Particle creation in the framework of f(G) gravity

Abstract

In this paper, we study the problem of massless particle creation in a flat, homogeneous and isotropic universe in the framework of $f(G)$ gravity. The Bogolyubov coefficients are calculated for the accelerating power-law solutions of the model in a matter dominated universe, from which the total number of created particle per unit volume of space can be obtained. It is proved that the total particle density always has a finite value. Therefore, the Bogolyubov transformations are well-defined and the Hilbert spaces spanned by the vacuum states at different times are unitarily equivalent. We find that the particles with small values of the mode $k$ are produced in the past and particles with large values of $k$ are produced only in the future. The negative pressure resulting from the gravitational particle creation is also determined. It is then argued that this pressure even in the presence of energy density and thermal pressure may affect significantly the cosmic expansion.