Development of dimensional universe since big bang.

[BernieM]

I have seen it tossed about and I think it is generally accepted, that the universe began as a single dimensional event, at some point gaining a second dimension, then finally a third. Was time present during the entire 'event' as a co-existing diemnsion, fully developed and functional as it is today? Or did it come along at some later point in the development of the universe? Only after the three space dimensions were existent? If it was present at the 'beginning' then wouldn't the universe have been 2 dimensional? Time and 1 space dimension? When a dimension 'appears', as when the 2nd spatial dimension came into existence, did it sweep the entire universe as a wave? Happen simultaneously throughout the universe? Or did it only occur at locations where the temperature had dropped to some magical trigger value? And what of time today (4th dimension)? Is it possible that time is not currently fully what it will become? That it is in the process of 'becoming' a 4th dimension but currently isn't fully manifesting it's properties? And if time was not existent until some later point in the development/expansion of the universe, (or is not yet fully manfiest), how would that affect the big picture of the big bang or the future of the universe?

 

[DaveC426913]

I have seen it tossed about and I think it is generally accepted, that the universe began as a single dimensional event, at some point gaining a second dimension, then finally a third.

I have never heard of such a hypothesis. Can you point me at some sources?

 

[BernieM]

"A refreshingly simple new idea has emerged in the complicated world of high energy physics. It proposes that the early universe was a one-dimensional line. Not an exploding sphere, not a chaotic ball of fire. Just a simple line of pure energy.

Over time, as that line grew, it crisscrossed and intersected itself more and more, gradually forming a tightly interwoven fabric, which, at large distances, appeared as a 2-D plane. More time passed and the 2-D universe expanded and twisted about, eventually creating a web — the 3-D universe we see today.

"

http://langa.posterous.com/new-theory-rethinks-big-bang-the-universe-add

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/110316_dimensions.htm

http://zidbits.com/2011/04/did-the-early-universe-only-have-1-dimension/

Hmmm ... ok well upon closer examination it seems that this is a recently proposed theory and perhaps not 'generally accepted' as I originally stated. But I think it would be interesting anyhow to 'explore' the possibilities of how things would work, manifest and progress in a universe that incrementally developed dimensions.

 

[Nabeshin]

Here is the original paper:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1102.3434

Using the idea stated here:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1003.5914

As far as I can tell, the thrust of the argument is that the dimensionality (whether or not that is actual dimensionality or apparent is unclear to me) of spacetime somehow changes based on energy scale. However, this is opposite of the string theory paradigm, in which as you probe higher energies you increasingly become sensitive to these extra dimensions. In such a model, as you probe higher energies the dimensionality decreases.

Unfortunately, I can't really glean any physical reasoning behind why such a process would actually occur. But it's certainly a new idea, not generally accepted at all (seems only a handful of people have talked about it).