Cosmic evolution from phase transition of three-dimensional flat space

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Nov 1;111(18):181301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.181301. Epub 2013 Oct 28.

Abstract

Flat space cosmology spacetimes are exact time-dependent solutions of three-dimensional gravity theories, such as Einstein gravity or topologically massive gravity. We exhibit a novel kind of phase transition between these cosmological spacetimes and the Minkowski vacuum. At sufficiently high temperature, (rotating) hot flat space tunnels into a universe described by flat space cosmology.