that both these limitations can be partially remedied, once semi-classical effects are taken into account. An important consequence of these effects is to give rise to a static solution (not present in GR), which dynamically is a centre equilibrium point and located in the more natural semi-classical regime. This allows the construction of emergent models in which the universe oscillates indefinitely about such an initial static state. We construct an explicit emergent model of this type, in which a non-singular past eternal oscillating universe enters a phase where the symmetry of the oscillations is broken, leading to an emergent inflationary epoch, while satisfying all observational and semi-classical constraints. We also discuss emergent models in which the universe possesses both early- and late-time accelerating phases.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Generalised cosmological scaling solutions

Motivated by the recent interest in cosmologies arising from energy density modifications to the Friedmann equation, we analyse the scaling behaviour for a broad class of these cosmologies comprised of scalar fields and background barotropic fluid sources. In particular, we determine the corresponding scalar field potentials which lead to attractor scaling solutions in a wide class of braneworld and dark energy scenarios. We show how a number of recent proposals for modifying the Friedmann equation can be thought of as being dual to one another, and determine the conditions under which such dualities arise.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Early Universe Dynamics in Semi-Classical Loop Quantum Cosmology

Within the framework of loop quantum cosmology, there exists a semi-classical regime where spacetime may be approximated in terms of a continuous manifold, but where the standard Friedmann equations of classical Einstein gravity receive non-perturbative quantum corrections. An approximate, analytical approach to studying cosmic dynamics in this regime is developed for both spatially flat and positively-curved isotropic universes sourced by a self-interacting scalar field. In the former case, a direct correspondence between the classical and semi-classical field equations can be established together with a scale factor duality that directly relates different expanding and contracting universes. Some examples of non-singular, bouncing cosmologies are presented together with a scaling, power-law solution.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Oscillatory Universes in Loop Quantum Cosmology and Initial Conditions for Inflation

Positively-curved, oscillatory universes are studied within the context of Loop Quantum Cosmology subject to a consistent semi-classical treatment. The semi-classical effects are reformulated in terms of an effective phantom fluid with a variable equation of state. In cosmologies sourced by a massless scalar field, these effects lead to a universe that undergoes ever-repeating cycles of expansion and contraction. The presence of a self-interaction potential for the field breaks the symmetry of the cycles and can enable the oscillations to establish the initial conditions for successful slow-roll inflation, even when the field is initially at the minimum of its potential with a small kinetic energy. The displacement of the field from its minimum is enhanced for lower and more natural values of the parameter that sets the effective quantum gravity scale. For sufficiently small values of this parameter, the universe can enter a stage of eternal self-reproduction.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Triality between Inflation, Cyclic and Phantom Cosmologies

It is shown that any spatially flat and isotropic universe undergoing accelerated expansion driven by a self-interacting scalar field can be directly related to a contracting, decelerating cosmology. The duality is made manifest by expressing the scale factor and Hubble parameter as functions of the scalar field and simultaneously interchanging these two quantities. The decelerating universe can be twinned with a cosmology sourced by a phantom scalar field by inverting the scale factor and leaving the Hubble parameter invariant. The accelerating model can be related to the same phantom universe by identifying the scale factor with the inverse of the Hubble parameter. The duality between accelerating and decelerating backgrounds can be extended to spatially curved cosmologies and models containing perfect fluids. A similar triality and associated scale factor duality is found in the Randall-Sundrum type II braneworld scenario.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Reconstructing the dark energy equation of state with varying alpha

The possibility of reconstructing the dark energy equation of state from variations in the fine structure constant is investigated for a class of models where the quintessence field is non-minimally coupled to the electromagnetic field. For given classes of couplings and quintessence interaction potentials, it is typically found that variations in alpha would need to be measured to within an accuracy of at least $5 \times 10^{-7}$ to obtain a reconstructed equation of state with less than a twenty per cent deviation from the true equation of state between redshifts 0 and 3. In this case, it is argued that the sign of the first derivative of the equation of state can be uncovered from the reconstruction, thus providing unique information on how the universe developed into its present dark energy dominated phase independent of high redshift surveys. Such information would complement future observations anticipated from the Supernova Acceleration Probe.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Inflationary Cosmology and Quantization Ambiguities in Semi-Classical Loop Quantum Gravity

