Published December 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

Symmetric points in the landscape as cosmological attractors

  • 1. Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz CA 95064 (United States)

Description

In the landscape, if there is to be any prospect of scientific prediction, it is crucial that there be states which are distinguished in some way. The obvious candidates are states which exhibit symmetries. Here we focus on states which exhibit discrete symmetries. Such states are rare, but one can speculate that they are cosmological attractors. We investigate the problem in model landscapes and cosmologies which capture some of the features of candidate flux landscapes. In non-supersymmetric theories we find no evidence that such states might be cosmologically favored. In supersymmetric theories, simple arguments suggest that states which exhibit R symmetries might be. Our considerations lead us to raise questions about some popular models of eternal inflation.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1126-6708/2009/12/013

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of High Energy Physics
Journal Volume
12
Journal Issue
2009
Journal Page Range
p. 013
ISSN
1126-6708

INIS

Country of Publication
Italy
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
41071343
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
ATTRACTORS; COSMOLOGY; FORECASTING; INFLATIONARY UNIVERSE; SUPERSYMMETRY
Descriptors DEC
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; SYMMETRY