Wavefunction of the universe: reparametrization invariance and field redefinitions of the minisuperspace path integral (Q2057814)

The initial singularity of cosmology and the transition to an inflationary evolution are fundamental questions expected to be answered by a successful quantum gravity model. The careful analysis in this paper considers a mini-superspace wavefunction of a closed homogeneous and isotropic universe with a cosmological constant as only source term. The authors construct the quantum state as a Euclidean path integral satisfying the no boundary condition. We discuss the reparametrization properties of both the time coordinate and the cosmic scale factor. The path integral is solved with the steepest descent approximation. The time transformation leads to gauge-invariant predictions, while the wavefunction for different choices of the scale factor parametrization get identical predictions only in the semiclassical approximation. Its applicability for the considered problem however seems problematic. The paper delivers a certain intermediate step in overcoming the fundamental problems raised by the big-bang singularity for cosmology. The inclusion of sources as scalar fields in the action will allow more realistic predictions for quantum cosmology.