Graviton Spectra in String Cosmology

We propose to uncover the signature of a stringy era in the primordial Universe by searching for a prominent peak in the relic graviton spectrum. This feature, which in our specific model terminates an ω³ increase and initiates an ω^-7 decrease, is induced during the so far overlooked bounce of the scale factor between the collapsing deflationary era (or pre–big bang) and the expanding inflationary era (or post–big bang). The frequency and the intensity of the peak may likely fall in the realm of the new generation of interferometric detectors. The existence of a peak, at variance with ordinarily monotonic graviton spectra, would therefore offer strong support to string cosmology.