Cosmic Evolution from Phase Transition of Three-Dimensional Flat Space

Flat space cosmology spacetimes are exact time-dependent solutions of three-dimensional gravity theories, such as Einstein gravity or topologically massive gravity. We exhibit a novel kind of phase transition between these cosmological spacetimes and the Minkowski vacuum. At sufficiently high temper...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bagchi, Arjun (Contributor), Detournay, Stephane (Author), Grumiller, Daniel (Author), Simon, Joan (Author)
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Theoretical Physics (Contributor)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society, 2014-02-14T17:20:12Z.
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Summary:Flat space cosmology spacetimes are exact time-dependent solutions of three-dimensional gravity theories, such as Einstein gravity or topologically massive gravity. We exhibit a novel kind of phase transition between these cosmological spacetimes and the Minkowski vacuum. At sufficiently high temperature, (rotating) hot flat space tunnels into a universe described by flat space cosmology.