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Parampreet Singh

Publications and source records attributed to Parampreet Singh.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2016

The Vertex Expansion in the Consistent Histories Formulation of Spin Foam Loop Quantum Cosmology

Assignment of consistent quantum probabilities to events in a quantum universe is a fundamental challenge which every quantum cosmology/gravity framework must overcome. In loop quantum cosmology, this issue leads to a fundamental question: What is the probability that the universe undergoes a non-singular bounce? Using the consistent histories formulation, this question was successfully answered recently by the authors for a spatially flat FRW model in the canonical approach. In this manuscript, we obtain a covariant generalization of this result. Our analysis is based on expressing loop quantum cosmology in the spin foam paradigm and using histories defined via volume transitions to compute the amplitudes of transitions obtained using a vertex expansion. We show that the probability for bounce turns out to be unity.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Loop quantization of the Schwarzschild interior revisited

The loop quantization of the Schwarzschild interior region, as described by a homogeneous anisotropic Kantowski-Sachs model, is re-examined. As several studies of different -inequivalent- loop quantizations have shown, to date there exists no fully satisfactory quantum theory for this model. This fact poses challenges to the validity of some scenarios to address the black hole information problem. Here we put forward a novel viewpoint to construct the quantum theory that builds from some of the models available in the literature. The final picture is a quantum theory that is both independent of any auxiliary structure and possesses a correct low curvature limit. It represents a subtle but non-trivial modification of the original prescription given by Ashtekar and Bojowald. It is shown that the quantum gravitational constraint is well defined past the singularity and that its effective dynamics possesses a bounce into an expanding regime. The classical singularity is avoided, and a semiclassical spacetime satisfying vacuum Einstein's equations is recovered on the "other side" of the bounce. We argue that such metric represents the interior region of a white-hole spacetime, but for which the corresponding "white-hole mass" differs from the original black hole mass. Furthermore, we find that the value of the white-hole mass is proportional to the third power of the starting black hole mass.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Loop quantum cosmology and the fate of cosmological singularities

Singularities in general relativity such as the big bang and big crunch, and exotic singularities such as the big rip are the boundaries of the classical spacetimes. These events are marked by a divergence in the curvature invariants and the breakdown of the geodesic evolution. Recent progress on implementing techniques of loop quantum gravity to cosmological models reveals that such singularities may be generically resolved because of the quantum gravitational effects. Due to the quantum geometry, which replaces the classical differential geometry at the Planck scale, the big bang is replaced by a big bounce without any assumptions on the matter content or any fine tuning. In this manuscript, we discuss some of the main features of this approach and the results on the generic resolution of singularities for the isotropic as well as anisotropic models. Using effective spacetime description of the quantum theory, we show the way quantum gravitational effects lead to the universal bounds on the energy density, the Hubble rate and the anisotropic shear. We discuss the geodesic completeness in the effective spacetime and the resolution of all of the strong singularities. It turns out that despite the bounds on energy density and the Hubble rate, there can be divergences in the curvature invariants. However such events are geodesically extendible, with tidal forces not strong enough to cause inevitable destruction of the in-falling objects.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Emergence of product of constant curvature spaces in loop quantum cosmology

The loop quantum dynamics of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime and the interior of higher genus black hole spacetimes with a cosmological constant has some peculiar features not shared by various other spacetimes in loop quantum cosmology. As in the other cases, though the quantum geometric effects resolve the physical singularity and result in a non-singular bounce, after the bounce a spacetime with small spacetime curvature does not emerge in either the subsequent backward or the forward evolution. Rather, in the asymptotic limit the spacetime manifold is a product of two constant curvature spaces. Interestingly, though the spacetime curvature of these asymptotic spacetimes is very high, their effective metric is a solution to the Einstein's field equations. Analysis of the components of the Ricci tensor shows that after the singularity resolution, the Kantowski-Sachs spacetime leads to an effective metric which can be interpreted as the `charged' Nariai, while the higher genus black hole interior can similarly be interpreted as anti Bertotti-Robinson spacetime with a cosmological constant. These spacetimes are `charged' in the sense that the energy momentum tensor that satisfies the Einstein's field equations is formally the same as the one for the uniform electromagnetic field, albeit it has a purely quantum geometric origin. The asymptotic spacetimes also have an emergent cosmological constant which is different in magnitude, and sometimes even its sign, from the cosmological constant in the Kantowski-Sachs and the interior of higher genus black hole metrics. With a fine tuning of the latter cosmological constant, we show that `uncharged' Nariai, and anti Bertotti-Robinson spacetimes with a vanishing emergent cosmological constant can also be obtained.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Kantowski-Sachs spacetime in loop quantum cosmology: bounds on expansion and shear scalars and the viability of quantization

