A Cyclic Universe Approach to Fine Tuning

TL;DR

This paper proposes a cyclic universe model where coupling constants vary randomly across cycles due to a ghost-like scalar field, offering an alternative to string landscape solutions for the fine-tuning problem.

Contribution

It introduces a novel cyclic universe model with a ghost-like scalar field and a periodic potential, demonstrating how coupling constants can vary randomly between cycles.

Findings

Coupling constants shuffle during the bounce phase.

Within each cycle, coupling variations stay within observational bounds.

The model provides an alternative to string landscape solutions.

Abstract

We present a closed bouncing universe model where the value of coupling constants is set by the dynamics of a ghost-like dilatonic scalar field. We show that adding a periodic potential for the scalar field leads to a cyclic Friedmann universe where the values of the couplings vary randomly from one cycle to the next. While the shuffling of values for the couplings happens during the bounce, within each cycle their time-dependence remains safely within present observational bounds for physically-motivated values of the model parameters. Our model presents an alternative to solutions of the fine tuning problem based on string landscape scenarios.