Chaotic inflation theory
Encyclopedia
The Chaotic Inflation theory is a variety of the inflationary universe model, which is itself an outgrowth (or extension) of the Big Bang
theory. Chaotic
Inflation, proposed by physicist Andrei Linde
, models our universe
as one of many that grew as part of a multiverse owing to a vacuum
that had not decayed to its ground state
. In this theory, the peaks in the evolution of a scalar field
(determining the energy of the vacuum) correspond to regions of rapid inflation which dominate, creating "bubble universes", making the structure of space fractal
on the very largest scales, likely at scales larger than the observable universe
. Chaotic Inflation (along with some other types of inflation) is usually a sub-class of eternal inflation, since the expansion of the inflationary peaks exhibit positive feedback
and come to dominate the large scale dynamics of the universe. Alan Guth's
2007 paper, Eternal inflation and its implications details what is now known on the subject, and demonstrates that this particular flavor of inflationary universe theory is relatively current, or is still considered viable, more than 20 years after its inception.
, the Big Bang
model. Although Alexei Starobinsky of the L.D. Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics
in Moscow
developed the first realistic Inflation theory in 1979 he failed to articulate its relevance to modern cosmological problems. Due to political difficulties in the former Soviet Union
, regarding the free exchange of scientific knowledge, most scientists outside the USSR remained ignorant about Starobinsky's work until years later. Starobinsky's model was relatively complicated, however, and said little about how the inflation process could start.
In 1979 Alan Guth
of the United States
developed an inflationary model independently, which did offer a mechanism for inflation to begin, the decay of a so-called false vacuum
into "bubbles" of "true vacuum" that expanded at the speed of light. Guth coined the term, "inflation", and he was the first to discuss the theory with other scientists worldwide. But this formulation was problematic, as there was no consistent way to bring an end to the inflationary epoch and end up with the isotropic, homogeneous Universe observed today. (See False vacuum#Development of theories). In 1982, this "graceful exit problem" was solved by Andreas Albrecht and Paul J. Steinhardt
and also independently by Andrei Linde.
In 1986, Linde published an alternative model of inflation that also reproduced the same successes of new inflation entitled "Eternally Existing Self-Reproducing Chaotic Inflationary Universe", which provides a detailed description of what has become known as the Chaotic Inflation theory or eternal inflation. The Chaotic Inflation theory is in some ways similar to Fred Hoyle
’s Steady state theory
, as it employs the metaphor of a universe that is eternally existing, and thus does not require a unique beginning or an ultimate end of the cosmos.
Past-eternal models have been proposed which adhere to the perfect cosmological principle
and have features of the steady state
cosmos.
The bubble universe model proposes that different regions of this inflationary universe (termed a multiverse) decayed to a true vacuum state at different times, with decaying regions corresponding to "sub"- universes not in causal contact with each other and resulting in different physical laws in different regions which are then subject to "selection" which determine each region's components based upon (dependent on) the survivability of the quantum components within that region. The end result will be a finite number of universes with physical laws consistent within each region of spacetime.
are created. These tiny fluctuations form the primordial seeds for all structure created in the later universe. These fluctuations were first calculated by Viatcheslav Mukhanov and G. V. Chibisov in the Soviet Union
in analyzing Starobinsky's similar model. In the context of inflation, they were worked out independently of the work of Mukhanov and Chibisov at the three-week 1982 Nuffield Workshop on the Very Early Universe at Cambridge University
. The fluctuations were calculated by four groups working separately over the course of the workshop: Stephen Hawking
; Starobinsky; Guth and So-Young Pi; and James M. Bardeen
, Paul Steinhardt
and Michael Turner
.
The agreement of these models with the predictions of WMAP data adds weight to the idea that the universe is caused by such a method. Although promising, many physicist take such evidence with a cautious optimism.
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
theory. Chaotic
Chaos theory
Chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, economics, biology, and philosophy. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the...
Inflation, proposed by physicist Andrei Linde
Andrei Linde
Andrei Dmitriyevich Linde is a Russian-American theoretical physicist and professor of Physics at Stanford University. Dr. Linde is best known for his work on the concept of the inflationary universe. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Moscow State University. In 1975, Linde was...
