The Dark Matter Problem in Light of Quantum Gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores how tiny quantum gravitational fluctuations accumulated over large distances could explain cosmological observations, potentially reconciling nucleosynthesis bounds with inflationary predictions and accounting for variations in the Universe's density.

Contribution

It introduces a method to compute the impact of quantum gravity fluctuations on the Universe's energy density, linking quantum effects to large-scale cosmological phenomena.

Findings

Quantum gravitational fluctuations can influence the Universe's energy density.

The approach may reconcile nucleosynthesis bounds with inflationary models.

It explains the observed variation of the density parameter with distance.

Abstract

We show how, by considering the cumulative effect of tiny quantum gravitational fluctuations over very large distances, it may be possible to: ($a$) reconcile nucleosynthesis bounds on the density parameter of the Universe with the predictions of inflationary cosmology, and ($b$) reproduce the inferred variation of the density parameter with distance. Our calculation can be interpreted as a computation of the contribution of quantum gravitational degrees of freedom to the (local) energy density of the Universe.