Does Our Universe Prefer Exotic Smoothness?

• Main Authors: Torsten Asselmeyer-Maluga, Jerzy Król, Tomasz Miller
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: Symmetry
• Subjects: exotic <i>r</i>⁴ and cosmology; space topology changes; exotic k3; spacetime
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/12/1/98

Various experimentally verified values of physical parameters indicate that the universe evolves close to the topological phase of exotic smoothness structures on <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mi mathvariant="double-struck">R</mi> <mn>4</mn> </msup> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and K3 surface. The structures determine the <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi>&#945;</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> parameter of the Starobinski model, the number of <i>e</i>-folds, the spectral tilt, the scalar-to-tensor ratio and the GUT and electroweak energy scales, as topologically supported quantities. Neglecting exotic <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mi>R</mi> <mn>4</mn> </msup> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and K3 leaves these free parameters undetermined. We present general physical and mathematical reasons for such preference of exotic smoothness. It appears that the spacetime should be formed on open domains of smooth <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mrow> <mi mathvariant="normal">K</mi> <mn>3</mn> </mrow> <mo>#</mo> <mover> <mrow> <mi>C</mi> <msup> <mi>P</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> <mo>&#175;</mo> </mover> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> at extra-large scales possibly exceeding our direct observational capacities. Such potent explanatory power of the formalism is not that surprising since there exist natural physical conditions, which we state explicitly, that allow for the unique determination of a spacetime within the exotic K3.