String cosmology versus standard and inflationary cosmology

Abstract

This paper presents a review of the basic, model-independent differences between the pre-big bang scenario, arising naturally in a string cosmology context, and the standard inflationary scenario. We use an unconventional approach in which the introduction of technical details is avoided as much as possible, trying to focus the reader's attention on the main conceptual aspects of both scenarios. The aim of the paper is not to conclude in favour either of one or of the other scenario, but to raise questions that are left to the reader's meditation. Warnings: the paper does not contain equations, and is not intended as a complete review of all aspects of string cosmology.

22 pages, Latex (IOP Style), three figures included using epsfig. To appear in Class. Quantum Grav. (Topical Review Section). Two misprints corrected

References in corpus (6)

• The graceful exit in pre-big bang string cosmology
• Nonsingular Dilaton Cosmology in the String Frame
• On the response of gravitational antennas to dilatonic waves
• Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies and extra dimensions in String Cosmology
• M-theory resolution of four-dimensional cosmological singularities via U-duality
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Cited by in corpus (11)

• The Pre-Big Bang Scenario in String Cosmology
• Superstring Cosmology
• Quintessence as a run-away dilaton
• Generation of large scale magnetic fields at recombination epoch
• On the gravitational waves on the background of anomaly-induced inflation
• A simple quantum cosmology
• Canonical and quantum FRW cosmological solutions in M-theory
• Global phase time and path integral for string cosmological models
• Pre-big bang in M-theory
• A note on wavemap-tensor cosmologies
• Bouncing completion of eternal inflation