Testing loop quantum cosmology

Loop quantum cosmology predicts that quantum gravity effects resolve the big-bang singularity and replace it by a cosmic bounce. Furthermore, loop quantum cosmology can also modify the form of primordial cosmological perturbations, for example by reducing power at large scales in inflationary models or by suppressing the tensor-to-scalar ratio in the matter bounce scenario; these two effects are potential observational tests for loop quantum cosmology. In this article, I review these predictions and others, and also briefly discuss three open problems in loop quantum cosmology: its relation to loop quantum gravity, the trans-Planckian problem, and a possible transition from a Lorentzian to a Euclidean space-time around the bounce point.Comment: 20 pages. Invited review for special edition "Testing quantum gravity with cosmology" of Comptes Rendus Physiqu

The Matter Bounce Scenario in Loop Quantum Cosmology

In the matter bounce scenario, a dust-dominated contracting space-time generates scale-invariant perturbations that, assuming a nonsingular bouncing cosmology, propagate to the expanding branch and set appropriate initial conditions for the radiation-dominated era. Since this scenario depends on the presence of a bounce, it seems appropriate to consider it in the context of loop quantum cosmology where a bouncing universe naturally arises. For a pressureless collapsing universe in loop quantum cosmology, the predicted power spectrum of the scalar perturbations after the bounce is scale-invariant and the tensor to scalar ratio is negligibly small. A slight red tilt can be given to the scale-invariance of the scalar perturbations by a scalar field whose equation of state is $P = - \epsilon \rho$, where $\epsilon$ is a small positive number. Then, the power spectrum for tensor perturbations is also almost scale-invariant with the same red tilt as the scalar perturbations, and the tensor to scalar ratio is expected to be $r \approx 9 \times 10^{-4}$. Finally, for the predicted amplitude of the scalar perturbations to agree with observations, the critical density in loop quantum cosmology must be of the order $\rho_c \sim 10^{-9} \rho_{\rm Pl}$.Comment: 9 page

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.Comment: 34 pages, v2: minor change

Why are the effective equations of loop quantum cosmology so accurate?

We point out that the relative Heisenberg uncertainty relations vanish for non-compact spaces in homogeneous loop quantum cosmology. As a consequence, for sharply peaked states quantum fluctuations in the scale factor never become important, even near the bounce point. This shows why quantum back-reaction effects remain negligible and explains the surprising accuracy of the effective equations in describing the dynamics of sharply peaked wave packets. This also underlines the fact that minisuperspace models ---where it is global variables that are quantized--- do not capture the local quantum fluctuations of the geometry.Comment: 6 pages, v2: Clarifications and references adde

Numerics of Bianchi type II and type IX spacetimes in effective loop quantum cosmology

We numerically solve the effective loop quantum cosmology dynamics for the vacuum Bianchi type II and type IX spacetimes, in particular studying how the Kasner exponents evolve across the loop quantum cosmology bounce. We find that when the spatial curvature is negligible at the bounce then the Kasner exponents transform according to the same simple equation as for a Bianchi type I spacetime in effective loop quantum cosmology, while there are departures from this transformation rule in cases where the spatial curvature is significant during the bounce. We also use high-precision numerics to compute the evolution of a Bianchi type IX spacetime through multiple bounces and recollapses, and find indications of chaotic behaviour. Interestingly, the numerics indicate that it is during the classical recollapse, and not the loop quantum cosmology bounce, that nearby solutions diverge most strongly.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figure