The Pseudo-Conformal Universe: Scale Invariance from Spontaneous Breaking of Conformal Symmetry

Understand

We present a novel theory of the very early universe which addresses the traditional horizon and flatness problems of big bang cosmology and predicts a scale invariant spectrum of perturbations.

• Unlike inflation, this scenario requires no exponential accelerated expansion of space-time.
• Instead, the early universe is described by a conformal field theory minimally coupled to gravity.
• The conformal fields develop a time-dependent expectation value which breaks the flat space so(4,2) conformal symmetry down to so(4,1), the symmetries of de Sitter, giving perturbations a scale invariant spectrum.