Non-singular AdS-dS transitions in a landscape scenario

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that loop quantum cosmology effects enable non-singular transitions from anti-deSitter to deSitter vacua in a multiverse landscape, avoiding classical singularities and allowing smooth evolution between different vacua.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum gravity mechanism within loop quantum cosmology that permits non-singular AdS-dS transitions in a landscape scenario, which were classically forbidden.

Findings

Non-singular AdS-dS transitions are possible due to quantum effects.

Anti-deSitter bubbles undergo a big bounce instead of a big crunch.

Transitions allow smooth geodesic extension between vacua.

Abstract

Understanding transitions between different vacua of a multiverse allowing eternal inflation is an open problem whose resolution is important to gain insights on the global structure of the spacetime as well as the problem of measure. In the classical theory, transitions from the anti-deSitter to deSitter vacua are forbidden due to the big crunch singularity. In this article, 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.