On Bouncing Brane-Worlds, S-branes and Branonium Cosmology

We present several higher-dimensional spacetimes for which observers living on 3-branes experience an induced metric which bounces. The classes of examples include boundary branes on generalised S-brane backgrounds and probe branes in D-brane/anti D-brane systems. The bounces we consider normally would be expected to require an energy density which violates the weak energy condition, and for our co-dimension one examples this is attributable to bulk curvature terms in the effective Friedmann equation. We examine the features of the acceleration which provides the bounce, including in some cases the existence of positive acceleration without event horizons, and we give a geometrical interpretation for it. We discuss the stability of the solutions from the point of view of both the brane and the bulk. Some of our examples appear to be stable from the bulk point of view, suggesting the possible existence of stable bouncing cosmologies within the brane-world framework.Comment: 35 pages, 7 figures, JHEP style. Title changed and references adde

D-Brane Dynamics and NS5 Rings

We consider the classical motion of a probe D-brane moving in the background geometry of a ring of NS5 branes, assuming that the latter are non-dynamical. We analyse the solutions to the Dirac-Born-Infield (DBI) action governing the approximate dynamics of the system. In the near horizon (throat) approximation we find several exact solutions for the probe brane motion. These are compared to numerical solutions obtained in more general cases. One solution of particular interest is when the probe undergoes oscillatory motion through the centre of the ring (and perpendicular to it). By taking the ring radius sufficiently large, this solution should remain stable to any stringy corrections coming from open-strings stretching between the probe and the NS5-branes along the ring.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, 8 figures; References adde

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.Comment: 14 pages, In Press, JCA

Fuzzy Sphere Dynamics and Non-Abelian DBI in Curved Backgrounds

We consider the non-Abelian action for the dynamics of $N Dp'$-branes in the background of $M Dp$-branes, which parameterises a fuzzy sphere using the SU(2) algebra. We find that the curved background leads to collapsing solutions for the fuzzy sphere except when we have $D0$ branes in the $D6$ background, which is a realisation of the gravitational Myers effect. Furthermore we find the equations of motion in the Abelian and non-Abelian theories are identical in the large $N$ limit. By picking a specific ansatz we find that we can incorporate angular momentum into the action, although this imposes restriction upon the dimensionality of the background solutions. We also consider the case of non-Abelian non-BPS branes, and examine the resultant dynamics using world-volume symmetry transformations. We find that the fuzzy sphere always collapses but the solutions are sensitive to the combination of the two conserved charges and we can find expanding solutions with turning points. We go on to consider the coincident $NS$5-brane background, and again construct the non-Abelian theory for both BPS and non-BPS branes. In the latter case we must use symmetry arguments to find additional conserved charges on the world-volumes to solve the equations of motion. We find that in the Non-BPS case there is a turning solution for specific regions of the tachyon and radion fields. Finally we investigate the more general dynamics of fuzzy $\mathbb{S}^{2k}$ in the $Dp$-brane background, and find collapsing solutions in all cases.Comment: 49 pages, 3 figures, Latex; Version to appear in JHE

Resolving brane collapse with 1/N corrections in non-Abelian DBI

A collapsing spherical D2-brane carrying magnetic flux can be described in the region of small radius in a dual zero-brane picture using Tseytlin's proposal for a non-Abelian Dirac-Born-Infeld action for N D0-branes. A standard large N approximation of the D0-brane action, familiar from the brane dielectric effect, gives a time evolution which agrees with the Abelian D2-brane Born-Infeld equations which describe a D2-brane collapsing to zero size. The first 1/N correction from the symmetrised trace prescription in the zero-brane action leads to a class of classical solutions where the minimum radius of a collapsing D2-brane is lifted away from zero. We discuss the validity of this approximation to the zero-brane action in the region of the minimum, and explore higher order 1/N corrections as well as an exact finite N example. The 1/N corrected Lagrangians and the finite N example have an effective mass squared which becomes negative in some regions of phase space. We discuss the physics of this tachyonic behaviour.Comment: 51 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX2e. Version 4: Formulae in Section 8 simplifie

Aspects of D-brane inflation

Inflation has been suggested as a solution to cosmological problems but it ultimately needs to be derived from a fundamental theory such as string theory. In this thesis we study the embedding of inflation into string theory using the D-brane inflation scenario as case study. We first review the relevant aspects of string compactifications and D-branes and construct the effective action of the inflationary D3-brane. We then study multifield D-brane inflation including compactification corrections to the inflaton action that arise from UV deformations of a warped throat geometry emerging from the ISD supergravity solution. One particular issue here is to investigate in detail the cosmological consequences of realistic angular dependent potentials in the D-brane inflation scenario in a fully UV/IR consistent way. Embedding a warped throat into a compact Calabi-Yau space with all moduli stabilized breaks the no-scale structure and induces angular dependence in the potential of the probe D3-brane. We solve the D3-brane equations of motion from the DBI action in the warped deformed conifold including linearized as well as non-linear perturbations around the ISD supergravity solution. Our numerical solutions show that angular dependence is a next to leading order correction to the dominant radial motion of the brane, however, just as angular motion typically increases the amount of inflation (spinflation), having additional angular dependence from linearized perturbations also increases the amount of inflation

String cosmology: from the early universe to today

We review applications of string theory to cosmology, from primordial times to the present-day accelerated expansion. Starting with a brief overview of cosmology and string compactifications, we discuss in detail moduli stabilisation, inflation in string theory, the impact of string theory on post-inflationary dynamics (reheating, moduli domination, kination), dark energy (the cosmological constant from a string landscape and models of quintessence) and various alternative scenarios (string/brane gases, the pre big-bang scenario, rolling tachyons, ekpyrotic/cyclic cosmologies, bubbles of nothing, S-brane and holographic cosmologies). The state of the art in string constructions is described in each topic and, where relevant, connections to swampland conjectures are made. The possibilities for novel particles and excitations (axions, moduli, cosmic strings, branes, solitons, oscillons and boson stars) are emphasised. Implications for the physics of the CMB, gravitational waves, dark matter and dark radiation are discussed along with potential observational signatures

String cosmology: From the early universe to today

We review applications of string theory to cosmology, from primordial times to the present-day accelerated expansion. Starting with a brief overview of cosmology and string compactifications, we discuss in detail moduli stabilisation, inflation in string theory, the impact of string theory on post-inflationary dynamics (reheating, moduli domination, kination), dark energy (the cosmological constant from a string landscape and models of quintessence) and various alternative scenarios (string/brane gases, the pre big-bang scenario, rolling tachyons, ekpyrotic/cyclic cosmologies, bubbles of nothing, S-brane and holographic cosmologies). The state of the art in string constructions is described in each topic and, where relevant, connections to swampland conjectures are made. The possibilities for novel particles and excitations (axions, moduli, cosmic strings, branes, solitons, oscillons and boson stars) are emphasised. Implications for the physics of the CMB, gravitational waves, dark matter and dark radiation are discussed along with potential observational signatures