24 research outputs found
Bulk Viscosity Effects on the Early Universe Stability
We present a discussion of the effects induced by the bulk viscosity on the
very early Universe stability. The matter filling the cosmological (isotropic
and homogeneous) background is described by a viscous fluid having an
ultrarelativistic equation of state and whose viscosity coefficient is related
to the energy density via a power-law of the form . The
analytic expression of the density contrast (obtained for ) shows
that, for small values of the constant , its behavior is not
significantly different from the non-viscous one derived by E.M. Lifshitz. But
as soon as overcomes a critical value, the growth of the density
contrast is suppressed forward in time by the viscosity and the stability of
the Universe is favored in the expanding picture. On the other hand, in such a
regime, the asymptotic approach to the initial singularity (taken at ) is
deeply modified by the apparency of significant viscosity in the primordial
thermal bath i.e. the isotropic and homogeneous Universe admits an unstable
collapsing picture. In our model this feature regards also scalar perturbations
while in the non-viscous case it appears only for tensor modes.Comment: 8 pages, no figur
On Local Approximations to the Nonlinear Evolution of Large-Scale Structure
We present a comparative analysis of several methods, known as local
Lagrangian approximations, which are aimed to the description of the nonlinear
evolution of large-scale structure. We have investigated various aspects of
these approximations, such as the evolution of a homogeneous ellipsoid,
collapse time as a function of initial conditions, and asymptotic behavior. As
one of the common features of the local approximations, we found that the
calculated collapse time decreases asymptotically with the inverse of the
initial shear. Using these approximations, we have computed the cosmological
mass function, finding reasonable agreement with N-body simulations and the
Press-Schechter formula.Comment: revised version with color figures, minor changes, accepted for
publication in the Astrophysical Journal, 30 pages, 13 figure
Exact non-equilibrium solutions of the Einstein-Boltzmann equations. II
We find exact solutions of the Einstein-Boltzmann equations with relaxational
collision term in FRW and Bianchi I spacetimes. The kinematic and thermodynamic
properties of the solutions are investigated. We give an exact expression for
the bulk viscous pressure of an FRW distribution that relaxes towards
collision-dominated equilibrium. If the relaxation is toward collision-free
equilibrium, the bulk viscosity vanishes - but there is still entropy
production. The Bianchi I solutions have zero heat flux and bulk viscosity, but
nonzero shear viscosity. The solutions are used to construct a realisation of
the Weyl Curvature Hypothesis.Comment: 16 pages LaTex, CQG documentstyle (ioplppt
Goedel-type Universes and the Landau Problem
We point out a close relation between a family of Goedel-type solutions of
3+1 General Relativity and the Landau problem in S^2, R^2 and H_2; in
particular, the classical geodesics correspond to Larmor orbits in the Landau
problem. We discuss the extent of this relation, by analyzing the solutions of
the Klein-Gordon equation in these backgrounds. For the R^2 case, this relation
was independently noticed in hep-th/0306148. Guided by the analogy with the
Landau problem, we speculate on the possible holographic description of a
single chronologically safe region.Comment: Latex, 21 pages, 1 figure. v2 missing references to previous work on
the subject adde
Evolution of the Scale Factor with a Variable Cosmological Term
Evolution of the scale factor a(t) in Friedmann models (those with zero
pressure and a constant cosmological term Lambda) is well understood, and
elegantly summarized in the review of Felten and Isaacman [Rev. Mod. Phys. 58,
689 (1986)]. Developments in particle physics and inflationary theory, however,
increasingly indicate that Lambda ought to be treated as a dynamical quantity.
We revisit the evolution of the scale factor with a variable Lambda-term, and
also generalize the treatment to include nonzero pressure. New solutions are
obtained and evaluated using a variety of observational criteria. Existing
arguments for the inevitability of a big bang (ie., an initial state with a=0)
are substantially weakened, and can be evaded in some cases with Lambda_0 (the
present value of Lambda) well below current experimental limits.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figures (not included), LaTeX, uses Phys Rev D style
files (revtex.cls, revtex.sty, aps.sty, aps10.sty, prabib.sty). To appear in
Phys Rev
Cosmological models with dynamical lambda in scalar-tensor theories
In the context of a family os scalar-tensor theories with a dynamical
, that is a binomial on the scalar field, the cosmological equations
are considered. A general barotropic state equation , for a
perfect fluid is used for the matter content of the Universe. Some Friedmann-
Robertson-Walker exact solutions are found, they have scale factor wich shows
exponential or power law dependence on time. For some models the singularity
can be avoided. Cosmological parameters as , ,
and are obtained and compared with observational data.Comment: 20 pages, Latex file, a sign in Eq. (2.17) was corrected, reference
[37] was correcte