Cosmological Singularities and a Conjectured Gravity/Coset Correspondence
Abstract
Description
We review the recently discovered connection between the Belinsky-Khalatnikov-Lifshitz-like ``chaotic'' structure of generic cosmological singularities in eleven-dimensional supergravity and the ``last'' hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebra E(10). This intriguing connection suggests the existence of a hidden ``correspondence'' between supergravity (or even M-theory) and null geodesic motion on the infinite-dimensional coset space K(E(10)). If true, this gravity/coset correspondence would offer a new view of the (quantum) fate of space (and matter) at cosmological singularities.
12 pages, 1 diagram, contribution to ``String Theory and Fundamental Interactions'' -- in celebration of Gabriele Veneziano's 65th birthday -- eds. M. Gasperini and J. Maharana, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 2007
12 pages, 1 diagram, contribution to ``String Theory and Fundamental Interactions'' -- in celebration of Gabriele Veneziano's 65th birthday -- eds. M. Gasperini and J. Maharana, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 2007