A Comparison of the LVDP and ΛCDM Cosmological Models

We compare the cosmological kinematics obtained via our law of linearly varying deceleration parameter (LVDP) with the kinematics obtained in the ΛCDM model. We show that the LVDP model is almost indistinguishable from the ΛCDM model up to the near future of our universe as far as the current observations are concerned, though their predictions differ tremendously into the far future.     

A modified Chaplygin gas model with interaction

A modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) model of unifying dark energy and dark matter is considered in this paper, in which dark energy interacts with dark matter. Concretely, the evolution of such a unified dark sectors model is studied and the statefinder diagnostic to the MCG model is performed in our model. By analysis, it is shown that the effective equation of state (EoS) parameter of dark energy can cross the so-called phantom divide ω = −1, the behavior of MCG will be like ΛCDM in the future and therefore our Universe will not end up with Big Rip in the future. Furthermore, we plot the evolution trajectories of the MCG model in the statefinder parameter r–s plane and illustrate the discrimination between this scenario and the generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model.     

Continuous matter creation and the acceleration of the universe: the growth of density fluctuations

Cosmologies including continuous matter creation are able to reproduce the main properties of the standard ΛCDM model, in particular in cases where the particle and entropy production rates are equal. These specific models, characterized by a mass density equal to the critical value, behave like the standard ΛCDM model at early times whereas their late evolution is similar to the steady-state cosmology. The maximum amplitude of density fluctuations in these models depends on the adopted creation rate, related here to the parameter Ω _v and this limitation could be a difficulty for the formation of galaxies and large-scale structure in this class of universe. Additional problems are related with predictions either of the random peculiar velocities of galaxies or the present density of massive clusters of galaxies, both being largely overestimated with respect to observational data.     

Modified holographic dark energy in non-flat Kaluza–Klein universe with varying <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis>

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of modified holographic dark energy with variable G in non-flat Kaluza–Klein universe. We consider the non-interacting and interacting scenarios of the modified holographic dark energy with dark matter and obtain the equation of state parameter through logarithmic approach. It turns out that the universe remains in different dark energy eras for both cases. Further, we study the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics in this scenario. We also justify that the statefinder parameters satisfy the limit of ΛCDM model.     

Can Neutrino Viscosity Drive the Late Time Cosmic Acceleration?

In this paper it has been shown that the neutrino bulk viscous stresses can give rise to the late time acceleration of the universe. It is found that a number of spatially flat FRW models with a negative deceleration parameter can be constructed using neutrino viscosity and one of them mimics a ΛCDM model. This does not require any exotic dark energy component or any modification of gravity.     

The return of a static universe and the end of cosmology

We demonstrate that as we extrapolate the current ΛCDM universe forward in time, all evidence of the Hubble expansion will disappear, so that observers in our “island universe” will be fundamentally incapable of determining the true nature of the universe, including the existence of the highly dominant vacuum energy, the existence of the CMB, and the primordial origin of light elements. With these pillars of the modern Big Bang gone, this epoch will mark the end of cosmology and the return of a static universe. In this sense, the coordinate system appropriate for future observers will perhaps fittingly resemble the static coordinate system in which the de Sitter universe was first presented. Fifth Award in the 2007 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation.     

Equation of state for the Universe from similarity symmetries

In this paper we proposed to use the group of analysis of symmetries of the dynamical system to describe the evolution of the Universe. This method is used in searching for the unknown equation of state. It is shown that group of symmetries enforce the form of the equation of state for noninteracting scaling multifluids. We showed that symmetries give rise to the equation of state in the form p =-Λ + w ₁ρ(a) + w ₂ a ^β + 0 and energy density ρ = Λ+ρ₀₁ a ^-3(1+w) +ρ₀₂ a ^α +ρ₀₃ a ^-3, which is commonly used in cosmology. The FRW model filled with scaling fluid (called homological) is confronted with the observations of distant type Ia supernovae. We found the class of model parameters admissible by the statistical analysis of SNIa data.We showed that the model with scaling fluid fits well to supernovae data. We found that Ω_m,0 ≃ 0.4 and n ≃ -1 (β = -3n), which can correspond to (hyper) phantom fluid, and to a high density universe. However if we assume prior that Ω_m,0 = 0.3 then the favoured model is close to concordance ΛCDM model. Our results predict that in the considered model with scaling fluids distant type Ia supernovae should be brighter than in the ΛCDM model, while intermediate distant SNIa should be fainter than in the ΛCDM model. We also investigate whether the model with scaling fluid is actually preferred by data over ΛCDM model. As a result we find from the Akaike model selection criterion: it prefers the model with noninteracting scaling fluid.     

