Related papers: The cosmic variance of Omega
The cosmological constant presents one of the most fascinating and confounding problems in physics. A straightforward, seemingly robust prediction of quantum mechanics and general relativity is that the vacuum energy gravitates. Therefore,…
Inflation creates large-scale cosmological density perturbations that are characterized by an isotropic, homogeneous, and Gaussian random distribution about a locally flat background. Even in a flat universe, the spatial curvature measured…
Although well motivated from theoretical arguments, the cosmological constant \emph{barrier}, i.e., the imposition that the equation-of-state parameter of dark energy ($\omega_x \equiv p_x/\rho_x$) is $\geq -1$, seems to introduce bias in…
We explore the qualitative changes that would occur if the amplitude Q ~ 10^{-5} of cosmological density fluctuations were different. If is less than about 10^{-6}, the cosmological objects that form would have so low virial temperatures…
We compare and combine likelihood functions of the cosmological parameters Omega_m, h and sigma_8 from the CMB, type Ia supernovae and from probes of large scale structure. We include the recent results from the CMB experiments BOOMERANG…
Deep pencil beam surveys (<1 deg^2) are of fundamental importance for studying the high-redshift universe. However, inferences about galaxy population properties are in practice limited by 'cosmic variance'. This is the uncertainty in…
What do the data, as distinguished from cosmological models, tell us about cosmological parameters that determined the model of the universe? In this paper, we address this question in the context of the WMAP angular power spectra for the…
I start by defining the cosmological parameters $H_0, \Omega_m$ and $\Omega_\Lambda$. Then I show how the age of the universe depends on them, followed by the evolution of the scale parameter of the universe for various values of the…
Recently funded satellites will map the cosmic microwave background radiation with unprecedented sensitivities and angular resolutions. Assuming only primordial adiabatic scalar and tensor perturbations, we evaluate how accurately…
Inflation predicts that quantum fluctuations determine the large scale structure of the Universe. This raises the striking possibility that quantum mechanics, developed to describe nature at short distances, can be tested by studying nature…
We study constraints that anticipated DEEP survey galaxy counts versus redshift data will place on cosmological model parameters in models with and without a constant or time-variable cosmological constant $\Lambda$. This data will result…
We present a new programme for placing constraints on radial inhomogeneity in a dark-energy dominated universe. We introduce a new measure to quantify violations of the Copernican principle. Any violation of this principle would interfere…
Several cosmological measurements have attained significant levels of maturity and accuracy over the last decade. Continuing this trend, future observations promise measurements of the statistics of the cosmic mass distribution at an…
The dynamics of our universe is characterised by the density parameters for cosmological constant ($\Omega_V$), nonbaryonic darkmatter($\Omega_{\rm wimp}$), radiation ($\Omega_R$) and baryons ($\Omega_B$). To these parameters -- which…
The averaging problem in cosmology is of considerable importance for the correct interpretation of cosmological data. A rigorous mathematical definition of averaging in a cosmological model is necessary. In general, a spacetime is…
Cosmology contributes a good deal to the investigation of variation of fundamental physical constants. High resolution data is available and allows for detailed analysis over cosmological distances and a multitude of methods were developed.…
After two decades of efforts to identify the enigmatic dark matter that comprises the dominant form of matter in our galaxy, the mass range for viable candidates appears to have been reduced by more than 50 orders of magnitude. Positive…
The good agreement between large-scale observations and the predictions of the now-standard $\Lambda$CDM theory gives us hope that this will become a lasting foundation for cosmology. After briefly reviewing the current status of the key…
The Cosmological Principle states that the universe is both homogeneous and isotropic. This, alone, is not enough to specify the global geometry of the spacetime. If we were able to measure both the Hubble constant and the energy density we…
We discuss how the curvature of the universe can be robustly measured employing only the gross features of the CMB anisotropy spectrum. Though the position of the first peak is not robust, uncertainties in the model for structure formation…