Semiclassical Effects and the Onset of Inflation

TL;DR

This paper explores how specific initial conditions in isotropic, non-homogeneous models of the universe can lead to inflation, suggesting these conditions may naturally arise from quantum events prior to inflation.

Contribution

It provides exact solutions to Einstein's equations with a Klein-Gordon field and analyzes their evolution to identify initial conditions that lead to inflation.

Findings

Certain initial conditions lead to successful inflation

Quantum events may set the initial conditions for inflation

Exact solutions illustrate the transition to inflationary cosmology

Abstract

We present a class of exact solutions to the constraint equations of General Relativity coupled to a Klein - Gordon field, these solutions being isotropic but not homogeneous. We analyze the subsequent evolution of the consistent Cauchy data represented by those solutions, showing that only certain special initial conditions eventually lead to successfull Inflationary cosmologies. We argue, however, that these initial conditions are precisely the likely outcomes of quantum events occurred before the inflationary era.