Nonsingular Dilaton Cosmology

Abstract

We study spatially homogeneous and isotropic solutions to the equations of motion derived from dilaton gravity, in the presence of a special combination of higher derivative terms in the gravitational action. All solutions are nonsingular. For initial conditions resembling those in the pre-big-bang scenario, there are solutions corresponding to a spatially flat, bouncing Universe originating in a dilaton-dominated contracting phase and emerging as an expanding Friedmann Universe.