Related papers: Assisted Contraction
I discuss the possibility of using a massive vector field to generate the density perturbation in the Universe. I find that a scale-invariant superhorizon spectrum of vector field perturbations is possible to generate during inflation. The…
We investigate the evolution of cosmological perturbations in scenarios with a quintessence scalar field, both analytically and numerically. In the tracking regime for quintessence, we find the long wavelength solutions for quintessential…
It is shown that any spatially flat and isotropic universe undergoing accelerated expansion driven by a self-interacting scalar field can be directly related to a contracting, decelerating cosmology. The duality is made manifest by…
We consider the spectrum of primordial fluctuations produced by inflationary models where the inflaton potential is the sum of two exponential terms. A wide range of spectra result, with the only constraint being that the scalar spectrum…
In the matter bounce scenario, a dust-dominated contracting space-time generates scale-invariant perturbations that, assuming a nonsingular bouncing cosmology, propagate to the expanding branch and set appropriate initial conditions for the…
A sufficiently rigid relativistic elastic solid can be stable for negative pressure values and thus is capable of driving a stage of accelerated expansion. If a relativistic elastic solid drove an inflationary stage in the early Universe,…
Complex scalar fields charged under approximate $U(1)$ symmetries appear in well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model. One example is the field that contains the QCD axion field associated with the Peccei-Quinn symmetry; others…
We present numerical relativity simulations of cosmological scenarios in which the universe is smoothed and flattened by undergoing a phase of slow contraction and test their sensitivity to a wide range of initial conditions. Our numerical…
The linear cosmological perturbation theory of an almost homogeneous and isotropic perfect fluid universe is reconsidered and formally simplified by introducing new covariant and gauge-invariant variables with physical interpretations on…
In this paper, we discuss the dynamics of two- scalar-field cosmological models. Unlike in the situation of exponential potential, we find that there are late-time attractors in which one scalar field dominates the energy density of…
We argue that in models of inflation with two scalar fields and non-canonical kinetic terms there is a possibility of obtaining a red tilt of the power spectrum of curvature perturbations from noncanonicality-induced interactions between…
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…
Single-field models of accelerated expansion with nearly flat potentials, despite being able to provide observationally viable explanations for the early-time cosmic inflation and the late-time cosmic acceleration, are in strong tension…
The linear cosmological perturbation theory of almost homogeneous and isotropic perfect fluid and scalar field universes is reconsidered and formally simplified. Using the existence of a covariant conserved quantity on large perturbation…
We study a class of spectator field models that addresses the eta problem while providing a natural explanation for the observed slight deviation of the spectrum of curvature perturbations from scale-invariance. In particular, we analyze…
We study the behaviour and consequences of cosmic string networks in contracting universes. They approximately behave during the collapse phase as a radiation fluids. Scaling solutions describing this are derived and tested against…
In this note we show that vector perturbations exhibit growing mode solutions in a contracting Universe, such as the contracting phase of the Pre Big Bang or the Cyclic/Ekpyrotic models of the Universe. This is not a gauge artifact and will…
Two-parameter perturbation theory is a scheme tailor-made to consistently include nonlinear density contrasts on small scales ($<100\; \mathrm{Mpc}$), whilst retaining a traditional approach to cosmological perturbations in the…
A closed universe with maximum life-time is constructed using optimal control. Einstein's field equations are used with varying cosmological "constant". The second time derivative of the Hubble parameter acts as the control function in the…
We explore the cosmological implications of quantum entanglement between two causally disconnected universes in the multiverse. We first consider two causally separated de Sitter spaces with a state which is initially entangled. We derive…