New instabilities of de Sitter spacetimes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that higher-dimensional de Sitter spaces can undergo instabilities leading to bubble pair production, linking horizon entropy with topology change and emphasizing the role of bubbles of nothing in quantum gravity.

Contribution

It constructs an instanton for bubble pair production in higher-dimensional de Sitter spaces, revealing new instabilities and their implications for quantum gravity.

Findings

Higher-dimensional de Sitter spaces can produce bubbles of nothing.

The process indicates a nonzero probability for topological change.

Supports the connection between horizon entropy and topology in quantum gravity.

Abstract

We construct an instanton describing the pair production of non-Kaluza Klein bubbles of nothing in higher odd dimensional de Sitter spaces. In addition to showing that higher dimensional de Sitter spaces have a nonzero probability to become topologically nontrivial, this process provides direct evidence for the association of entropy with cosmological horizons and that non-Kaluza Klein bubbles of nothing are a necessary ingredient in string theory or any other consistent quantum theory of gravity in higher dimensions.