Effective dynamics of the hybrid quantization of the Gowdy T^3 universe

Understand

The quantum dynamics of the linearly polarized Gowdy T^3 model (compact inhomogeneous universes admitting linearly polarized gravitational waves) is analyzed within Loop Quantum Cosmology by means of an effective dynamics.

• The analysis, performed via analytical and numerical methods, proves that the behavior found in the evolution of vacuum (homogeneous) Bianchi I universes is preserved qualitatively also in the presence of inhomogeneities.
• More precisely, the initial singularity is replaced by a big bounce which joins deterministically two large classical universes.
• In addition, we show that the size of the universe at the bounce is at least of the same order of magnitude (roughly speaking) as the size of the corresponding homogeneous universe obtained in the absence of gravitational waves.