f(R) quantum cosmology: Avoiding the big rip

Ana Alonso-Serrano, Mariam Bouhmadi-López, and Prado Martín-Moruno
Phys. Rev. D 98, 104004 – Published 8 November 2018

Abstract

Extended theories of gravity have gathered a lot of attention over the past years, for they not only provide an excellent framework to describe the inflationary era but also yield an alternative to the elusive and mysterious dark energy. Among the different extended theories of gravity, in this work we focus on metric f(R) theories. In addition, it is well known that if the late-time acceleration of the Universe is stronger than the one induced by a cosmological constant, then some future cosmic singularities might arise, the big rip being the most virulent one. Following this reasoning, in this work, we analyze the big rip singularity in the framework of f(R) quantum geometrodynamics. Invoking the DeWitt criterion, i.e., that the wave function vanishes at the classical singularity, we prove that a class of solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation fulfilling this condition can be found. Therefore, this result hints toward the avoidance of the big rip in metric f(R) theories of gravity.

  • Received 17 August 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.98.104004

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Authors & Affiliations

Ana Alonso-Serrano*

  • Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Albert Einstein Institute, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany and Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, 18000 Prague, Czech Republic

Mariam Bouhmadi-López

  • Department of Theoretical Physics, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain and IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain

Prado Martín-Moruno

  • Departamento de Física Teórica and UPARCOS, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain

  • *ana.alonso.serrano@aei.mpg.de
  • mariam.bouhmadi@ehu.eus
  • pradomm@ucm.es

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Issue

Vol. 98, Iss. 10 — 15 November 2018

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