Related papers: Classical Inflationary and Ekpyrotic Universes in …
We specify the semiclassical no-boundary wave function of the universe without relying on a functional integral of any kind. The wave function is given as a sum of specific saddle points of the dynamical theory that satisfy conditions of…
We compute the primordial scalar, vector and tensor metric perturbations arising from quantum field inflation. Quantum field inflation takes into account the nonperturbative quantum dynamics of the inflaton consistently coupled to the…
We investigate a nonsingular initial state of the Universe which leads to inflation naturally. The model is described by a scalar field with a quadratic potential in Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity. The curvature of this initial…
We show that curvature perturbations acquire a scale invariant spectrum for any constant equation of state, provided the fluid has a suitably time-dependent sound speed. In order for modes to exit the physical horizon, and in order to solve…
The standard model of cosmology assumes a homogeneous and isotropic universe that undergoes a period of exponential expansion very early on, named inflation. This stretches quantum fluctuations from the onset of inflation to cosmological…
We introduce "anamorphic" cosmology, an approach for explaining the smoothness and flatness of the universe on large scales and the generation of a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of adiabatic density perturbations. The defining feature is…
We study the statistics of scalar perturbations in models of inflation with small and rapid oscillations in the inflaton potential (resonant non-Gaussianity). We do so by deriving the wavefunction $\Psi[\zeta(\boldsymbol{x})]$…
Quintessential inflation--in which a single scalar field plays the role of the inflaton and quintessence--from a sum of exponentials potential V = A (exp{5 phi}+exp{sqrt{2} phi}) or V = A (exp{5 phi}+exp{phi}) or a cosh potential V = 2A…
Inflationary cosmological perturbations of quantum-mechanical origin generically interact with all degrees of freedom present in the early Universe. Therefore, they must be viewed as an open quantum system in interaction with an…
We analyze the emergence of classical cosmological spacetimes in quantum cosmology by computing the reduced density matrix for long-wavelength curvature perturbations. Starting from standard Hartle--Hawking and tunneling boundary…
Transition from quantum to semiclassical behaviour and loss of quantum coherence for inhomogeneous perturbations generated from a non-vacuum initial state in the early Universe is considered in the Heisenberg and the Schr\"odinger…
This thesis is dedicated to studying cosmological inflation, which is a period of accelerated expansion in the very early Universe that is required to explain the observed anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. Inflation, when…
The inflationary scenario is not the only paradigm of early universe cosmology which is consistent with current observations. General criteria will be presented which any successful early universe model must satisfy. Various ways, including…
Classicalization is a phenomenon of redistribution of energy - initially stored in few hard quanta - into the high occupation numbers of the soft modes, described by a final state that is approximately classical. Using an effective…
At the end of the inflationary stage of the early universe, profuse particle production leads to the reheating of the universe. Such explosive particle production is due to parametric amplification of quantum fluctuations for the unbroken…
Baby universes (inflationary or non--inflationary) are regions of spacetime that disconnect from the original ambient spacetime, which we take to be asymptotically flat spacetime. A particular kind of baby universe solution, involving…
We propose a new class of inflationary solutions to the standard cosmological problems (horizon, flatness, monopole,...), based on a modification of old inflation. These models do not require a potential which satisfies the normal…
A semi-classical analysis of vacuum energy in the expanding spacetime suggests that the cosmological term decays with time, with a concomitant matter production. For early times we find, in Planck units, $\Lambda \approx H^4$, where H is…
The inflationary expansion of our early-time universe is considered in terms of the van der Waals equation, as equation of state for the cosmic fluid, where a bulk viscosity contribution is assumed to be present. The corresponding…
New Ekpyrotic Cosmology is an alternative scenario of early universe cosmology in which the universe existed before the big bang. The simplest model relies on two scalar fields, whose entropy perturbation leads to a scale-invariant spectrum…