Orbifolds, Quantum Cosmology, and Nontrivial Topology
Loading...
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
In order to include nontrivial spatial topologies in the problem of quantum creation of a universe, it seems to be necessary to generalize the sum over compact, smooth 4-manifolds to a sum over finite-volume, compact 4-orbifolds. We consider in detail the case of a 4-spherical orbifold with a cone-point singularity. This allows for the inclusion of a nontrivial topology in the semiclassical path integral approach to quantum cosmology, in the context of a Robertson-Walker minisuperspace.
Contribution to the XXVII National Meeting on the Physics of Particles and Fields (Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil, Sep. 2006). Revisions: Equation (10) corrected; First paragraph of Sec. 2 reworded; Ref. [12] modified
Contribution to the XXVII National Meeting on the Physics of Particles and Fields (Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil, Sep. 2006). Revisions: Equation (10) corrected; First paragraph of Sec. 2 reworded; Ref. [12] modified