Talk by Brajesh Gupt (LSU)

Title: Non-singular AdS-dS transitions in a landscape scenario
Time: Wednesday April 2
Place: 241 Nicholson

Abstract:
In the multiverse scanario allowing eternal inflation, it is an important problem to understand transitions between different vacua, of which the ones from anti-deSitter to de-Sitter is forbidden in the classical theory. In this talk, we consider toy landscape potentials: a double well and a triple well potential allowing anti-deSitter and de-Sitter vacua, in the effective dynamics of loop quantum cosmology for the k
=−1 FRW model. We show that due to the non-perturbative quantum gravity effects as understood in loop quantum cosmology, non-singular anti-deSitter to de-Sitter transitions are possible. In the future evolution, an anti-deSitter bubble universe does not encounter a big crunch singularity but undergoes a big bounce occurring at a scale determined by the underlying quantum geometry. These non-singular transitions provide a mechanism through which a probe or a ``watcher,'' used to define a local measure, can safely evolve through the bounce and geodesics can be smoothly extended from anti-deSitter to de-Sitter vacua.

Talk by Anton Joe (LSU)

Title: Effective dynamics of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime in loop quantum cosmology
Time: Wednesday April 2
Place: 241 Nicholson

Abstract:
We study singularity resolution in Kantowski-Sachs spacetime in the effective loop quantum cosmology setting for various matter models such as dust, radiation, cosmic strings, cosmological constant and scalar fields. We find the inverse triad correction and bounds on energy density, shear scalar and expansion scalar. The evolution of universe after bounce is studied and found that a Nariai-like spacetime is obtained for different choices of matter. We analyze the stability of these quantum Nariai-like spacetimes with respect to homogeneous perturbations and find that unlike classical Nariai spacetimes, these are stable.