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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.06481 |
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| _version_ | 1866915839869976576 |
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| author | Franco, S. Lo Montani, G. |
| author_facet | Franco, S. Lo Montani, G. |
| contents | We present a rigorous formulation of the Quantum Big Bounce for the closed isotropic Universe, filled with a self-interacting scalar field, that emerges from the interaction with an ekpyrotic potential. Working in a covariant approach to the minisuperspace, we demonstrate the quantum equivalence between parametrizations in terms of the logarithmic scale factor and the volume variable. The analogy between the Wheeler-DeWitt equation and the Klein-Gordon equation, alongside a proper definition of asymptotic states, allows the identification of two different bouncing scenarios: one in which the transition occurs over a fixed direction of the internal time arrow, corresponding to a LQC-like scenario, and one involving a reversal of the internal time flow. The high-energy divergence in the former case shows the incompleteness of the WDW theory and the need for regularization. Therefore, the WDW theory is valid up to a given energy threshold. The latter transition, corresponding to an ekpyrotic scenario, is instead well-posed at any energy scale at the first perturbative order. While the Ashtekar school Big Bounce is expected to be recovered when high-energy corrections are included in this scheme, the WDW alone can avoid the cosmological singularity in a quantum mechanical fashion. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_06481 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Quantum Big Bounce in Wheeler-DeWitt scattering theory: Ekpyrotic and LQC-like transitions Franco, S. Lo Montani, G. General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology We present a rigorous formulation of the Quantum Big Bounce for the closed isotropic Universe, filled with a self-interacting scalar field, that emerges from the interaction with an ekpyrotic potential. Working in a covariant approach to the minisuperspace, we demonstrate the quantum equivalence between parametrizations in terms of the logarithmic scale factor and the volume variable. The analogy between the Wheeler-DeWitt equation and the Klein-Gordon equation, alongside a proper definition of asymptotic states, allows the identification of two different bouncing scenarios: one in which the transition occurs over a fixed direction of the internal time arrow, corresponding to a LQC-like scenario, and one involving a reversal of the internal time flow. The high-energy divergence in the former case shows the incompleteness of the WDW theory and the need for regularization. Therefore, the WDW theory is valid up to a given energy threshold. The latter transition, corresponding to an ekpyrotic scenario, is instead well-posed at any energy scale at the first perturbative order. While the Ashtekar school Big Bounce is expected to be recovered when high-energy corrections are included in this scheme, the WDW alone can avoid the cosmological singularity in a quantum mechanical fashion. |
| title | Quantum Big Bounce in Wheeler-DeWitt scattering theory: Ekpyrotic and LQC-like transitions |
| topic | General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.06481 |