, models our universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
as one of many that grew as part of a multiverse owing to a vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
that had not decayed to its ground state
Ground state
The ground state of a quantum mechanical system is its lowest-energy state; the energy of the ground state is known as the zero-point energy of the system. An excited state is any state with energy greater than the ground state...
. In this theory, the peaks in the evolution of a scalar field
Scalar field
In mathematics and physics, a scalar field associates a scalar value to every point in a space. The scalar may either be a mathematical number, or a physical quantity. Scalar fields are required to be coordinate-independent, meaning that any two observers using the same units will agree on the...
(determining the energy of the vacuum) correspond to regions of rapid inflation which dominate, creating "bubble universes", making the structure of space fractal
Fractal
A fractal has been defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity...
on the very largest scales, likely at scales larger than the observable universe
Observable universe
In Big Bang cosmology, the observable universe consists of the galaxies and other matter that we can in principle observe from Earth in the present day, because light from those objects has had time to reach us since the beginning of the cosmological expansion...
. Chaotic Inflation (along with some other types of inflation) is usually a sub-class of eternal inflation, since the expansion of the inflationary peaks exhibit positive feedback
Positive feedback
Positive feedback is a process in which the effects of a small disturbance on a system include an increase in the magnitude of the perturbation. That is, A produces more of B which in turn produces more of A. In contrast, a system that responds to a perturbation in a way that reduces its effect is...
and come to dominate the large scale dynamics of the universe. Alan Guth's
Alan Guth
Alan Harvey Guth is an American theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Guth has researched elementary particle theory...
2007 paper, Eternal inflation and its implications details what is now known on the subject, and demonstrates that this particular flavor of inflationary universe theory is relatively current, or is still considered viable, more than 20 years after its inception.
History
Inflation, or the inflationary universe theory, was developed as a way to overcome the few remaining problems with what was otherwise considered a successful theory of cosmologyPhysical cosmology
Physical cosmology, as a branch of astronomy, is the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. For most of human history, it was a branch of metaphysics and religion...
, the Big Bang
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
model. Although Alexei Starobinsky of the L.D. Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
The L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institution, located in the small town of Chernogolovka near Moscow...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
developed the first realistic Inflation theory in 1979 he failed to articulate its relevance to modern cosmological problems. Due to political difficulties in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, regarding the free exchange of scientific knowledge, most scientists outside the USSR remained ignorant about Starobinsky's work until years later. Starobinsky's model was relatively complicated, however, and said little about how the inflation process could start.
In 1979 Alan Guth
Alan Guth
Alan Harvey Guth is an American theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Guth has researched elementary particle theory...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
developed an inflationary model independently, which did offer a mechanism for inflation to begin, the decay of a so-called false vacuum
False vacuum
In quantum field theory, a false vacuum is a metastable sector of space that appears to be a perturbative vacuum, but is unstable due to instanton effects that may tunnel to a lower energy state. This tunneling can be caused by quantum fluctuations or the creation of high-energy particles...
into "bubbles" of "true vacuum" that expanded at the speed of light. Guth coined the term, "inflation", and he was the first to discuss the theory with other scientists worldwide. But this formulation was problematic, as there was no consistent way to bring an end to the inflationary epoch and end up with the isotropic, homogeneous Universe observed today. (See False vacuum#Development of theories). In 1982, this "graceful exit problem" was solved by Andreas Albrecht and Paul J. Steinhardt
Paul Steinhardt
Paul J. Steinhardt is the Albert Einstein Professor of Science at Princeton University and a professor of theoretical physics. He received his B.S. at the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Physics at Harvard University...
and also independently by Andrei Linde.
In 1986, Linde published an alternative model of inflation that also reproduced the same successes of new inflation entitled "Eternally Existing Self-Reproducing Chaotic Inflationary Universe", which provides a detailed description of what has become known as the Chaotic Inflation theory or eternal inflation. The Chaotic Inflation theory is in some ways similar to Fred Hoyle
Fred Hoyle
Sir Fred Hoyle FRS was an English astronomer and mathematician noted primarily for his contribution to the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis and his often controversial stance on other cosmological and scientific matters—in particular his rejection of the "Big Bang" theory, a term originally...
’s Steady state theory
Steady State theory
In cosmology, the Steady State theory is a model developed in 1948 by Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold, Hermann Bondi and others as an alternative to the Big Bang theory...
, as it employs the metaphor of a universe that is eternally existing, and thus does not require a unique beginning or an ultimate end of the cosmos.
