Related papers: The elastic vacuum
It is usually assumed that during the reheating period of inflation the inflaton field behaves coherently and follows a classical path. It is pointed out that a background inflaton field \phi_0 falling down a potential density V(\phi) can…
Planck-scale quantum spacetime undergoes probabilistic local curvature fluctuations whose distributions cannot explicitly depend on position otherwise vacuum's small-scale quantum structure would fail to be statistically homogeneous. Since…
A possible connection between the energy W of the vacuum fluctuations of quantum fields and gravity in "empty space" is conjectured in this paper using a natural cutoff of high momenta with the help of the gravitational radius of the vacuum…
We study the quantum-mechanical generation of gravitational waves during inflation on a brane embedded in a five-dimensional anti-de Sitter bulk. To make the problem well-posed, we consider the setup in which both initial and final phases…
Quantum gravitational effects may induce stochastic fluctuations in the structure of space-time, to produce a characteristic foamy structure. It has been known for some time now that these fluctuations may have observable consequences for…
Vacuum bubbles may nucleate and expand during the inflationary epoch in the early universe. After inflation ends, the bubbles quickly dissipate their kinetic energy; they come to rest with respect to the Hubble flow and eventually form…
The presently open problem of the Hubble tension is shown to be removed in the context of a modified theory of gravity with a non-minimal coupling between curvature and matter. By evolving the cosmological parameters that match the cosmic…
Quantum gravity phenomenology suggests the interesting possibility that black holes are not eternal. Collapse could be halted by some unknown mechanism, or Hawking radiation might leave behind a regular spacetime. Here we investigate a…
In an expanding universe the vacuum energy density \rho_{\Lambda} is expected to be a dynamical quantity. In quantum field theory in curved space-time \rho_{\Lambda} should exhibit a slow evolution, determined by the expansion rate of the…
If an early matter phase of the Universe existed after inflation with the proper power spectrum, enhanced density perturbations can decouple from the Hubble flow, turn around and collapse. In contrast to what happens in a radiation…
Assuming the existence of a scalar field which undergoes "ghost condensation" and which has a suitably chosen potential, it is possible to obtain a non-singular bouncing cosmology in the presence of regular matter and radiation. The…
We develop the formalism for computing gravitational corrections to vacuum decay from de Sitter space as a sub-Planckian perturbative expansion. Non-minimal coupling to gravity can be encoded in an effective potential. The Coleman bounce…
Spectrum of density perturbations in the Universe generated from quantum-gravitational fluctuations in slow-roll-over inflationary scenarios with the Brans-Dicke gravity is calculated. It is shown that after inflation the isocurvature mode…
The production of gravitational vacuum defects and their contribution in energy density of the Universe are discussed. These topological microstructures could be produced as the result of defect creation of the Universe from "nothing" as…
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 scale of at least 100 GeV. The actual tiny…
A static non-singular 10-dimensional closed Friedmann universe of Planck size, filled with a perfect fluid with an equation of state with w = -2/3, can arise spontaneously by a quantum fluctuation from nothing in 11-dimensional spacetime. A…
The principles of General Relativity allow for a non-vanishing cosmological constant, which can possibly be interpreted at least partially in terms of quantum-fluctuations of matter fields. Depending on sign and magnitude it can cause…
We analytically and numerically show that the acceleration of the cosmic expansion could be explained by a Quadratic Gravity model which is known to be able to trigger sufficient inflation, with neither negative pressure matter nor…
Is the accelerating expansion of the Universe true, inferred through observations of distant supernovae, and is the implied existence of an enormous amount of anti-gravitational dark energy material driving the accelerating expansion of the…
Stretching of the Newtonian potential (NP) at early epochs is investigated and it is shown that observed effects, usually ascribed to a dark matter, can by explained by such stretching only. Increasing by time radius of the…