Does string theory predict an open universe?

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSLETB.2008.01.007zbMATH Open1246.83247arXivhep-th/0610231OpenAlexW2050027895MaRDI QIDQ446992FDOQ446992

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

Publication date: 8 September 2012

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

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.

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

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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)

Cites Work

• Quantum production of black holes

Cited In (2)

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

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