Can quantum gravitational effects influence the entire history of the Universe?

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.78.023504· OSTI ID:21250324

Barboza, Jr, Edesio M ^[1]; Lemos, Nivaldo A ^[2]

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1. Departamento de Astronomia, Observatorio Nacional, 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
2. Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, 24210-340, Niteroi (Brazil)

In this work, a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe with dust and a cosmological constant is quantized. By means of a canonical transformation, the classical Hamiltonian is reduced to that of either a harmonic oscillator or anti-oscillator, depending on whether {lambda}<0 or {lambda}>0, respectively. In this way, exact solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation can easily be obtained. It turns out that a positive cosmological constant alone may account for an early inflationary regime and a later accelerated expansion phase, with a period of decelerated expansion in between. This suggests that quantum-gravitational effects can influence most of the history or even the entire history of the Universe.

• OSTI ID: 21250324
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 78; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CANONICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
COSMIC DUST
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT
EQUATIONS
EXACT SOLUTIONS
EXPANSION
HAMILTONIANS
HARMONIC OSCILLATORS
OSCILLATORS
QUANTUM GRAVITY
SIMULATION
UNIVERSE