Using effective dynamics, we investigate the behavior of expansion and shear scalars in different proposed quantizations of the Kantowski-Sachs spacetime with matter in loop quantum cosmology. We find that out of the various proposed choices, there is only one known prescription which leads to the generic bounded behavior of these scalars. The bounds turn out to be universal and are determined by the underlying quantum geometry. This quantization is analogous to the so called 'improved dynamics' in the isotropic loop quantum cosmology, which is also the only one to respect the freedom of the rescaling of the fiducial cell at the level of effective spacetime description. Other proposed quantization prescriptions yield expansion and shear scalars which may not be bounded for certain initial conditions within the validity of effective spacetime description. These prescriptions also have a limitation that the "quantum geometric effects" can occur at an arbitrary scale. We show that the `improved dynamics' of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime turns out to be a unique choice in a general class of possible quantization prescriptions, in the sense of leading to generic bounds on expansion and shear scalars and the associated physics being free from fiducial cell dependence. The behavior of the energy density in the `improved dynamics' reveals some interesting features. Even without considering any details of the dynamical evolution, it is possible to rule out pancake singularities in this spacetime. The energy density is found to be dynamically bounded. These results show that the Planck scale physics of the loop quantized Kantowski-Sachs spacetime has key features common with the loop quantization of isotropic and Bianchi-I spacetimes.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Numerical evolution of squeezed and non-Gaussian states in loop quantum cosmology

In recent years, numerical simulations with Gaussian initial states have demonstrated the existence of a quantum bounce in loop quantum cosmology in various models. A key issue pertaining to the robustness of the bounce and the associated physics is to understand the quantum evolution for more general initial states which may depart significantly from Gaussianity and may have no well defined peakedness properties. The analysis of such states, including squeezed and highly non-Gaussian states, has been computationally challenging until now. In this manuscript, we overcome these challenges by using the Chimera scheme for the spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic model sourced with a massless scalar field. We demonstrate that the quantum bounce in this model occurs even for states which are highly squeezed or are non-Gaussian with multiple peaks and with little resemblance to semi-classical states. The existence of the bounce is found to be robust, being independent of the properties of the states. The evolution of squeezed and non-Gaussian states turns out to be qualitatively similar to that of Gaussian states, and satisfies strong constraints on the growth of the relative fluctuations across the bounce. We also compare the results from the effective dynamics and find that, although it captures the qualitative aspects of the evolution for squeezed and highly non-Gaussian states, it always underestimates the bounce volume. We show that various properties of the evolution, such as the energy density at the bounce, are in excellent agreement with the predictions from an exactly solvable loop quantum cosmological model for arbitrary states.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Numerical simulations of a loop quantum cosmos: robustness of the quantum bounce and the validity of effective dynamics

A key result of isotropic loop quantum cosmology is the existence of a quantum bounce which occurs when the energy density of the matter field approaches a universal maximum close to the Planck density. Though the bounce has been exhibited in various matter models, due to severe computational challenges some important questions have so far remained unaddressed. These include the demonstration of the bounce for widely spread states, its detailed properties for the states when matter field probes regions close to the Planck volume and the reliability of the continuum effective spacetime description in general. In this manuscript we rigorously answer these questions using the Chimera numerical scheme for the isotropic spatially flat model sourced with a massless scalar field. We show that as expected from an exactly solvable model, the quantum bounce is a generic feature of states even with a very wide spread, and for those which bounce much closer to the Planck volume. We perform a detailed analysis of the departures from the effective description and find some expected, and some surprising results. At a coarse level of description, the effective dynamics can be regarded as a good approximation to the underlying quantum dynamics unless the states correspond to small scalar field momenta, in which case they bounce closer to the Planck volume, or are very widely spread. Quantifying the amount of discrepancy between the quantum and the effective dynamics, we find that the departure between them depends in a subtle and non-monotonic way on the field momentum and different fluctuations. Interestingly, the departures are generically found to be such that the effective dynamics overestimates the spacetime curvature, and underestimates the volume at the bounce.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Non-singular 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.

