Related papers: Non-Singular String-Cosmologies From Exact Conform…
The spacetime physics of bulk closed string tachyon condensation is studied at the level of a two-derivative effective action. We derive the unique perturbative tachyon potential consistent with a full class of linearized tachyonic…
Ooguri, Vafa, and Verlinde have recently proposed an approach to string cosmology which is based on the idea that cosmological string moduli should be selected by a Hartle-Hawking wave function. They are led to consider a certain Euclidean…
If one is willing to give up the cherished hypothesis of spatial isotropy, many interesting cosmological models can be developed beyond the simple anisotropically expanding scenarios. One interesting possibility is presented by shear-free…
From higher dimensional theories, e.g. string theory, one expects the presence of non-minimally coupled scalar fields. We review the notion of conformal frames in cosmology and emphasize their physical equivalence, which holds at least at a…
We study string theory in supersymmetric time-dependent backgrounds. In the framework of general relativity, supersymmetry for spacetimes without flux implies the existence of a covariantly constant null vector, and a relatively simple form…
We present exact inhomogeneous and anisotropic cosmological solutions of low-energy string theory containing dilaton and axion fields. The spacetime metric possesses cylindrical symmetry. The solutions describe ever-expanding universes with…
We consider the construction of nonsingular Pre-Big-Bang and Ekpyrotic type cosmological models realized by the addition to the action of specific higher-order terms stemming from quantum corrections. We study models involving general…
A large class of cosmological solutions (of the Einstein equations) in string theory, in the presence of Maxwell fields, is obtained by $O(d,d)$ transformations of simple backgrounds with $d$ toroidal isometries. In all the examples in…
Exact and explicit string solutions in de Sitter spacetime are found. (Here, the string equations reduce to a sinh-Gordon model). A new feature without flat spacetime analogy appears: starting with a single world-sheet, several (here two)…
Cosmic strings are one-dimensional topological defects which could have been formed in the early stages of our Universe. They triggered a lot of interest, mainly for their cosmological implications: they could offer an alternative to…
We present solution generating techniques which permit to construct exact inhomogeneous and anisotropic cosmological solutions to a four-dimensional low energy limit of string theory containing non-minimally interacting electromagnetic and…
We review a recently proposed approach to construct superstring cosmological evolutions, which are free of Hagedorn instabilities and initial singularities. We illustrate these ideas in hybrid models in two dimensions.
We consider anisotropic cosmological models with an universe of dimension 4 or more, factorized into n>1 Ricci-flat spaces, containing an m-component perfect fluid of m non-interacting homogeneous minimally coupled scalar fields under…
We construct a gravitational dual of the pseudo-conformal universe, a proposed alternative to inflation in which a conformal field theory in nearly flat space develops a time dependent vacuum expectation value. Constructing this dual…
String cosmology aims at providing a reliable description of the very early Universe in the regime where standard-model physics is no longer appropriate, and where we can safely apply the basic ingredients of superstring models such as…
We present a number of new, exact scalar field cosmologies where the potential consists of two or more exponential terms. Such potentials are motivated by supergravity or superstring models formulated in higher dimensional spacetimes that…
Cosmic strings, as topological spacetime defects, show striking resemblance to defects in solid continua: distortions, which can be classified into disclinations and dislocations, are line-like defects characterized by a delta…
We consider the problem of constructing a non-singular inflationary universe in stringy gravity via branch changing, from a previously superexponentially expanding phase to an FRW-like phase. Our approach is based on the phase space…
Progress on string theory in curved spacetimes since 1992 are reviewed. After a short introduction on strings in Minkowski and curved spacetimes, we focus on strings in cosmological spacetimes. The classical behaviour of strings in FRW and…
We present a global analysis of the geometries that arise in non-compact current algebra (or gauged WZW) coset models of strings and particles propagating in curved space-time. The simplest case is the 2d black hole. In higher dimensions…