Why do we live in 3+1 dimensions?

2005/01/31 by Ruth Durrer, M. Kunz, Martin Kunz +1 · 68 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Biology #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Brane cosmology #Context (archaeology) #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Entropy (arrow of time) #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Mathematical physics #Physics #String (physics) #Thermodynamics #Universe #astro-ph #gr-qc #hep-ph #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2005.04.023

published in Physics Letters B 614(3-4), 125-130 (Elsevier BV) · 9 pages, 4 figures. Citations added, text and figures updated to match version accepted for publication

openalex publication_date 2005/04/20 · arxiv created 2005/04/21 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

In the context of string theory we argue that higher-dimensional Dp-branes unwind and evaporate so that we are left with D3-branes embedded in a (9+1)-dimensional bulk. One of these D3-branes plays the rôle of our Universe. Within this picture, the evaporation of the higher-dimensional Dp-branes provides the entropy of our Universe.

Citations

• Superstrings in the early universe
• An Alternative to Compactification
• The Hierarchy Problem and New Dimensions at a Millimeter
• D-brane anti-brane annihilation in an expanding universe

Cited by

• Stabilization of extra dimensions and the dimensionality of the observed space
• Moduli Stabilization in String Gas Cosmology
• Quantum Gravity and Cosmology: an intimate interplay
• Formation & evolution of cosmic superstrings: a short review
• Conceptual Problems of Inflationary Cosmology and a New Approach to Cosmological Structure Formation

Related

• Relaxation Principle in (n+1) Dimensions
• Why Do We Live in 3+1 Dimensions?
• On the dimensionality of spacetime
• Indirect signals from braneworlds
• Why we live in 3 Dimensions