In loop quantum gravity, modifications to the geometrical density cause a self-interacting scalar field to accelerate away from a minimum of its potential. In principle, this mechanism can generate the conditions that subsequently lead to slow-roll inflation. The consequences for this mechanism of various quantization ambiguities arising within loop quantum cosmology are considered. For the case of a quadratic potential, it is found that some quantization procedures are more likely to generate a phase of slow--roll inflation. In general, however, loop quantum cosmology is robust to ambiguities in the quantization and extends the range of initial conditions for inflation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Cosmic Dynamics of Bose-Einstein Condensates

A dynamical correspondence is established between positively curved, isotropic, perfect fluid cosmologies and quasi-two-dimensional, harmonically trapped Bose-Einstein condensates by mapping the equations of motion for both systems onto the one-dimensional Ermakov system. Parameters that characterize the physical properties of the condensate wavepacket, such as its width, momentum and energy, may be identified with the scale factor, Hubble expansion parameter and energy density of the universe, respectively. Different forms of cosmic matter correspond to different choices for the time-dependent trapping frequency of the condensate. The trapping frequency that mimics a radiation-dominated universe is determined.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Embeddings in Spacetimes Sourced by Scalar Fields

The extension of the Campbell-Magaard embedding theorem to general relativity with minimally-coupled scalar fields is formulated and proven. The result is applied to the case of a self-interacting scalar field for which new embeddings are found, and to Brans-Dicke theory. The relationship between Campbell-Magaard theorem and the general relativity, Cauchy and initial value problems is outlined.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Born-Infeld Quantum Condensate as Dark Energy in the Universe

Some cosmological implications of ultraviolet quantum effects leading to a condensation of Born-Infeld matter are considered. It is shown that under very general conditions the quantum condensate can not act as phantom matter if its energy density is positive. On the other hand, it behaves as an effective cosmological constant in the limit where quantum induced contributions to the energy-momentum tensor dominate over the classical effects.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

Running of the Scalar Spectral Index and Observational Signatures of Inflation

Some of the consequences for inflationary cosmology of a scale dependence (running) in the tilt of the scalar perturbation spectrum are considered. In the limit where the running is itself approximately scale-invariant, a relationship is found between the scalar and tensor perturbation amplitudes, the scalar spectral index and its running. This relationship is independent of the functional form of the inflaton potential. More general settings, including that of braneworld cosmological models, are also considered. It is found that for the Randall-Sundrum single braneworld scenario, the corresponding relation between the observables takes precisely the same form as that arising in the standard cosmology. Some implications of the observations failing to satisfy such a relationship are discussed.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The Inflationary Energy Scale in Braneworld Cosmology

Upper bounds on the energy scale at the end of inflation in the Randall-Sundrum type II braneworld scenario are derived. The analysis is made exact by introducing new parameters that represent extensions of the Hubble flow parameters. Only very weak assumptions about the form of the inflaton potential are made. In the high energy and slow roll regime the bounds depend on the amplitude of gravitational waves produced during inflation and become stronger as this amplitude increases.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Inflation in Gauss-Bonnet Brane Cosmology

The effect of including a Gauss-Bonnet contribution in the bulk action is investigated within the context of the steep inflationary scenario. When inflation is driven by an exponential inflaton field, this Gauss-Bonnet term allows the spectral index of the scalar perturbation spectrum to take values in the range 0.944 and 0.989, thereby bringing the scenario in closer agreement with the most recent observations. Once the perturbation spectrum is normalized to the microwave background temperature anisotropies, the value of the spectral index is determined by the Gauss-Bonnet coupling parameter and the tension of the brane and is independent of the logarithmic slope of the potential.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The AdS/CFT Correspondence and Logarithmic Corrections to Braneworld Cosmology and the Cardy-Verlinde Formula

The AdS/CFT correspondence is employed to derive logarithmic corrections to the Cardy-Verlinde formula when thermal fluctuations in the Anti-de Sitter black hole are accounted for. The qualitative effect of these corrections on the braneworld cosmology is investigated. The role of such terms in enabling a contracting universe to undergo a bounce is demonstrated. Their influence on the stability of black holes in AdS space and the Hawking-Page-Witten phase transitions is also discussed.

hep-th↗