Tachyonization of the ΛCDM cosmological model

In this work a tachyonization of the ΛCDM model for a spatially flat Friedmann–Robertson–Walker space–time is proposed. A tachyon field and a cosmological constant are considered as the sources of the gravitational field. Starting from a stability analysis and from the exact solutions for a standard tachyon field driven by a given potential, the search for a large set of cosmological models which contain the ΛCDM model is investigated. By the use of internal transformations two new kinds of tachyon fields are derived from the standard tachyon field, namely, a complementary and a phantom tachyon fields. Numerical solutions for the three kinds of tachyon fields are determined and it is shown that the standard and complementary tachyon fields reproduces the ΛCDM model as a limiting case. The standard tachyon field can also describe a transition from an accelerated to a decelerated regime, behaving as an inflationary field at early times and as a matter field at late times. The complementary tachyon field always behaves as a matter field. The phantom tachyon field is characterized by a rapid expansion where its energy density increases with time.     

Cosmological evolution of interacting dark energy in Lorentz violation

The cosmological evolution of an interacting scalar-field model in which the scalar field interacts with dark matter, radiation, and baryons via Lorentz violation is investigated. We propose a model of interaction through the effective coupling, [`(b)]\bar{\beta} . Using dynamical system analysis, we study the linear dynamics of an interacting model and show that the dynamics of critical points are completely controlled by two parameters. Some results can be mentioned as follows. Firstly, the sequence of radiation, the dark matter, and the scalar-field dark energy exist and baryons are subdominant. Secondly, the model also allows for the possibility of having a universe in the phantom phase with constant potential. Thirdly, the effective gravitational constant varies with respect to time through [`(b)]\bar{\beta} . In particular, we consider the simple case where [`(b)]\bar{\beta} has a quadratic form and has a good agreement with the modified ΛCDM and quintessence models. Finally, we also calculate the first post-Newtonian parameters for our model.     

Constraints from the old quasar APM 08279+5255 on two classes of Λ(<Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>)-cosmologies

The viability of two different classes of Λ(t)CDM cosmologies is tested by using the APM 08279+5255, an old quasar at redshift z = 3.91. In the first class of models, the cosmological term scales as Λ(t) ~ R ⁻ⁿ . The particular case n = 0 describes the standard ΛCDM model whereas n = 2 stands for the Chen and Wu model. For an estimated age of 2 Gyr, it is found that the power index has a lower limit n > 0.21, whereas for 3 Gyr the limit is n > 0.6. Since n can not be so large as ~ 0.81, the ΛCDM and Chen and Wu models are also ruled out by this analysis. The second class of models is the one recently proposed by Wang and Meng which describes several Λ(t)CDM cosmologies discussed in the literature. By assuming that the true age is 2 Gyr it is found that the ε parameter satisfies the lower bound , while for 3 Gyr, a lower limit of is obtained. Such limits are slightly modified when the baryonic component is included.     

Extending the Redshift-Distance Relation in Cosmological General Relativity to Higher Redshifts

The redshift-distance modulus relation, the Hubble Diagram, derived from Cosmological General Relativity has been extended to arbitrarily large redshifts. Numerical methods were employed and a density function was found that results in a valid solution of the field equations at all redshifts. The extension has been compared to 302 type Ia supernova data as well as to 69 Gamma-ray burst data. The latter however do not truly represent a ‘standard candle’ as the derived distance moduli are not independent of the cosmology used. Nevertheless the analysis shows a good fit can be achieved without the need to assume the existence of dark matter. The Carmelian theory is also shown to describe a universe that is always spatially flat. This results from the underlying assumption of the energy density of a cosmological constant Ω_Λ=1, the result of vacuum energy. The curvature of the universe is described by a spacevelocity metric where the energy content of the curvature at any epoch is Ω _K =Ω_Λ−Ω=1−Ω, where Ω is the matter density of the universe. Hence the total density is always Ω _K +Ω=1.     

Noether symmetry approach in matter-dominated cosmology with variable G and Λ

In the framework of renormalization-group improved cosmologies, we use the Noether symmetry approach to get exact and general integration of the matter-dominated cosmological equations. This is performed by using an expression of Λ = Λ (G) determined by the method itself. We also work out a comparison between such a model and the concordance ΛCDM model as to the magnitude–redshift relationship, hence showing that no appreciable differences occur.     

