Quantum Cosmology - The Supersymmetric Perspective - Vol. 2. Vol.2

We read in order to know we are not alone, I once heard, and perhaps it could also be suggested that we write in order not to be alone, to endorse, to promote continuity. The idea for this book took about 10 years to materialize, and it is the author's hope that its content will constitute the beginning of further explorations beyond current horizons. More speci cally, this book appeals to the reader to engage upon and persevere with a journey, moving through the less well explored territories in the evolution of the very early universe, and pushing towards new landscapes. P- haps, during or after consulting this book, this attitude and this willingness will be embraced by someone, somewhere, and this person will go on to enrich our quantum cosmological description of the early universe, by means of a clearer supersymm- ric perspective. It is to these creative and inquisitive 'young minds' that the book is addressed. The reader will not therefore nd in this book all the answers to all the problems regarding a supersymmetric and quantum description of the early universe, and this remark is substantiated in the book by a list of unresolved and challenging problems, itself incomplete.

This two-volume work treats what we know, what we think we now and what we think we do not know on an equal footing, as much as possible. It teaches to ask the right questions rather than to expect to find some definitive answers.

Overview.- Further Essentials.- 'Observational' Quantum Cosmology.- Additional SUSY and SUGRA Issues SUSY SUSY breaking SUSY supersymmetric quantum mechanics Supersymmetric quantum mechanics (SQM) .- Semiclassical N=1 Supergravity.- Complementary Frameworks in SQC.- Further Explorations in SQC N = 1 SUGRA.- Connections and Loops Within SQC SQC connection quantization SQC loop quantization SQC Ashtekar-Jacobson formulation .- SQC Matrix Representation.- N = 2 (Local) Conformal Supersymmetry.- More Points of Departure.- More Obstacles and Results: From QC to SQC.- More Routes Beyond the Borders.