Cosmological Acceleration from Scalar Field and Classical and Quantum Gravitational Waves (Dark Energy and Inflation)

TL;DR

This paper proposes that scalar fields and gravitational waves induce de Sitter expansion in empty space, explaining both inflation and dark energy as effects of quantum and classical phenomena, with a possible link to complex time.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism where scalar fields and gravitational waves generate cosmological acceleration in empty space, emphasizing the role of Wick rotation and complex time.

Findings

Homogeneous scalar fields and gravitational waves produce de Sitter expansion.

The Universe's acceleration can be linked to quantum and classical effects in empty space.

Inflation and dark energy may be observable evidence of complex time.

Abstract

We show that on the average, homogeneous and isotropic scalar field and on the average homogeneous and isotropic ensembles of classical and quantum gravitational waves generate the de Sitter expansion of the empty (with no matter) space-time. At the start and by the end of its cosmological evolution the Universe is empty. The contemporary Universe is about 70% empty, so the effect of cosmological acceleration should be very noticeable. One can assume that it manifests itself as dark energy. At the start of the cosmological evolution, before the first matter was born, the Universe is also empty. The cosmological acceleration of such an empty space-time can manifests itself as inflation. To get the de Sitter accelerated expansion of the empty space-time under influence of scalar fields and classical and quantum gravitational waves, one needs to make a mandatory Wick rotation, i.e. one needs to make a transition to the Euclidean space of imaginary time. One can assume that the very existence of inflation and dark energy could be considered as a possible observable evidence of the fact that time by its nature could be a complex value which manifests itself precisely at the start and by the end of the evolution of the Universe, i.e. in those periods when the Universe is empty (or nearly empty).