Related papers: Probing the Big Bang with quantum fields
We review the theory of quantum fields propagating in an arbitrary, classical, globally hyperbolic spacetime. Our review emphasizes the conceptual issues arising in the formulation of the theory and presents known results in a…
A quantum field F(x) exists at an event x of space-time in general only as a quadratic form. Only after smearing with a smooth test function we get an operator. In this paper the question is considered whether it is possible as well to…
Based on a number of experimentally verified physical observations, it is argued that the standard principles of quantum mechanics should be applied to the Universe as a whole. Thus, a paradigm is proposed in which the entire Universe is…
We show how to regularize the big bang singularity in the presence of random perturbations modeled by Brownian motion using stochastic methods. We prove that the physical variables in a contracting universe dominated by a scalar field can…
Although Quantum field theory has been very successful in explaining experiment, there are two aspects of the theory that remain quite troubling. One is the no-interaction result proved in Haag's theorem. The other is the existence of…
Recently, it was observed that self-interacting scalar quantum field theories having a non-Hermitian interaction term of the form $g(i\phi)^{2+\delta}$, where $\delta$ is a real positive parameter, are physically acceptable in the sense…
We investigate a cosmological model whose energy content is described by a Chaplygin gas represented by a scalar field $\phi$ with an associated potential producing a big bang singularity such that for vanishing scale factor, $a\to 0$, one…
The aim of these notes is to elucidate some aspects of quantum field theory in curved spacetime, especially those relating to the notion of particles. A selection of issues relevant to wave-particle duality is given. The case of a generic…
Quantum gravity may remove classical space-time singularities and thus reveal what a universe at and before the big bang could be like. In loop quantum cosmology, an exactly solvable model is available which allows one to address precise…
We consider quantum theory of fields \phi defined on a D dimensional manifold (bulk) with an interaction V(\phi) concentrated on a d<D dimensional surface (brane). Such a quantum field theory can be less singular than the one in d…
Important open questions in cosmology require a better understanding of the Big Bang singularity. In string and matrix theories, light-like analogues of cosmological singularities (singular plane wave backgrounds) turn out to be…
The Friedmann cosmological solution of the standard Einstein gravitational field equation has a curvature singularity at a moment in time known as the Big Bang. It has been suggested that this Big Bang curvature singularity can be…
When quantum gravity is used to discuss the big bang singularity, the most important, though rarely addressed, question is what role genuine quantum degrees of freedom play. Here, complete effective equations are derived for isotropic…
A geometric framework for describing quantum particles on a possibly curved background is proposed. Natural constructions on certain distributional bundles (`quantum bundles') over the spacetime manifold yield a quantum ``formalism'' along…
The conditions for observation of the particle coordinates, required by logic of the Special Relativity and filtering the quantum field effects, are described. A general relation between the corresponding density of probability and the wave…
The quantization of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime in the presence of a negative cosmological constant was used in a recent paper to conclude that there are solutions that avoid singularities (big bang--big crunch) at the quantum…
The present accelerated expansion of the universe has enriched the list of possible scenarios for its fate, singular or not. In this paper a unifying framework for analyzing such behaviors is proposed, based on generalized power and…
In general relativity space-time ends at singularities. The big bang is considered as the Beginning and the big crunch, the End. However these conclusions are arrived at by using general relativity in regimes which lie well beyond its…
We consider a spatially homogeneous and isotropic system of Dirac particles coupled to classical gravity. The dust and radiation dominated closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-times are recovered as limiting cases. We find a mechanism…
The one-dimensional isotropic quantum Heisenberg spin systems with random couplings and random spin sizes are investigated using a real-space renormalization group scheme. It is demonstrated that these systems belong to a universality class…