An inhomogeneous model universe behaving homogeneously

We present a new model universe based on the junction of FRW to flat Lemaitre–Tolman–Bondi (LTB) solutions of Einstein equations along our past light cone, bringing structures within the FRW models. The model is assumed globally to be homogeneous, i.e. the cosmological principle is valid. Local inhomogeneities within the past light cone are modeled as a flat LTB, whereas those outside the light cone are assumed to be smoothed out and represented by a FRW model. The model is singularity free, always FRW far from the observer along the past light cone, gives way to a different luminosity distance relation as for the CDM/FRW models, a negative deceleration parameter near the observer, and correct linear and non-linear density contrast. As a whole, the model behaves like a FRW model on the past light cone with a special behavior of the scale factor, Hubble and deceleration parameter, mimicking dark energy. Paper in honor of Bahram Mashhoon’s 60th birthday.     

Anisotropic Bianchi Type-II Massive String Cosmological Models with Time-Decaying Λ Term and Thermodynamic Parameters

The present paper envisages a spatially homogeneous and anisotropic Bianchi II massive string cosmological models with time-decaying Λ term in general relativity. By using the variation law of Hubble’s parameter, the Einstein’s field equations have been solved for two general cases. The first case involving a power law solution describes the dynamics of universe from big bang to present epoch while the second case admit an exponential solution seems reasonable to project dynamics of future universe. We observed that massive strings dominate in early universe and eventually disappear at late time, which is consistent with the current astronomical observations. It has been found that the cosmological constant (Λ) is a decreasing function of time and it approaches to small positive value at sufficiently large time. The thermodynamic properties of anisotropic Bianchi II universe are studied and also the absolute temperature and entropy distribution are given explicitly. The relations between thermodynamic parameters and cosmological constant Λ has been established. Physical behavior of the derived model is elaborated in detail.     

Higher Dimensional Λ-CDM Universe: A Phenomenological Approach with Many Possibilities

In this paper we investigate the Λ-CDM universe by selecting the specific time dependent form of Λ, viz. , in the context of 5-dimensional space time. Time-dependent form of equation of state parameter w is derived along with a possible signature flip of deceleration parameter q. It is also observed that a present age of the Universe, calculated for some specific values of parameter agrees very well with the observational data.     

Einstein-Cartan gravity with scalar-fermion interactions

In this paper, we have considered the g-essence and its particular cases, k-essence and f-essence, within the framework of the Einstein-Cartan theory. We have shown that a single fermionic field can give rise to the accelerated expansion within the Einstein-Cartan theory. The exact analytical solution of the Einstein-Cartan-Dirac equations is found. This solution describes the accelerated expansion of the Universe with the equation of state parameter w = −1 as in the case of ΛCDM model.     

Formation of Gyrs old black holes in the centers of galaxies within the Lema?tre–Tolman model

In this article we present a model of formation of a galaxy with a black hole in the center. It is based on the Lema?tre–Tolman solution and is a refinement of an earlier model. The most important improvement is the choice of the interior geometry of the black hole allowing for the formation of Gyrs old black holes. Other refinements are the use of an arbitrary Friedmann model as the background (unperturbed) initial state and the adaptation of the model to an arbitrary density profile of the galaxy. Our main interest was the M87 galaxy (NGC 4486), which hosts a supermassive black hole of mass 3.2 × 10⁹ M⊙. It is shown that for this particular galaxy, within the framework of our model and for the initial state being a perturbation of the ΛCDM model, the age of the black hole can be up to 12.7 Gyrs. The dependence of the model on the chosen parameters at the time of last scattering was also studied. The maximal age of the black hole as a function of the Ω _m and Ω_Λ parameters for the M87 galaxy can be 3.717 or 12.708 Gyr.     

Dark energy and viscous cosmology

Singularities in the dark energy universe are discussed, assuming that there is a bulk viscosity in the cosmic fluid. In particular, it is shown how the physically natural assumption of letting the bulk viscosity be proportional to the scalar expansion in a spatially flat FRW universe can drive the fluid into the phantom region (w < −1), even if it lies in the quintessence region (w > −1) in the non-viscous case.     

Cosmic-coincidence problem and variable constants of physics

The standard model of cosmology is investigated using a time-dependent cosmological constant Λ and Newton gravitational constant G. The total energy content is described by the modified Chaplygin gas equation of state. It is found that the time-dependent constants coupled with the modified Chaplygin gas interpolate between the earlier matter to the later dark-energy dominated phase of the universe. We also achieve a convergence of the parameter ω→−1, almost at the present time. Thus our model fairly alleviates the cosmic-coincidence problem, which demands ω=−1 at the present time.