arXiv subjects

Roy Maartens

Publications and source records attributed to Roy Maartens.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

Observational constraints on braneworld inflation: the effect of a Gauss-Bonnet term

High-energy modifications to general relativity introduce changes to the perturbations generated during inflation, and the latest high-precision cosmological data can be used to place constraints on such modified inflation models. Recently it was shown that Randall-Sundrum type braneworld inflation leads to tighter constraints on quadratic and quartic potentials than in general relativity. We investigate how this changes with a Gauss-Bonnet correction term, which can be motivated by string theory. Randall-Sundrum models preserve the standard consistency relation between the tensor spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio. The Gauss-Bonnet term breaks this relation, and also modifies the dynamics and perturbation amplitudes at high energies. We find that the Gauss-Bonnet term tends to soften the Randall-Sundrum constraints. The observational compatibility of the quadratic potential is strongly improved. For a broad range of energy scales, the quartic potential is rescued from marginal rejection. Steep inflation driven by an exponential potential is excluded in the Randall-Sundrum case, but the Gauss-Bonnet term leads to marginal compatibility for sufficient e-folds.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Gravitational waves from brane-world inflation with induced gravity

We calculate the amplitude of gravitational waves produced by inflation on a de Sitter brane embedded in five-dimensional anti-de Sitter bulk spacetime, extending previous calculations in Randall-Sundrum type cosmology to include the effect of induced gravity corrections on the brane. These corrections arise via a term in the brane action that is proportional to the brane Ricci scalar. We find that, as in the Randall-Sundrum case, there is a mass gap between the discrete zero-mode and a continuum of massive bulk modes, which are too heavy to be excited during inflation. We give the normalization of the zero-mode as a function of the Hubble rate on the brane and are thus able to calculate the high energy correction to the spectrum of gravitational wave (tensor) modes excited on large scales during inflation from initial vacuum fluctuations on small scales. We also calculate the amplitude of density (scalar) perturbations expected due to inflaton fluctuations on the brane, and show that the usual four-dimensional consistency relation for the tensor/scalar ratio remains valid for brane inflation with induced gravity corrections.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Brane-world gravity

The observable universe could be a 1+3-surface (the "brane") embedded in a 1+3+d-dimensional spacetime (the "bulk"), with standard-model particles and fields trapped on the brane while gravity is free to access the bulk. At least one of the d extra spatial dimensions could be very large relative to the Planck scale, which lowers the fundamental gravity scale, possibly even down to the electroweak (~ TeV) level. This revolutionary picture arises in the framework of recent developments in M theory. The 1+10-dimensional M theory encompasses the known 1+9-dimensional superstring theories, and is widely considered to be a promising potential route to quantum gravity. General relativity cannot describe gravity at high enough energies and must be replaced by a quantum gravity theory, picking up significant corrections as the fundamental energy scale is approached. At low energies, gravity is localized at the brane and general relativity is recovered, but at high energies gravity "leaks" into the bulk, behaving in a truly 1+3+d-dimensional way. This introduces significant changes to gravitational dynamics and perturbations, with interesting testable implications for high-energy astrophysics, black holes and cosmology. Brane-world models offer a phenomenological way to test some of the novel predictions and corrections to general relativity that are implied by M theory. This review discusses the geometry, dynamics and perturbations of simple brane-world models for cosmology and astrophysics, mainly focusing on warped 5-dimensional brane-worlds based on the Randall-Sundrum models.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Brane-world cosmological perturbations

Brane-world models provide a phenomenology that allows us to explore the cosmological consequences of some M theory ideas, and at the same time to use precision cosmology as a test of these ideas. In order to achieve this, we need to understand how brane-world gravity affects cosmological dynamics and perturbations. This introductory review describes the key features of cosmological perturbations in a brane-world universe.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The Emergent Universe: inflationary cosmology with no singularity

