Related papers: Cosmological constraints for the Cosmic Defect the…
These notes present a brief introduction to `naturalness' problems in cosmology, and to the Cosmological Constant Problem in particular. The main focus is the `old' cosmological constant problem, though the more recent variants are also…
The existence of 'peculiar' velocities due to the formation of cosmic structure marks a point of discord between the real Universe and the usually assumed Friedmann-Lema\'{i}tre-Robertson-Walker metric which accomodates only the smooth…
The hot big-bang cosmology provides a reliable accounting of the Universe from about $10^{-2}\sec$ after the bang until the present, as well as a robust framework for speculating back to times as early as $10^{-43}\sec$. Cosmology faces a…
We consider the properties of an ensemble of universes as function of size, where size is defined in terms of the asymptotic value of the Hubble constant (or, equivalently, the value of the cosmological constant). We assume that standard…
Mankind has not yet explained dark matter, the accelerating expansion of the Universe, the 'knee' and 'ankle' of the cosmic ray energy spectrum graph, the low star formation rates of low surface brightness (LSB) dwarf galaxies, the ignition…
Based on the assumption that some apparent properties of the observable universe are accurate at a reasonable level of approximation, a tentative is made to independently derive the values of the baryon density parameter, the Hubble…
We use updated Hubble parameter and baryon acoustic oscillation data, as well as other lower-redshift Type Ia supernova, Mg II reverberation-measured quasar, quasar angular size, H II starburst galaxy, and Amati-correlated gamma-ray burst…
We present constraints on the number of relativistic species from a joint analysis of cosmic microwave background (CMB) fluctuations and light element abundances (helium and deuterium) compared to big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) predictions.…
Cosmology has come a long way from being based on a small number of observations to being a data-driven precision science. We discuss the questions "What is observable?", "What in the Universe is knowable?" and "What are the fundamental…
We have derived new bounds on the relativistic energy density in the Universe from cosmic microwave background (CMB), large scale structure (LSS), and type Ia supernova (SNI-a) observations. In terms of the effective number of neutrino…
We use some of the recently released observational data to test the viability of two classes of minimally coupled scalar field models of quintessence with exponential potentials for which exact solutions of the Einstein equations are known.…
The cosmic distance duality relates the angular-diameter and luminosity distances and its possible violation may puzzle the standard cosmological model. This appears particularly interesting in view of the recent results found by the DESI…
We study the $\Lambda(\alpha)$CDM models with $\Lambda(\alpha)$ being a function of the time-varying fine structure constant $\alpha$. We give a close look at the constraints on two specific $\Lambda(\alpha)$CDM models with one and two…
Cosmology is operating now on a well established and tightly constraining empirical basis. The relativistic LambdaCDM hot big bang theory is consistent with all the present tests; it has become the benchmark. But the many open issues in…
Recent measurements of the parameters of the Concordance Cosmology Model ($\Lambda$CDM) done in the low-redshift Universe with Supernovae Ia/Cepheids, and in the distant Universe done with Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) imply different…
There is some evidence that the Universe is presently undergoing accelerating expansion. This has restored some credit to the scenarios with a non-vanishing cosmological constant. From the point of view of a theory of fundamental…
We present a new solution to the cosmological constant (CC) and coincidence problems in which the observed value of the CC, $\Lambda$, is linked to other observable properties of the universe. This is achieved by promoting the CC from a…
The traditional "explanation" for the observed acceleration of the universe is the existence of a positive cosmological constant. However, this can hardly be a truly convincing explanation, as an expanding universe is not expected to have a…
The accelerating expansion of the universe is the most surprising cosmological discovery in many decades. In this short review, we briefly summarize theories for the origin of cosmic acceleration and the observational methods being used to…
We use the redshift Hubble parameter $H(z)$ data derived from relative galaxy ages, distant type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) peak, and the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) shift parameter data, to…