5,162 research outputs found
Inflation from Extra Dimensions
The radial mode of n extra compact dimensions (the radion, b) can cause
inflation in theories where the fundamental gravity scale, M, is smaller than
the Planck scale M_P. For radion potentials V(b) with a simple polynomial form,
to get the observed density perturbations, the energy scale of V(b) must
greatly exceed M ~ 1 TeV: V(b)^{1/4} = M_v ~ 10^{-4} M_P. This gives a large
radion mass and reheat temperature ~ 10^9 GeV, thus avoiding the moduli
problem. Such a value of M_v can be consistent with the classical treatment if
the new dimensions started sufficiently small. A new possibility is that b
approaches its stable value from above during inflation. The same conclusions
about M_v may hold even if inflation is driven by matter fields rather than by
the radion.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, uses epsf.te
Pre-Big-Bang Requires the Universe to be Exponentially Large From the Very Beginning
We show that in a generic case of the pre-big-bang scenario, inflation will
solve cosmological problems only if the universe at the onset of inflation is
extremely large and homogeneous from the very beginning. The size of a
homogeneous part of the universe at the beginning of the stage of pre-big-bang
(PBB) inflation must be greater than , where is the
stringy length. The total mass of an inflationary domain must be greater than
, where . If the universe is initially
radiation dominated, then its total entropy at that time must be greater than
. If the universe is closed, then at the moment of its formation it
must be uniform over causally disconnected domains. The natural
duration of the PBB stage in this scenario is . We argue that the
initial state of the open PBB universe could not be homogeneous because of
quantum fluctuations. Independently of the issue of homogeneity, one must
introduce two large dimensionless parameters, , and , in order to solve the flatness problem in the PBB cosmology. A regime
of eternal inflation does not occur in the PBB scenario. This should be
compared with the simplest versions of the chaotic inflation scenario, where
the regime of eternal inflation may begin in a universe of size
with vanishing initial radiation entropy, mass , and geometric entropy
O(1). We conclude that the current version of the PBB scenario cannot replace
usual inflation even if one solves the graceful exit problem in this scenario.Comment: 14 pages, a discussion of the flatness problem in the PBB cosmology
is adde
Comment on ‘Streaming potential dependence on water-content in Fontainebleau sand' by V. Allègre, L. Jouniaux, F. Lehmann and P. Sailhac
Allègre et al. recently presented new experimental data regarding the dependence of the streaming potential coupling coefficient with the saturation of the water phase. Such experiments are important to model the self-potential response associated with the flow of water in the vadose zone and the electroseismic/seismoelectric conversions in unsaturated porous media. However, the approach used to interpret the data is questionable and the conclusions reached by Allègre et al. likely incorrec
Causality and Cosmic Inflation
In the context of inflationary models with a pre-inflationary stage, in which
the Einstein equations are obeyed, the weak energy condition is satisfied, and
spacetime topology is trivial, we argue that homogeneity on super-Hubble scales
must be assumed as an initial condition. Models in which inflation arises from
field dynamics in a Friedman-Robertson-Walker background fall into this class
but models in which inflation originates at the Planck epoch, {\it eg.} chaotic
inflation, may evade this conclusion. Our arguments rest on causality and
general relativistic constraints on the structure of spacetime. We discuss
modifications to existing scenarios that may avoid the need for initial
large-scale homogeneity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, RevTeX, expanded and sharpened discussion of
result, figures improved, references adde
Quintessential inflation from 5D warped product spaces on a dynamical foliation
Assuming the existence of a 5D purely kinetic scalar field on the class of
warped product spaces we investigate the possibility of mimic both an
inflationary and a quintessential scenarios on 4D hypersurfaces, by
implementing a dynamical foliation on the fifth coordinate instead of a
constant one. We obtain that an induced chaotic inflationary scenario with a
geometrically induced scalar potential and an induced quasi-vacuum equation of
state on 4D dynamical hypersurfaces is possible. While on a constant foliation
the universe can be considered as matter dominated today, in a family of 4D
dynamical hypersurfaces the universe can be passing for a period of accelerated
expansion with a deceleration parameter nearly -1. This effect of the dynamical
foliation results negligible at the inflationary epoch allowing for a chaotic
scenario and becomes considerable at the present epoch allowing a
quintessential scenario.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure Accepted for publication in Modern Physics Letters
Creation of a Compact Topologically Nontrivial Inflationary Universe
If inflation can occur only at the energy density V much smaller than the
Planck density, which is the case for many inflationary models based on string
theory, then the probability of quantum creation of a closed or an infinitely
large open inflationary universe is exponentially suppressed for all known
choices of the wave function of the universe. Meanwhile under certain
conditions there is no exponential suppression for creation of topologically
nontrivial compact flat or open inflationary universes. This suggests, contrary
to the standard textbook lore, that compact flat or open universes with
nontrivial topology should be considered a rule rather than an exception.Comment: 9 pages 2 figures, new materials and references adde
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