McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

Informal Pizza Seminar

Eternal Inflation without Quantum Gravity

George F.R. Ellis

University of Cape Town

We argue that inflation can be past-infinite, and that furthermore, the quantum gravity regime can be avoided. We present 3 classes of such universes based on standard general relativity (with ordinary matter and a usual scalar field) where there is no horizon problem and cosmological dynamics are governed by Einstein's theory throughout the history of the universe. One class of models is ever-expanding. In another class, the vacuum energy has its current value in the early universe.

Tuesday, February 11th 2003, 13:00
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 326