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Can the Arrow of Time Be Understood from Quantum Cosmology?

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The Arrows of Time

Part of the book series: Fundamental Theories of Physics ((FTPH,volume 172))

Abstract

I address the question whether the origin of the observed arrow of time can be derived from quantum cosmology. After a general discussion of entropy in cosmology and some numerical estimates, I give a brief introduction into quantum geometrodynamics and argue that this may provide a sufficient framework for studying this question. I then show that a natural boundary condition of low initial entropy can be imposed on the universal wave function. The arrow of time is then correlated with the size of the Universe and emerges from an increasing amount of decoherence due to entanglement with unobserved degrees of freedom. Remarks are also made concerning the arrow of time in multiverse pictures and scenarios motivated by dark energy.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The situation is different for an isolated quantum gravitational system such as a black hole; there, the semiclassical time of the rest of the Universe enters the description [13].

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Acknowledgements

I thank Max Dörner and Tobias Guggenmoser for a careful reading of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Straße 77, 50937, Köln, Germany

    Claus Kiefer

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  1. Claus Kiefer
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Correspondence to Claus Kiefer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599-3255, North Carolina, USA

    Laura Mersini-Houghton

  2. Posener Str. 85, Bietigheim-Bissingen, 74321, Germany

    Rudy Vaas

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Kiefer, C. (2012). Can the Arrow of Time Be Understood from Quantum Cosmology?. In: Mersini-Houghton, L., Vaas, R. (eds) The Arrows of Time. Fundamental Theories of Physics, vol 172. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23259-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23259-6_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-23259-6

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