English

Open Inflation, the Four Form and the Cosmological Constant

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-31 v4 Astrophysics General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

Fundamental theories of quantum gravity such as supergravity include a four form field strength which contributes to the cosmological constant. The inclusion of such a field into our theory of open inflation (hep-th/9802030) allows an anthropic solution to the cosmological constant problem in which the cosmological constant gives a small but non-negligible contribution to the density of today's universe. We include a discussion of the role of the singularity in our solution and a reply to Vilenkin's recent criticism (hep-th/9803084).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9803156,
  title  = {Open Inflation, the Four Form and the Cosmological Constant},
  author = {Neil Turok and S. W. Hawking},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9803156},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

11 pages, RevTex file. Replaced version contains major corrections, including a crucial new surface term, and important additions. A connection to eleven dimensional supergravity is made. The anthropic solution of the cosmological constant problem now holds with a real four form in the Lorentzian region. The previously claimed solution to the empty universe problem is shown to be incorrect, but a new solution is suggested