Lectures on string/brane cosmology

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent developments in string theory-based cosmology, focusing on brane dynamics, time-dependent backgrounds, and their potential to explain inflation or alternative early universe scenarios.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of how string theory concepts like branes and tachyons can be applied to cosmological models, highlighting recent progress and ideas.

Findings

Brane dynamics can potentially generate inflationary scenarios.

Time-dependent backgrounds like S-branes have cosmological implications.

Rolling tachyon models offer alternative approaches to early universe cosmology.

Abstract

An overview is presented of some cosmological aspects of string theory. Recent developments are emphasised, especially the attempts to derive inflation or alternatives to inflation from the dynamics of branes in string theory. Time dependent backgrounds with potential cosmological implications, such as those provided by negative tension branes and S-branes and the rolling string tachyon are also discussed.