Probability distribution for the quantum universe

Abstract

We determine the inner product on the Hilbert space of wavefunctions of the universe by imposing the Hermiticity of the quantum Hamiltonian in the context of the minisuperspace model. The corresponding quantum probability density reproduces successfully the classical probability distribution in the ħ → 0 limit, for closed universes filled with a perfect fluid of index w. When −1/3 < w ≤ 1, the wavefunction is normalizable and the quantum probability density becomes vanishingly small at the big bang/big crunch singularities, at least at the semiclassical level. Quantum expectation values of physical geometrical quantities, which diverge classically at the singularities, are shown to be finite.