Creation of an Inflationary Universe from 'Nothing' in a Higher-Dimensional Theory of Gravity with Higher-Derivative Terms

摘要

The Universe may have been created from 'nothing' as a quasi-de Sitter space-time, by a process of quantum tunnelling. The probability P for such a tunnelling process to occur is proportional to exp(-chemically bondSsub(E)chemically bond), where Ssub(E) is the Euclidean action. The maximum probability corresponds to a configuration with Ssub(E)=O. This idea can be realized in a higher-dimensional theory of gravity with higher derivative terms, in which a scalar field phi arises as the inverse radius function of the internal space. Subsequent evolution of the field phi may permit inflation. 39 refs. (Atomindex citation 17:030014)