Cosmology from String T-duality and zero-point length

TL;DR

This paper explores how String T-duality and zero-point length corrections modify cosmological equations, affecting early universe evolution, inflation, density perturbations, and primordial gravitational waves, with implications for observational tests of quantum gravity effects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework incorporating String T-duality and zero-point length into cosmology, deriving modified Friedmann equations and analyzing their observational and theoretical implications.

Findings

Zero-point length constrained near the Planck scale.

Modified spectrum fits observational data better than simple power-law.

Potential deviations from GR detectable via primordial gravitational waves.

Abstract

Inspired by String T-duality and taking into account the zero-point length correction, $l_0$, to the gravitational potential, we construct modified Friedmann equations by applying the first law of thermodynamics on the apparent horizon of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) Universe. The cosmological viability of this extended scenario is investigated by studying influences on the evolution of the early Universe and performing the cosmographic analysis. Furthermore, we explore the inflationary paradigm under the slow-roll condition. By testing the model against observational data, the zero-point length is constrained around the Planck scale, in compliance with the original assumption from String T-duality. We also study the growth of density perturbations in the linear regime. It is shown that the zero-point length stands out as an alternative characterization for the broken-power-law spectrum, which provides a better fitting for the experimental measurements comparing to the simple power-law potential. Finally, we focus on implications for the primordial gravitational waves (PGWs) spectrum. Should the zero-point length be running over energy scales, as is the case for all parameters and coupling constants in quantum gravity under renormalization group considerations, deviations from General Relativity (GR) might be potentially tested through upcoming PGW observatories.