Singularity-free cosmological solutions in quadratic gravity - art. no. 083512

We study a general field theory of a scalar held coupled to gravity through a quadratic Gauss-Bonnet term xi(phi)R-GB(2). The coupling function has th e form xi(phi) = phi(n), where n is a positive integer, in the absence of t he Gauss-Bonnet term, the cosmological solutions for an empty universe and a universe dominated by the energy-momentum tensor of a scalar field are al ways characterized by the occurrence of a true cosmological singularity. By employing analytical, and numerical methods, we show that, in the presence of the quadratic Gauss-Bonnet term. for the dual case of even n, the set o f solutions of the classical equations of motion in a curved FRW background includes singularity-free cosmological solutions. The singular solutions a re shown to be confined in a part of the phase space of the theory allowing the nan-singular solutions to fill the rest of the space. We conjecture th at the same theory with a general coupling function that satisfies certain criteria may lead to non-singular cosmological solutions. [S0556-2821(99)01 804-4].