Observations indicate that the universe is effectively flat, but they do not rule out a closed universe. The role of positive curvature is negligible at late times, but can be crucial in the early universe. In particular, positive curvature allows for cosmologies that originate as Einstein static universes, and then inflate and later reheat to a hot big bang era. These cosmologies have no singularity, no "beginning of time", and no horizon problem. If the initial radius is chosen to be above the Planck scale, then they also have no quantum gravity era, and are described by classical general relativity throughout their history.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Non-commutative inflation and the CMB

Non-commutative inflation is a modification of standard general relativity inflation which takes into account some effects of the space-time uncertainty principle motivated by ideas from string theory. The corrections to the primordial power spectrum which arise in a model of power-law inflation lead to a suppression of power on large scales, and produce a spectral index that is blue on large scales and red on small scales. This suppression and running of the spectral index are not imposed ad hoc, but arise from an early-Universe stringy phenomenology. We show that it can account for some loss of power on the largest scales that may be indicated by recent WMAP data. Cosmic microwave background anisotropies carry a signature of these very early Universe corrections, and can be used to place constraints on the parameters appearing in the non-commutative model. Applying a likelihood analysis to the WMAP data, we find the best-fit value for the critical wavenumber k_* (which involves the string scale) and for the exponent p (which determines the power-law inflationary expansion). The best-fit value corresponds to a string length of L_s \sim 10^{-28} cm.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Braneworld cosmological models with anisotropy

For a cosmological Randall-Sundrum braneworld with anisotropy, i.e., of Bianchi type, the modified Einstein equations on the brane include components of the five-dimensional Weyl tensor for which there are no evolution equations on the brane. If the bulk field equations are not solved, this Weyl term remains unknown, and many previous studies have simply prescribed it ad hoc. We construct a family of Bianchi braneworlds with anisotropy by solving the five-dimensional field equations in the bulk. We analyze the cosmological dynamics on the brane, including the Weyl term, and shed light on the relation between anisotropy on the brane and Weyl curvature in the bulk. In these models, it is not possible to achieve geometric anisotropy for a perfect fluid or scalar field -- the junction conditions require anisotropic stress on the brane. But the solutions can isotropize and approach a Friedmann brane in an anti-de Sitter bulk.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

Evolution of gravitational waves in Randall-Sundrum cosmology

We investigate the evolution of gravitational wave perturbations about a brane cosmology embedded in a five-dimensional anti-de Sitter bulk. During slow-roll inflation in a Randall-Sundrum brane-world, the zero mode of the 5-dimensional graviton is generated, while the massive modes remain in their vacuum state. When the zero mode re-enters the Hubble radius during radiation domination, massive modes are generated. We show that modes decouple in the low-energy/near-brane limit and develop perturbative techniques to calculate the mode-mixing at finite energy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

Will we observe black holes at LHC?

The generalized uncertainty principle, motivated by string theory and non-commutative quantum mechanics, suggests significant modifications to the Hawking temperature and evaporation process of black holes. For extra-dimensional gravity with Planck scale O(TeV), this leads to important changes in the formation and detection of black holes at the the Large Hadron Collider. The number of particles produced in Hawking evaporation decreases substantially. The evaporation ends when the black hole mass is Planck scale, leaving a remnant and a consequent missing energy of order TeV. Furthermore, the minimum energy for black hole formation in collisions is increased, and could even be increased to such an extent that no black holes are formed at LHC energies.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2003

Brane-world cosmological perturbations: a covariant approach

The standard cosmological model, based on general relativity with an inflationary era, is very effective in accounting for a broad range of observed features of the universe. However, the ongoing puzzles about the nature of dark matter and dark energy, together with the problem of a fundamental theoretical framework for inflation, indicate that cosmology may be probing the limits of validity of general relativity. The early universe provides a testing ground for theories of gravity, since gravitational dynamics can lead to characteristic imprints on the CMB and other cosmological observations. Precision cosmology is in principle a means to constrain and possibly falsify candidate quantum gravity theories like M theory. Generalized Randall-Sundrum brane-worlds provide a phenomenological means to test aspects of M theory. I outline the 1+3-covariant approach to cosmological perturbations in these brane-worlds, and its application to CMB anisotropies.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Density perturbations in a brane-world universe with dark radiation

