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Removing complexity layers from the universe's creation

Date:
July 26, 2013
Source:
Springer Science+Business Media
Summary:
Understanding complexity in the early universe may require combining simpler models to interpret cosmological observations. Complicated statistical behavior observed in complex systems such as early universe can often be understood if it is broken down into simpler ones. Physicists have just published results pertaining to theoretical predictions of such cosmological systems’ dynamics.
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Complicated statistical behaviour observed in complex systems such as early universe can often be understood if it is broken down into simpler ones. Two physicists, Petr Jizba (currently affiliated with the Czech Technical University in Prague), and Fabio Scardigli (now working at Kyoto University in Japan), have just published results in the European Physical Journal C pertaining to theoretical predictions of such cosmological systems' dynamics.

Their work focuses on complex dynamical systems whose statistical behaviour can be explained in terms of a superposition of simpler underlying dynamics. They found that the combination of two cornerstones of contemporary physics -- namely Einstein's special relativity and quantum-mechanical dynamics -- is mathematically identical to a complex dynamical system described by two interlocked processes operating at different energy scales. The combined dynamic obeys Einstein's special relativity even though neither of the two underlying dynamics does. This implies that Einstein's special relativity might well be an emergent concept and suggests that it would be worthwhile to further develop Einstein's insights to take into account the quantum structure of space and time.

To model the double process in question, the authors consider quantum mechanical dynamics in a background space consisting of a number of small crystal-like domains varying in size and composition, known as polycrystalline space. There, particles exhibit an analogous motion to pollen grains in water, referred to as Brownian motion. The observed relativistic dynamics then comes solely from a particular grain distribution in the polycrystalline space. In the cosmological context such distribution might form during the early universe's formation.

Finally, the authors' new interpretation focuses on the interaction of a quantum particle with gravity, that, according to Einstein's general relativity, can be understood as propagation in curved space-time. The non-existence of the relativistic dynamics on the basic level of the description leads to a natural mechanism for the formation of asymmetry between particles and anti-particles. When coupled with an inflationary cosmology, the authors' approach predicts that a charge asymmetry should have been produced at ultra-minute fractions of seconds after the Big Bang. This prediction is in agreement with constraints born out of recent cosmological observations.


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Journal Reference:

  1. Petr Jizba, Fabio Scardigli. Special relativity induced by granular space. The European Physical Journal C, 2013; 73 (7) DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-013-2491-x

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Springer Science+Business Media. "Removing complexity layers from the universe's creation." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 July 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130726121543.htm>.
Springer Science+Business Media. (2013, July 26). Removing complexity layers from the universe's creation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130726121543.htm
Springer Science+Business Media. "Removing complexity layers from the universe's creation." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130726121543.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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