Bouncing universes and their perturbations : a simple model revisited

Abstract

We reconsider the toy model studied in [1] of a spatially closed Friedmann-Lemaitre universe, driven by a massive scalar field, which deflates quasi-exponentially, bounces and then enters a period of standard inflation. We find that the equations for the matter density perturbations can be solved analytically, at least at lowest order in some "slow-roll" parameter. We can therefore give, in that limit, the explicit spectrum of the post-bounce perturbations in terms of their pre-bounce initial spectrum. Our result is twofold. If the pre-bounce growing and decaying modes are of the same order of magnitude at the bounce, then the spectrum of the pre-bounce growing modes is carried over to the post-bounce decaying modes ("mode inversion"). On the other hand, if, more likely, the pre-bounce growing modes dominate, then resolution at next order indicates that their spectrum is nicely carried over, with reduced amplitude, to the post-bounce growing modes.