TY - JOUR
T1 - How quantum is the big bang?
AU - Bojowald, Martin
PY - 2008/6/4
Y1 - 2008/6/4
N2 - When quantum gravity is used to discuss the big bang singularity, the most important, though rarely addressed, question is what role genuine quantum degrees of freedom play. Here, complete effective equations are derived for isotropic models with an interacting scalar to all orders in the expansions involved. The resulting coupling terms show that quantum fluctuations do not affect the bounce much. Quantum correlations, however, do have an important role and could even eliminate the bounce. How quantum gravity regularizes the big bang depends crucially on properties of the quantum state.
AB - When quantum gravity is used to discuss the big bang singularity, the most important, though rarely addressed, question is what role genuine quantum degrees of freedom play. Here, complete effective equations are derived for isotropic models with an interacting scalar to all orders in the expansions involved. The resulting coupling terms show that quantum fluctuations do not affect the bounce much. Quantum correlations, however, do have an important role and could even eliminate the bounce. How quantum gravity regularizes the big bang depends crucially on properties of the quantum state.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.221301
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.221301
M3 - Article
C2 - 18643411
AN - SCOPUS:44949129657
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 100
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
IS - 22
M1 - 221301
ER -