Analogue model for an expanding universe

Over the last few years numerous papers concerning analogue models of (and for) gravity have been published. It has been shown that the dynamical equations for several condensed matter systems, (e.g., simple fluids, superfluids, Bose–Einstein condensates with a sink or a vortex) permit perturbations that are governed by the same type of wave equation as light in a curved spacetime—the curved-space d'Alembertian equation. More recently, several papers have been released which use analogue models to simulate the expanding universe. In this article the de Sitter universe will be simulated using a freely expanding three-dimensional Bose–Einstein condensate with spherical symmetry. Initially the condensate is in a harmonic trap, which is then suddenly switched off. At the same time a small perturbation is injected in the center of the condensate cloud. The motion of this perturbation in the expanding condensate will be discussed, and (after some transformations) the similarity of this system to an expanding universe will be exhibited. Finally, we briefly discuss questions of experimental observability of these effects. Presented at the 4th Australasian conference on General Relativity and Cosmology, Monash University, Melbourne, 7–9 January 2004