The perturbed universe in the deformed algebra approach of Loop Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

Loop quantum cosmology is a tentative approach to model the universe down to the Planck era where quantum gravity settings are needed. The quantization of the universe as a dynamical space-time is inspired by Loop Quantum Gravity ideas. In addition, loop quantum cosmology could bridge contact with astronomical observations, and thus potentially investigate quantum cosmology modellings in the light of observations. To do so however, modelling both the background evolution and its perturbations is needed. The latter describe cosmic inhomogeneities that are the main cosmological observables. In this context, we present the so-called deformed algebra approach implementing the quantum corrections to the perturbed universe at an effective level by taking great care of gauge issues. We particularly highlight that in this framework, the algebra of hypersurface deformation receives quantum corrections, and we discuss their meaning. The primordial power spectra of scalar and tensor inhomogeneities are then presented, assuming initial conditions are set in the contracting phase preceding the quantum bounce and the well-known expanding phase of the cosmic history. These spectra are subsequently propagated to angular power spectra of the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background. It is then shown that regardless of the choice for the initial conditions inside the effective approach for the background evolution (except that they are set in the contracting phase), the predicted angular power spectra of the polarized B-modes exceed the upper bound currently set by observations. The exclusion of this specific version of loop quantum cosmology establishes the falsifiability of the approach, though one shall not conclude here that either loop quantum cosmology or loop quantum gravity is excluded.Comment: Invited paper for a special issue of IJMPD on Loop Quantum Cosmolog