Non-singular bounce scenarios in loop quantum cosmology and the effective field description
- Department of Physics, McGill University, Rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8 (Canada)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Tower Drive, Baton Rouge, 70803 (United States)
A non-singular bouncing cosmology is generically obtained in loop quantum cosmology due to non-perturbative quantum gravity effects. A similar picture can be achieved in standard general relativity in the presence of a scalar field with a non-standard kinetic term such that at high energy densities the field evolves into a ghost condensate and causes a non-singular bounce. During the bouncing phase, the perturbations can be stabilized by introducing a Horndeski operator. Taking the matter content to be a dust field and an ekpyrotic scalar field, we compare the dynamics in loop quantum cosmology and in a non-singular bouncing effective field model with a non-standard kinetic term at both the background and perturbative levels. We find that these two settings share many important properties, including the result that they both generate scale-invariant scalar perturbations. This shows that some quantum gravity effects of the very early universe may be mimicked by effective field models.
- OSTI ID:
- 22370626
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2014, Issue 03; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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