hep-th↗
arXiv2014

Quantization ambiguities and bounds on geometric scalars in anisotropic loop quantum cosmology

We study quantization ambiguities in loop quantum cosmology that arise for space-times with non-zero spatial curvature and anisotropies. Motivated by lessons from different possible loop quantizations of the closed Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker cosmology, we find that using open holonomies of the extrinsic curvature, which due to gauge-fixing can be treated as a connection, leads to the same quantum geometry effects that are found in spatially flat cosmologies. More specifically, in contrast to the quantization based on open holonomies of the Ashtekar-Barbero connection, the expansion and shear scalars in the effective theories of the Bianchi type II and Bianchi type IX models have upper bounds, and these are in exact agreement with the bounds found in the effective theories of the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker and Bianchi type I models in loop quantum cosmology. We also comment on some ambiguities present in the definition of inverse triad operators and their role.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

Chimera: A hybrid approach to numerical loop quantum cosmology

The existence of a quantum bounce in isotropic spacetimes is a key result in loop quantum cosmology (LQC), which has been demonstrated to arise in all the models studied so far. In most of the models, the bounce has been studied using numerical simulations involving states which are sharply peaked and which bounce at volumes much larger than the Planck volume. An important issue is to confirm the existence of the bounce for states which have a wide spread, or which bounce closer to the Planck volume. Numerical simulations with such states demand large computational domains, making them very expensive and practically infeasible with the techniques which have been implemented so far. To overcome these difficulties, we present an efficient hybrid numerical scheme using the property that at the small spacetime curvature, the quantum Hamiltonian constraint in LQC, which is a difference equation with uniform discretization in volume, can be approximated by a Wheeler-DeWitt differential equation. By carefully choosing a hybrid spatial grid allowing the use of partial differential equations at large volumes, and with a simple change of geometrical coordinate, we obtain a surprising reduction in the computational cost. This scheme enables us to explore regimes which were so far unachievable for the isotropic model in LQC. Our approach also promises to significantly reduce the computational cost for numerical simulations in anisotropic LQC using high performance computing.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

Consistent probabilities in loop quantum cosmology

A fundamental issue for any quantum cosmological theory is to specify how probabilities can be assigned to various quantum events or sequences of events such as the occurrence of singularities or bounces. In previous work, we have demonstrated how this issue can be successfully addressed within the consistent histories approach to quantum theory for Wheeler-DeWitt-quantized cosmological models. In this work, we generalize that analysis to the exactly solvable loop quantization of a spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic cosmology sourced with a massless, minimally coupled scalar field known as sLQC. We provide an explicit, rigorous and complete decoherent histories formulation for this model and compute the probabilities for the occurrence of a quantum bounce vs. a singularity. Using the scalar field as an emergent internal time, we show for generic states that the probability for a singularity to occur in this model is zero, and that of a bounce is unity, complementing earlier studies of the expectation values of the volume and matter density in this theory. We also show from the consistent histories point of view that all states in this model, whether quantum or classical, achieve arbitrarily large volume in the limit of infinite `past' or `future' scalar `time', in the sense that the wave function evaluated at any arbitrary fixed value of the volume vanishes in that limit. Finally, we briefly discuss certain misconceptions concerning the utility of the consistent histories approach in these models.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

A quantum gravitational inflationary scenario in Bianchi-I spacetime

We investigate the $ϕ^2$ inflationary model in the Bianchi-I spacetime using effective spacetime description of loop quantum cosmology to understand the issues of the resolution of initial singularity, isotropization, effect of anisotropies on 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.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

