Inflationary power spectra with quantum holonomy corrections

In this paper we study slow-roll inflation with holonomy corrections from loop quantum cosmology. Both tensor and scalar power spectra of primordial perturbations are computed up to the first order in slow-roll parameters and $V/\rho_{c}$, where $V$ is a potential of the scalar field and $\rho_{c}$ is a critical energy density (expected to be of the order of the Planck energy density). Possible normalizations of modes at short scales are discussed. In case the normalization is performed with use of the Wronskian condition applied to adiabatic vacuum, the tensor and scalar spectral indices are not quantum corrected in the leading order. However, by choosing an alternative method of normalization one can obtain quantum corrections in the leading order. Furthermore, we show that the holonomy-corrected equation of motion for tensor modes can be derived from an effective background metric. This allows us to prove that the Wronskian normalization condition for the tensor modes preserves the classical form.Comment: 21 page

Asymptotic silence in loop quantum cosmology

The state of asymptotic silence, characterized by causal disconnection of the space points, emerges from various approaches aiming to describe gravitational phenomena in the limit of large curvatures. In particular, such behavior was anticipated by Belinsky, Khalatnikov and Lifshitz (BKL) in their famous conjecture put forward in the early seventies of the last century. While the BKL conjecture is based on purely classical considerations, one can expect that asymptotic silence should have its quantum counterpart at the level of a more fundamental theory of quantum gravity, which is the relevant description of gravitational phenomena in the limit of large energy densities. Here, we summarize some recent results which give support to such a possibility. More precisely, we discuss occurrence of the asymptotic silence due to polymerization of space at the Planck scale, in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. In the discussed model, the state of asymptotic silence is realized at the energy density $\rho = \rho_c/2$, where $\rho_c$ is the maximal allowed energy density, being of the order of the Planck energy density. At energy densities $\rho > \rho_c/2$, the universe becomes 4D Euclidean space without causal structure. Therefore, the asymptotic silence appears to be an intermediate state of space between the Lorentzian and Euclidean phases.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at the Multiverse and Fundamental Cosmology Conference, 10-14 September, 2012, Szczecin, Polan

The Observational Implications of Loop Quantum Cosmology

In this paper we consider realistic model of inflation embedded in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. Phase of inflation is preceded here by the phase of a quantum bounce. We show how parameters of inflation depend on the initial conditions established in the contracting, pre-bounce phase. Our investigations indicate that phase of the bounce easily sets proper initial conditions for the inflation. Subsequently we study observational effects that might arise due to the quantum gravitational modifications. We perform preliminary observational constraints for the Barbero-Immirzi parameter $\gamma$, critical density $\rho_{\text{c}}$ and parameter $\lambda$. In the next step we study effects on power spectrum of perturbations. We calculate spectrum of perturbations from the bounce and from the joined bounce+inflation phase. Based on these studies we indicate possible way to relate quantum cosmological models with the astronomical observations. Using the Sachs-Wolfe approximation we calculate spectrum of the super-horizontal CMB anisotropies. We show that quantum cosmological effects can, in the natural way, explain suppression of the low CMB multipoles. We show that fine-tuning is not required here and model is consistent with observations. We also analyse other possible probes of the quantum cosmologies and discuss perspectives of their implementation.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Loop-deformed Poincar\'e algebra

In this essay we present evidence suggesting that loop quantum gravity leads to deformation of the local Poincar\'e algebra within the limit of high energies. This deformation is a consequence of quantum modification of effective off-shell hypersurface deformation algebra. Surprisingly, the form of deformation suggests that the signature of space-time changes from Lorentzian to Euclidean at large curvatures. We construct particular realization of the loop-deformed Poincar\'e algebra and find that it can be related to curved momentum space, which indicates the relationship with recently introduced notion of relative locality. The presented findings open a new way of testing loop quantum gravity effects.Comment: Essay written for the Gravity Research Foundation 2013 Awards for Essays on Gravitation, 7 pages, 1 figur

Spectral dimension with deformed spacetime signature

Studies of the effective regime of loop quantum gravity (LQG) revealed that, in the limit of Planckian curvature scales, spacetime may undergo a transition from the Lorentzian to Euclidean signature. This effect is a consequence of quantum modifications of the hypersurface deformation algebra, which in the linearized case is equivalent to a deformed version of the Poincar\'e algebra. In this paper the latter relation is applied to the LQG-inspired hypersurface deformation algebra that is characterized by the above mentioned signature change. While the exact form of the deformed Poincar\'e algebra is not uniquely determined, the algebra under consideration is representative enough to capture a number of qualitative features. In particular, the analysis reveals that the signature change can be associated with two symmetric invariant energy scales, which separate three physically disconnected momentum subspaces. Furthermore, the invariant measure on momentum space is derived, which allows to properly define the average return probability, characterizing a fictitious diffusion process on spacetime. The diffusion is subsequently studied in the momentum representation for all possible variants of the model. Finally, the spectral dimension of spacetime is calculated in each case as a function of the scale parameter. In the most interesting case the deformation is of the asymptotically ultralocal type and the spectral dimension undergoes a reduction to $d_S = 1$ in the UV limit.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, v2 some extra results, comments and references adde

Nonlinear Field Space Cosmology

We consider the FRW cosmological model in which the matter content of universe (playing a role of inflaton or quintessence) is given by a novel generalization of the massive scalar field. The latter is a scalar version of the recently introduced Nonlinear Field Space Theory (NFST), where physical phase space of a given field is assumed to be compactified at large energies. For our analysis we choose the simple case of a field with the spherical phase space and endow it with the generalized Hamiltonian analogous to the XXZ Heisenberg model, normally describing a system of spins in condensed matter physics. Subsequently, we study both the homogenous cosmological sector and linear perturbations of such a test field. In the homogenous sector we find that nonlinearity of the field phase space is becoming relevant for large volumes of universe and then it can lead to a recollapse, and possibly also at very high energies, leading to the phase of a bounce. Quantization of the field is performed in the limit where nontrivial nature of its phase space can be neglected, while there is a non-vanishing contribution from the Lorentz symmetry breaking term of the Hamiltonian. As a result, in the leading order of the XXZ anisotropy parameter, we find that the inflationary spectral index remains unmodified with respect to the standard case but the total amplitude of perturbations is subject to a correction. The Bunch-Davies vacuum state also becomes appropriately corrected. The proposed new approach is bringing cosmology and condensed matter physics closer together, which may turn out to be beneficial for both disciplines.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, v2 presentation improved and references adde

Asymmetric cyclic evolution in polymerised cosmology

The dynamical systems methods are used to study evolution of the polymerised scalar field cosmologies with the cosmological constant. We have found all evolutional paths admissible for all initial conditions on the two-dimensional phase space. We have shown that the cyclic solutions are generic. The exact solution for polymerised cosmology is also obtained. Two basic cases are investigated, the polymerised scalar field and the polymerised gravitational and scalar field part. In the former the division on the cyclic and non-cyclic behaviour is established following the sign of the cosmological constant. The value of the cosmological constant is upper bounded purely from the dynamical setting.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figs, JHEP3.cl