Quantum fluctuations of the inflation field
Chaotic Inflation theory models quantum fluctuations in the rate of inflation. Those regions with a higher rate of inflation expand faster and dominate the universe, despite the natural tendency of inflation to end in other regions. This allows inflation to continue forever, to produce future-eternal inflation.Past-eternal models have been proposed which adhere to the perfect cosmological principle
Perfect Cosmological Principle
The Perfect Cosmological Principle states that the Universe is homogenous and isotropic in space and time. In this view the universe looks the same everywhere , the same as it always has and always will...
and have features of the steady state
Steady State theory
In cosmology, the Steady State theory is a model developed in 1948 by Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold, Hermann Bondi and others as an alternative to the Big Bang theory...
cosmos.
Differential decay
In standard inflation, inflationary expansion occurred while the universe was in a false vacuum state, halting when the universe decayed to a true vacuum state becoming a general and inclusive phenomenon with homogeneity throughout, yielding a single expanding universe which is "our general reality" wherein the laws of physics are consistent throughout. In this case, the physical laws "just happen" to be compatible with the evolution of life.The bubble universe model proposes that different regions of this inflationary universe (termed a multiverse) decayed to a true vacuum state at different times, with decaying regions corresponding to "sub"- universes not in causal contact with each other and resulting in different physical laws in different regions which are then subject to "selection" which determine each region's components based upon (dependent on) the survivability of the quantum components within that region. The end result will be a finite number of universes with physical laws consistent within each region of spacetime.
False vacuum and true vacuum
Variants of the bubble universe model postulate multiple false vacuum states, which result in lower-energy false-vacuum "progeny" universes spawned, which in turn produce true vacuum state progeny universes within themselves.Evidence from the Fluctuation Level in our Universe
New inflation does not produce a perfectly symmetric universe; tiny quantum fluctuations in the inflatonInflaton
The inflaton is the generic name of the hypothetical and hitherto unidentified scalar field that may be responsible for the hypothetical inflation in the very early universe...
are created. These tiny fluctuations form the primordial seeds for all structure created in the later universe. These fluctuations were first calculated by Viatcheslav Mukhanov and G. V. Chibisov in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in analyzing Starobinsky's similar model. In the context of inflation, they were worked out independently of the work of Mukhanov and Chibisov at the three-week 1982 Nuffield Workshop on the Very Early Universe at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. The fluctuations were calculated by four groups working separately over the course of the workshop: Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
; Starobinsky; Guth and So-Young Pi; and James M. Bardeen
James M. Bardeen
James Maxwell Bardeen is an American physicist, well known for his work in general relativity, particularly his role in formulating the laws of black hole mechanics. He also discovered the Bardeen vacuum, an exact solution of the Einstein field equation.Bardeen graduated from Harvard in 1960 and...
, Paul Steinhardt
Paul Steinhardt
Paul J. Steinhardt is the Albert Einstein Professor of Science at Princeton University and a professor of theoretical physics. He received his B.S. at the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Physics at Harvard University...
and Michael Turner
Michael Turner (cosmologist)
Michael S. Turner is a theoretical cosmologist, who coined the term dark energy.He is the Bruce V. & Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, and was formerly the Assistant Director for Mathematical and Physical Sciences for the US National Science Foundation...
.
The agreement of these models with the predictions of WMAP data adds weight to the idea that the universe is caused by such a method. Although promising, many physicist take such evidence with a cautious optimism.
See also
- AstrophysicsAstrophysicsAstrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
- Inflation
- CosmologyCosmologyCosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
- Fractal cosmologyFractal cosmologyIn physical cosmology, fractal cosmology is a set of minority cosmological theories which state that the distribution of matter in the Universe, or the structure of the universe itself, is a fractal. More generally, it relates to the usage or appearance of fractals in the study of the universe and...
- Physical cosmologyPhysical cosmologyPhysical cosmology, as a branch of astronomy, is the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. For most of human history, it was a branch of metaphysics and religion...
- Shape of the UniverseShape of the UniverseThe shape of the universe is a matter of debate in physical cosmology over the local and global geometry of the universe which considers both curvature and topology, though, strictly speaking, it goes beyond both...
External links
- 'Multiverse' theory suggested by microwave background BBC News, 3 August 2011 about testing eternal inflation.