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Can Quantum Gravitational Effects Influence the Entire History of the Universe?

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2010-05-12 v1 Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

In this work, a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) 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 Λ<0\Lambda<0 or Λ>0\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.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0805.3971,
  title  = {Can Quantum Gravitational Effects Influence the Entire History of the Universe?},
  author = {Edésio M. Barboza and Nivaldo A. Lemos},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0805.3971},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

To appear in the Physical Review D