Does string theory predict an open universe?

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSLETB.2008.01.007MaRDI QIDQ446992zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Roman V. Buniy, Stephen D. H. Hsu, Anthony Zee

Publication date 8 September 2012

Published in Physics Letters B (Search for Journal in Brave)

Copyright license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0610231

zbMATH Keywords

string theorymetastable string vacua

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

String and superstring theories; other extended objects (e.g., branes) in quantum field theory (81T30) String and superstring theories in gravitational theory (83E30) Relativistic cosmology (83F05)

Abstract: It has been claimed that the string landscape predicts an open universe, with negative curvature. The prediction is a consequence of a large number of metastable string vacua, and the properties of the Coleman--De Luccia instanton which describes vacuum tunneling. We examine the robustness of this claim, which is of particular importance since it seems to be one of string theory's few claims to falsifiability. We find that, due to subleading tunneling processes, the prediction is sensitive to unknown properties of the landscape. Under plausible assumptions, universes like ours are as likely to be closed as open.

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Cites work

• Quantum production of black holes

Cited in

(2)

• Observable relics of the simple harmonic universe
• Exponential quintessence: curved, steep and stringy?

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