Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric

About: Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4113 publications have been published within this topic receiving 87752 citations. The topic is also known as: FLRW metric.

Jerk and the cosmological equation of state

Abstract: Taylor expanding the cosmological equation of state around the current epoch is the simplest model one can consider that does not make any a priori restrictions on the nature of the cosmological fluid. Most popular cosmological models attempt to be ``predictive'', in the sense that once somea priori equation of state is chosen the Friedmann equations are used to determine the evolution of the FRW scale factor a(t). In contrast, a retrodictive approach might usefully take observational dataconcerning the scale factor, and use the Friedmann equations to infer an observed cosmological equation of state. In particular, the value and derivatives of the scale factor determined at the current epoch place constraints on the value and derivatives of the cosmological equation of state at the current epoch. Determining the first three Taylor coefficients of the equation of state at the current epoch requires a measurement of the deceleration, jerk, and snap -- the second, third, and fourth derivatives of the scale factor with respect to time. Higher-order Taylor coefficients in the equation of state are related to higher-order time derivatives of the scale factor. Since the jerk and snap are rather difficult to measure, being related to the third and fourth terms in the Taylor series expansion of the Hubble law, it becomes clear why direct observational constraints on the cosmological equation of state are so relatively weak; and are likely to remain weak for the foreseeable future.

On the stability of the Einstein Static Universe in Massive Gravity

Abstract: We consider static cosmological solutions along with their stability properties in the framework of a recently proposed theory of massive gravity. We show that the modifcation introduced in the cosmological equations leads to several new solutions, only sourced by a perfect fluid, generalizing the Einstein Static Universe found in General Relativity. Using dynamical system techniques and numerical analysis, we show that the found solutions can be either neutrally stable or unstable against spatially homogeneous and isotropic perturbations.

Tensor perturbations in quantum cosmological backgrounds

Abstract: In the description of the dynamics of tensor perturbations on a homogeneous and isotropic background cosmological model, it is well known that a simple Hamiltonian can be obtained if one assumes that the background metric satisfies Einstein classical field equations. This makes it possible to analyse the quantum evolution of the perturbations since their dynamics depends only on this classical background. In this paper, we show that this simple Hamiltonian can also be obtained from the Einstein–Hilbert Lagrangian without making use of any assumption about the dynamics of the background metric. In particular, it can be used in situations where the background metric is also quantized, hence providing a substantial simplification over the direct approach originally developed by Halliwell and Hawking.

Complete solutions to the metric of spherically collapsing dust in an expanding spacetime with a cosmological constant

Abstract: We present elliptic solutions to the background equations describing the Lemaitre–Tolman–Bondi metric as well as the homogeneous Friedmann equation, in the presence of dust, curvature and a cosmological constant Λ. For none of the presented solutions any numerical integration has to be performed. All presented solutions are given for expanding and collapsing phases, preserving continuity in time and radius; both radial and angular scale functions are given. Hence, these solutions describe the complete spacetime of a collapsing spherical object in an expanding universe, as well as those of ever expanding objects. In the appendix we present for completeness a solution of the Friedmann equation in the additional presence of radiation, only valid for the Robertson–Walker metric.

Averaging in spherically symmetric cosmology

Abstract: The averaging problem in cosmology is of fundamental importance. When applied to study cosmological evolution, the theory of macroscopic gravity (MG) can be regarded as a long-distance modification of general relativity. In the MG approach to the averaging problem in cosmology, the Einstein field equations on cosmological scales are modified by appropriate gravitational correlation terms. We study the averaging problem within the class of spherically symmetric cosmological models. That is, we shall take the microscopic equations and effect the averaging procedure to determine the precise form of the correlation tensor in this case. In particular, by working in volume-preserving coordinates, we calculate the form of the correlation tensor under some reasonable assumptions on the form for the inhomogeneous gravitational field and matter distribution. We find that the correlation tensor in a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) background must be of the form of a spatial curvature. Inhomogeneities and spatial averaging, through this spatial curvature correction term, can have a very significant dynamical effect on the dynamics of the Universe and cosmological observations; in particular, we discuss whether spatial averaging might lead to a more conservative explanation of the observed acceleration of the Universe (without the introduction of exotic dark matter fields). We alsomore » find that the correlation tensor for a non-FLRW background can be interpreted as the sum of a spatial curvature and an anisotropic fluid. This may lead to interesting effects of averaging on astrophysical scales. We also discuss the results of averaging an inhomogeneous Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi solution as well as calculations of linear perturbations (that is, the backreaction) in an FLRW background, which support the main conclusions of the analysis.« less