2008/05/31 by Abhay Ashtekar, Edward Wilson-Ewing · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.78.064047
published as Phys.Rev.D78:064047,2008 · 15 pages, 3 figures. Minor typos corrected and one reference added
arxiv created 2008/08/22 · arxiv updated 2010/05/12
We examine Bousso's covariant entropy bound conjecture in the context of radiation filled, spatially flat, Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models. The bound is violated near the big bang. However, the hope has been that quantum gravity effects would intervene and protect it. Loop quantum cosmology provides a near ideal setting for investigating this issue. For, on the one hand, quantum geometry effects resolve the singularity and, on the other hand, the wave function is sharply peaked at a quantum corrected but smooth geometry which can supply the structure needed to test the bound. We find that the bound is respected. We suggest that the bound need not be an essential ingredient for a quantum gravity theory but may emerge from it under suitable circumstances.