Numerical loop quantum cosmology: an overview

A brief review of various numerical techniques used in loop quantum cosmology and results is presented. These include the way extensive numerical simulations shed insights on the resolution of classical singularities, resulting in the key prediction of the bounce at the Planck scale in different models, and the numerical methods used to analyze the properties of the quantum difference operator and the von Neumann stability issues. Using the quantization of a massless scalar field in an isotropic spacetime as a template, an attempt is made to highlight the complementarity of different methods to gain understanding of the new physics emerging from the quantum theory. Open directions which need to be explored with more refined numerical methods are discussed.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

Quantum gravitational Kasner transitions in Bianchi-I spacetime

Due to non-perturbative 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 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 Kasner exponents of the metric, which arise on approach to the singularity in the classical theory. Using effective spacetime description of 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 non-singular. Depending on the initial conditions of 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. Selection rules suggest that for a given set of initial conditions on anisotropies, occurrence of Kasner transitions follows a distinct pattern, and certain transitions are more favored than others.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

Curvature invariants, geodesics and the strength of singularities in Bianchi-I loop quantum cosmology

We investigate the effects of the underlying quantum geometry in loop quantum cosmology on spacetime curvature invariants and the extendibility of geodesics in the Bianchi-I model for matter with a vanishing anisotropic stress. Using the effective Hamiltonian approach, we find that even though quantum geometric effects bound the energy density and expansion and shear scalars, divergences of curvature invariants are potentially possible under special conditions. However, as in the isotropic models in LQC, these do not necessarily imply a physical singularity. Analysis of geodesics and strength of such singular events, point towards a general resolution of all known types of strong singularities. We illustrate these results for the case of a perfect fluid with an arbitrary finite equation of state $w > -1$, and show that curvature invariants turn out to be bounded, leading to the absence of strong singularities. Unlike classical theory, geodesic evolution does not break down. We also discuss possible generalizations of sudden singularities which may arise at a non-vanishing volume, causing a divergence in curvature invariants. Such finite volume singularities are shown to be weak and harmless.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

Non-singular Power-law and Assisted inflation in Loop Quantum Cosmology

We investigate the dynamics of single and multiple scalar fields with exponential potentials, leading to power-law and assisted inflation, in loop quantum cosmology. Unlike in the classical theory, dynamical trajectories in loop quantum cosmology are generically non-singular, with a big bounce replacing classical big bang in the Planck regime. Post bounce, after a phase of super-inflation, dynamical trajectories evolve towards the classical attractor in the inflationary scenarios. Depending on the initial conditions, bounce is shown to occur in kinetic as well as potential dominated regimes. We analyze the number of e-foldings resulting from the phase of super-inflation, and find the dependence of the maximum possible number of e-foldings on the equation of state at the bounce and on the steepness of the potential. We find that if the potential is not steep, this phase can lead to large number of e-foldings in power-law inflation. For the assisted inflation scenario, an increase in the number of fields can yield a significant increase in the number of e-foldings during super-inflation.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

Contrasting features of anisotropic loop quantum cosmologies: the role of spatial curvature

A characteristic feature of loop quantization of the isotropic and Bianchi-I spacetimes is the existence of universal bounds on the energy density and the expansion and shear scalars, independent of the matter content. We investigate the properties of these physical quantities in Bianchi-II and Bianchi-IX spacetimes, which have been recently loop quantized using the connection operator approach. Using the effective Hamiltonian approach, we show that for Bianchi-II spacetime, energy density and the expansion and shear scalars turn out to be bounded, albeit not by universal values. In Bianchi-IX spacetime, when the approach to the classical singularity is isotropic, above physical quantities are bounded. In addition, for all other cases, where the approach to singularities is not isotropic and effective dynamics can be trusted, these quantities turn out to be finite. These results stand in sharp distinction to general relativity, where above physical quantities are generically unbounded, leading to the break down of geodesic equations. In contrast to the isotropic and Bianchi-I models, we find the role of energy conditions for Bianchi-II model and the inverse triad modifications for Bianchi-IX to be significant to obtain above bounds. These results bring out subtle physical distinctions between the quantization using holonomies over closed loops performed for isotropic and Bianchi-I models, and the connection operator approach. We find that qualitative differences in physics exist for these quantization methods even for the isotropic models in the presence of spatial curvature. We highlight these important differences in the behavior of the expansion scalar in the holonomy based quantization and connection operator approach for isotropic spatially closed and open models.

gr-qc↗