We investigate the effects on cosmological density perturbations of dark radiation in a Randall-Sundrum 2 type brane-world. Dark radiation in the background is limited by observational constraints to be a small fraction of the radiation energy density, but it has an interesting qualitative effect in the radiation era. On large scales, it serves to slightly suppress the radiation density perturbations at late times, while boosting the perturbations in dark radiation. In a kinetic (stiff) era, the suppression is much stronger, and drives the density perturbations to zero.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

On the Stability of the Einstein Static Universe

We show using covariant techniques that the Einstein static universe containing a perfect fluid is always neutrally stable against small inhomogeneous vector and tensor perturbations and neutrally stable against adiabatic scalar density inhomogeneities so long as c_{s}^2>1/5, and unstable otherwise. We also show that the stability is not significantly changed by the presence of a self-interacting scalar field source, but we find that spatially homogeneous Bianchi type IX modes destabilise an Einstein static universe. The implications of these results for the initial state of the universe and its pre-inflationary evolution are also discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Stacking a 4D geometry into an Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet bulk

In Einstein gravity there is a simple procedure to build D-dimensional spacetimes starting from (D-1)-dimensional ones, by stacking any (D-1)-dimensional Ricci-flat metric into the extra-dimension. We analyze this procedure in the context of Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, and find that it can only be applied to metrics with a constant Krestschmann scalar. For instance, we show that solutions of the black-string type are not allowed in this framework.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

Braneworld Tensor Anisotropies in the CMB

Cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations provide in principle a high-precision test of models which are motivated by M theory. We set out the framework of a program to compute the tensor anisotropies in the CMB that are generated in braneworld models. In the simplest approximation, we show the braneworld imprint as a correction to the power spectra for standard temperature and polarization anisotropies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Why do naked singularities form in gravitational collapse?

We investigate what are the key physical features that cause the development of a naked singularity, rather than a black hole, as the end-state of spherical gravitational collapse. We show that sufficiently strong shearing effects near the singularity delay the formation of the apparent horizon. This exposes the singularity to an external observer, in contrast to a black hole, which is hidden behind an event horizon due to the early formation of an apparent horizon.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2002

Kaluza-Klein anisotropy in the CMB

We show that 5-dimensional Kaluza-Klein graviton stresses can slow the decay of shear anisotropy on the brane to observable levels, and we use cosmic microwave background anisotropies to place limits on the initial anisotropy induced by these stresses. An initial shear to Hubble distortion of only \sim 10^{-3}Ω_0h_0^2 at the 5D Planck time would allow the observed large-angle CMB signal to be a relic mainly of KK tidal effects.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

Brane-world generalizations of the Einstein static universe

A static Friedmann brane in a 5-dimensional bulk (Randall-Sundrum type scenario) can have a very different relation between the density, pressure, curvature and cosmological constant than in the case of the general relativistic Einstein static universe. In particular, static Friedmann branes with zero cosmological constant and 3-curvature, but satisfying rho>0 and rho+3p>0, are possible. Furthermore, we find static Friedmann branes in a bulk that satisfies the Einstein equations but is not Schwarzschild-anti de Sitter or its specializations. In the models with negative bulk cosmological constant, a positive brane tension leads to negative density and 3-curvature.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

Holonomy and gravitomagnetism

We analyze parallel transport of a vector field around an equatorial orbit in Kerr and stationary axisymmetric spacetimes that are reflection symmetric about their equatorial planes. As in Schwarzschild spacetime, there is a band structure of holonomy invariance. The new feature introduced by rotation is a shift in the timelike component of the vector, which is the holonomic manifestation of the gravitomagnetic clock effect.

gr-qc↗