Abstract
Since the standard inflationary paradigm is based on quantum field theory on classical space-times, it excludes the Planck era. Using techniques from loop quantum gravity, the paradigm is extended to a self-consistent theory from the Planck scale to the onset of slow roll inflation, covering some 11 orders of magnitude in energy density and curvature. This preinflationary dynamics also opens a small window for novel effects, e.g., a source for non-Gaussianities, which could extend the reach of cosmological observations to the deep Planck regime of the early Universe.
- Received 7 September 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.251301
© 2012 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
A Glance at the Earliest Universe
Published 17 December 2012
A new cosmological theory tackles the description of the earliest era of the Universe, a period inaccessible by current models.
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