Reflected Waves and Quantum Gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores how non-standard quantum gravitational wave functions influence inflationary perturbations, revealing oscillatory effects in primordial spectra and introducing a new non-perturbative evolution approach.

Contribution

It introduces a novel non-perturbative method to analyze quantum gravity effects on inflationary spectra, highlighting oscillatory features caused by sudden inflaton potential variations.

Findings

Primordial spectra exhibit oscillations at different wavelengths.

Non-perturbative approach provides new insights into quantum gravity effects.

Oscillatory behavior superimposed on standard results.

Abstract

In the context of canonical quantum gravity, we consider the effects of a non-standard expression for the gravitational wave function on the evolution of inflationary perturbations. Such an expression and its effects may be generated by a sudden variation in the (nearly constant) inflaton potential. The resulting primordial spectra, up to the leading order, are affected in the short and in the long wavelength regime, where an oscillatory behavior with a non-negligible amplitude is superimposed on the standard semiclassical result. Moreover, a novel, non-perturbative, approach is used to study the evolution. Finally, a simplified application is fully illustrated and commented.