Related papers: Loop Quantum Cosmology and the Fine Structure Cons…
The observed constraints on the variability of the proton to electron mass ratio $\mu$ and the fine structure constant $\alpha$ are used to establish constraints on the variability of the Quantum Chromodynamic Scale and a combination of the…
The remarkable detection of a spatial variation in the fine-structure constant, alpha, from quasar absorption systems must be independently confirmed by complementary searches. In this letter, we discuss how terrestrial measurements of…
We investigate the variation of the fine-structure constant, {\alpha}, in symmetron models using N-body simulations in which the full spatial distribution of {\alpha} at different redshifts has been calculated. In particular, we obtain…
In this paper we study dynamics of the closed FRW model with holonomy corrections coming from loop quantum cosmology. We consider models with a scalar field and cosmological constant. In case of the models with cosmological constant and…
In the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology, we study a cosmological bouncing model with two fields that reproduce the desired features of the primordial power spectra. The model combines the matter-bounce mechanism, that generates…
After a short history of the $\Lambda$-term it is explained why the (effective) cosmological constant is expected to obtain contributions from short-distance physics, corresponding to an energy at least as large as the Fermi scale. The…
Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) predicts a nonsingular evolution of the universe through a bounce in the high energy region. But LQC has an ambiguity about the quantization scheme. Recently, the authors in [Phys. Rev. D 77, 124008 (2008)]…
A mechanism for suppressing the cosmological constant is developed, based on an analogy with a superconducting phaseshift in which free fermions coupled perturbatively to a weak gravitational field are in an unstable false vacuum state. The…
In some cosmological theories with varying constants there are anthropic reasons why the expansion of the universe must not be too {\it close} to flatness or the cosmological constant too close to zero. Using exact theories which…
In present paper we evaluate the fine structure constant variation, that should take place as the Universe expands and its curvature is changed adiabatically. Such variation of the fine structure constant is attributed to an energy losses…
This introductory review is addressed to beginning researchers. Some of the distinguishing features of loop quantum gravity are illustrated through loop quantum cosmology of FRW models. In particular, these examples illustrate: i) how…
In an undulant universe, cosmic expansion is characterized by alternating periods of acceleration and deceleration. We examine cosmologies in which the dark-energy equation of state varies periodically with the number of e-foldings of the…
Last year I talked at this meeting about a possible time dependence of the QCD coupling constant $\alpha_s$. This year I shall look into the problem once more, without fully repeating the arguments given last year. Astrophysical indications…
Faced by recent evidence for a flat universe dominated by dark energy, cosmologists grapple with deep cosmic enigmas such as the cosmological constant problem, extreme fine-tuning and the cosmic coincidence problem. The extent to which we…
We consider a long range scalar force that mainly couples to dark matter and unstable Standard Model states, like the muon, with tiny strength. Probing this type of force would present a challenge to observations. We point out that the…
We introduce and study extensions of the varying alpha theory of Bekenstein-Sandvik-Barrow-Magueijo to allow for an arbitrary coupling function and self-interaction potential term in the theory. We study the full evolution equations without…
Recent cosmological observations suggest the existence of a positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$ with the magnitude $\Lambda(G\hbar/c^3) \approx 10^{-123}$. This review discusses several aspects of the cosmological constant both from…
The incorporation of a small cosmological constant within radiatively-broken scale-invariant models is discussed. We show that phenomenologically consistent scale-invariant models can be constructed which allow a small positive cosmological…
We call attention to a simple analogy between atomic physics and cosmology. Both have two characteristic length scales. In atomic physics the lengths are the Compton wavelength of the electron and the Bohr radius; the ratio of these two…
We compute the cosmological constant in a scale invariant scalar field theory. The gravitational action is also suitably modified to respect scale invariance. Due to scale invariance the theory does not admit a cosmological constant term.…