Detecting quantum gravitational effects of loop quantum cosmology in the early universe?

TL;DR

This paper derives precise predictions for primordial fluctuations in loop quantum cosmology and uses observational data to constrain quantum gravitational effects, suggesting they may be detectable with current or future cosmological measurements.

Contribution

It provides third-order uniform asymptotic approximations for LQC power spectra and tight observational constraints on quantum gravitational effects.

Findings

LQC corrections could be within observational detection

Derived power spectra with error bounds less than 0.15%

Current data constrains quantum effects in early universe

Abstract

We derive the primordial power spectra and spectral indexes of the density fluctuations and gravitational waves in the framework of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) with holonomy and inverse-volume corrections, by using the uniform asymptotic approximation method to its third-order, at which the upper error bounds are $\lesssim 0.15\%$, and accurate enough for the current and forthcoming cosmological observations. Then, using the Planck, BAO and SN data we obtain the tightest constraints on quantum gravitational effects from LQC corrections, and find that such effects could be well within the detection of the current and forthcoming cosmological observations.