Brane cosmology

Brane cosmology refers to several theories in particle physics and cosmology motivated by, but not exclusively derived from, superstring theory and M-theory.

Brane and bulk

The central idea is that the visible, four-dimensional universe is restricted to a brane inside a higher-dimensional space, called the "bulk". The additional dimensions are compact, in which case the observed universe contains the extra dimensions, and then no reference to the bulk is appropriate in this context. In the bulk model, other branes may be moving through this bulk. Interactions with the bulk, and possibly with other branes, can influence our brane and thus introduce effects not seen in more standard cosmological models.

Why gravity is weak

As one of its attractive features, the model can explain the weakness of gravity relative to the other fundamental forces of nature, thus solving the so-called hierarchy problem. In the brane picture, the other three forces (electromagnetism and the weak and strong nuclear forces) are localised on the brane, but gravity has no such constraint and so much of its attractive power "leaks" into the bulk. As a consequence, the force of gravity should appear significantly stronger on small (subatomic or at least sub-millimetre) scales, where less gravitational force has "leaked". Various experiments are currently underway to test this. [ [http://flux.aps.org/meetings/YR04/APR04/baps/abs/S690.html Session D9 - Experimental Tests of Short Range Gravitation.] ]

Models of brane cosmology

The Randall-Sundrum (RS1 and RS2; see "5 dimensional warped geometry theory" for a nontechnical explanation of RS1), pre-big bang, ekpyrotic and cyclic scenarios are particular models of brane cosmology which have attracted a considerable amount of attention. The ekpyrotic theory hypothesizes that the origin of the observable universe occurred when two parallel branes collided. [cite news | last = Musser | first = George | coauthors = Minkel, JR | title = A Recycled Universe: Crashing branes and cosmic acceleration may power an infinite cycle in which our universe is but a phase | language = | publisher = Scientific American Inc. | date = 2002-02-11 | url = http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-recycled-universe | accessdate = 2008-05-03]

ee also

*Kaluza-Klein theory
*M-theory
*String theory
*Loop quantum cosmology

References

External links

*cite web
author=Brax, Philippe; van de Bruck, Carsten
title=Cosmology and Brane Worlds: A Review
publisher=arXiv.org e-Print archive
year=2003
work=
url=http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0303095/
accessmonthday=January 1
accessyear=2006 – Cosmological consequences of the brane world scenario are reviewed in a pedagogical manner.
*cite web
author=Langlois, David
title=Brane cosmology: an introduction
publisher=arXiv.org e-Print archive
year=2002
work=
url=http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0209261/
accessmonthday=January 1
accessyear=2006 – These notes (32 pages) give an introductory review on brane cosmology.
*cite web
author=Papantonopoulos, Eleftherios
title=Brane Cosmology
publisher=arXiv.org e-Print archive
year=2002
work=
url=http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0202044/
accessmonthday=January 1
accessyear=2006 – Lectures (24 pages) presented at the First Aegean Summer School on Cosmology, Samos, September 2001.

* [http://xstructure.inr.ac.ru/x-bin/theme2.py?arxiv=hep-th&level=1&index1=4088468 Brane cosmology on arxiv.org]
* [http://www.sciamdigital.com/index.cfm?fa=Products.ViewIssuePreview&ARTICLEID_CHAR=9D2C5D4D-2B35-221B-6C9DB167634A6DDB Dimensional Shortcuts - evidence for sterile neutrino; (August 2007; Scientific American)]