Toward the End of Time

Abstract

The null-brane space-time provides a simple model of a big crunch/big bang singularity. A non-perturbative definition of M-theory on this space-time was recently provided using matrix theory. We derive the fermion couplings for this matrix model and study the leading quantum effects. These effects include particle production and a time-dependent potential. Our results suggest that as the null-brane develops a big crunch singularity, the usual notion of space-time is replaced by an interacting gluon phase. This gluon phase appears to constitute the end of our conventional picture of space and time.

31 pages, reference added

References in corpus (3)

• Time Dependent Cosmologies and Their Duals
• Matrix Membrane Big Bangs and D-brane Production
• Supersymmteric Null-like Holographic Cosmologies

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Insightful D-branes
• A Short Review of Time Dependent Solutions and Space-like Singularities in String Theory
• Supersymmetric Intersecting Branes in Time-dependent Backgrounds
• Towards A Nonsingular Tachyonic Big Crunch
• Matrix Big Brunch
• Open String Descriptions of Space-like Singularities in Two Dimensional String Theory
• Interactions for Winding Strings in Misner Space