Bouncing cosmology in the limiting curvature theory of gravity

Abstract

In this paper we discuss models satisfying the limiting curvature condition. For this purpose we modify the Einstein-Hilbert action by adding a term which restricts the growth of curvature. We analyze cosmological solutions in such models. Namely, we consider a closed contracting homogeneous isotropic universe filled with thermal radiation. We demonstrate that for properly chosen curvature constraints such a universe has a bounce. As a result its evolution is nonsingular and contains a "de Sitter-type" supercritical stage connecting contracting and expanding phases. Possible generalizations of these results are briefly discussed.