String cosmology and dilaton

Abstract

We discuss some aspects of string cosmology with an emphasis on the role played by the dilaton. A cosmological scenario based on the assumption that all spatial dimensions are periodic so that winding modes play an important role is reviewed. A possibility of a transition from a `string phase' to the `standard' cosmology via a radiation dominated era and inflation is analysed. We also summarise some recent results about time dependent solutions of tree level string equations.

30 pages, DAMTP-92-36, harvmac