Uncertainty relations for cosmological particle creation and existence of large fluctuations in reheating

We derive an uncertainty relation for the energy density and pressure of a quantum scalar field in a time-dependent, homogeneous and isotropic, classical background, which implies the existence of large fluctuations comparable to their vacuum expectation values. A similar uncertainty relation is known to hold for the field square since the field can be viewed as a Gaussian random variable. We discuss possible implications of these results for the reheating process in scalar field driven inflationary models, where reheating is achieved by the decay of the coherently oscillating inflaton field. Specifically we argue that the evolution after backreaction can seriously be altered by the existence of these fluctuations. For example, in one model the coherence of the inflaton oscillations is found to be completely lost in a very short time after backreaction starts. Therefore we argue that entering a smooth phase in thermal equilibrium is questionable in such models and reheating might destroy the smoothness attained by inflation.Comment: 6 pages, essay written for the Gravity Research Foundation 2011 Awards for Essays on Gravitation, Received Honorable Mentio

The complexity of the topological conjugacy problem for Toeplitz subshifts

In this paper, we analyze the Borel complexity of the topological conjugacy relation on Toeplitz subshifts. More specifically, we prove that topological conjugacy of Toeplitz subshifts with separated holes is hyperfinite. Indeed, we show that the topological conjugacy relation is hyperfinite on a larger class of Toeplitz subshifts which we call Toeplitz subshifts with growing blocks. This result provides a partial answer to a question asked by Sabok and Tsankov

Linear Cosmological Perturbations in D-brane Gases

We consider linear cosmological perturbations on the background of a D-brane gas in which the compact dimensions and the dilaton are stabilized. We focus on long wavelength fluctuations and find that there are no instabilities. In particular, the perturbation of the internal space performs damped oscillations and decays in time. Therefore, the stabilization mechanism based on D-brane gases in string theory remains valid in the presence of linearized inhomogeneities.Comment: 11 pages, v2: minor changes, references added, to appear in JHE