Related papers: Entropy Bounds and String Cosmology
The Cosmological Principle states that the universe is both homogeneous and isotropic. This, alone, is not enough to specify the global geometry of the spacetime. If we were able to measure both the Hubble constant and the energy density we…
We discuss the large-scale structure of the universe in inflationary cosmology and the implications that it may have for the long-term future of civilizations. Although each civilization is doomed to perish, it may be possible to transmit…
We present a study of open inflation cosmological scenarios in which cosmic strings form betwen the two inflationary epochs. It is shown that in these models strings are stretched outside the horizon due to the inflationary expansion but…
We conjecture the following entropy bound to be valid in all space-times admitted by Einstein's equation: Let A be the area of any two-dimensional surface. Let L be a hypersurface generated by surface-orthogonal null geodesics with…
String theory avoids the ultraviolet infinities that arise in trying to quantize gravity. It is also more predictive than conventional quantum field theory, one aspect of this being the way that it contributed to the emergence of the…
We discuss entropy bounds for a class of two-dimensional gravity models. While the Bekenstein bound can be proved to hold in general for weakly gravitating matter, the analogous of the holographic bound is not universal, but depends on the…
We are at an interesting juncture in cosmology. With new methods and technology, the accuracy in measurement of the Hubble constant has vastly improved, but a recent tension has arisen that is either signaling new physics or as-yet…
We derive a universal upper bound to the entropy of a charged system. The entropy bound follows from application of the generalized second law of thermodynamics to a gedanken experiment in which an entropy-bearing charged system falls into…
According to the second law of thermodynamics, the arrow of time points to an ever increasing entropy of the Universe. However, exactly how the entropy evolves with time and what drives the growth remain largely unknown. Here, for the first…
Whilst standard field theoretic Cosmic Strings cannot end, Cosmic Superstrings can form three string junctions, at which each string ends. This opens up a new class of possible boundary conditions for such strings and we show that, at least…
Some time ago we have suggested that positive vacuum energy exhibits a finite quantum break time, which can be a signal that a positive cosmological constant is inconsistent. From the requirement that Universe never undergoes through…
We present a bouquet of continuity bounds for quantum entropies, falling broadly into two classes: First, a tight analysis of the Alicki-Fannes continuity bounds for the conditional von Neumann entropy, reaching almost the best possible…
The theory of cosmological perturbations is the main tool which connects theories of the early universe (based on new fundamental physics such as string theory) with cosmological observations. In these lectures, I will provide an…
We investigate the nucleation of circular cosmic strings in models of generalized inflationary universes with an accelerating scale factor. We consider toy cosmological models of a smooth inflationary exit and transition into a flat…
In spite of the phenomenological successes of the inflationary universe scenario, the current realizations of inflation making use of scalar fields lead to serious conceptual problems which are reviewed in this lecture. String theory may…
A survey of solutions to the cosmological moduli problem in string theory. The only extant proposal which may work is Intermediate Scale Inflation as proposed by Randall and Thomas. Supersymmetry preserving dynamics which could give large…
We discuss the potential alleviation of both the Hubble and the growth of galactic structure data tensions observed in the current epoch of Cosmology in the context of the so-called Stringy Running Vacuum Model (RVM) of Cosmology. This is a…
Primordial fluctuations in inflationary cosmology acquire classical properties through decoherence when their wavelengths become larger than the Hubble scale. Although decoherence is effective, it is not complete, so a significant part of…
Recent cosmological observations of unprecented accuracy, by WMAP in particular, have established a `Standard Model' of cosmology, just as LEP established the Standard Model of particle physics. Both Standard Models raise open questions…
Entanglement entropy first arose from attempts to understand the entropy of black holes, and is believed to play a crucial role in a complete description of quantum gravity. This thesis explores some proposed connections between…