Related papers: A Low-Density Closed Universe
In a Brans-Dicke (BD) cosmological model, the energy density associated with some scalar field decreases as $\displaystyle a^{{-2}(\frac{\omega_{o}+ {\frac12}%}{\omega_{o}+1})} $ with the scale factor $a(t)$ of the Universe, giving a matter…
The recently suggested notion of total mass density for closed universes is extended to closed universes with a positive cosmological constant. Assuming that the matter fields satisfy the dominant energy condition, it is shown that the…
We present a new mechanism to condense a scalar field coupled to the Gauss-Bonnet term. We propose a scenario in which the condensed state will emerge from the background energy density in the late-Universe. During the radiation and…
We investigate the possibility that the matter of the universe has a significant component (the quintessence component) determined by the equation of state $p=w\rho$, with $w<0$. Here, we find conditions under which a closed model may look…
The cosmic microwave background radiation allows us to measure both the geometry and topology of the universe. It has been argued that the COBE-DMR data already rule out models that are multiply connected on scales smaller than the particle…
Cosmological observations strongly suggest the presence of dark energy which comprises the majority of the current energy density of the universe. The equation of state relating the pressure and energy density of this dark energy, p = w…
The possibility that the energy density of the Universe is dominated by a network of low-tension domain walls provides an alternative to the commonly discussed cosmological constant and scalar-field quintessence models of dark energy. We…
A very weakly coupled scalar field with mass $m$ and initial vacuum expectation value $V$ will provide enough mass to close the universe provided $V\simeq (3\times 10^8\gev)(100\gev/m)^{1/4}$. We discuss possible models in which such a…
New Cosmic Microwave Background, Galaxy Clustering and Supernovae type Ia data are increasingly constraining the dark energy component of our Universe. While the cosmological constant scenario remains consistent with these new tight…
How much matter is there in the universe? Does the universe have the critical density needed to stop its expansion, or is the universe underweight and destined to expand forever? We show that several independent measures, especially those…
Many cosmological models assume or imply that the total size of the universe is very large, perhaps even infinite. Here we argue instead that the universe might be comparatively small, in fact not much larger than the currently observed…
We examine Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models in three spacetime dimensions. The matter content of the models is composed of a perfect fluid, with a $\gamma$-law equation of state, and a homogeneous scalar field minimally coupled to gravity…
This article describes the Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies expected in a closed universe with the topology of a lens space L(p,q) and with density parameter Omega_0 close to 1. It provides the first simulated maps for such spaces…
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 study the cosmology of canonically normalized scalar fields that lead to an equation of state parameter of w_\phi=p_\phi/\rho_\phi<-1 without violating the weak energy condition: rho=\Sigma_i\rho_i \geq 0 and \rho_i+p_i\geq 0. This kind…
Recent observations of high-redshift supernovae seem to suggest that the global geometry of the Universe may be affected by a `cosmological constant', which acts to accelerate the expansion rate with time. But these data by themselves still…
The observational limits on the present energy density of the Universe allow for a component that redshifts like $1/a^2$ and can contribute significantly to the total. We show that a possible origin for such a contribution is that the…
We consider the model of a false vacuum bubble with a thin wall where the surface energy density is composed of two different components, "domain-wall" type and "dust" type, with opposite signs. We find stably oscillating solutions, which…
A low matter density decaying vacuum cosmology is proposed on the assumption that the universe's radius is a complex quantity \hat{R} if it is regarded as having a zero energy-momentum tensor. But we find that when the radius is real, it…
We study the possibility that dark energy decays in the future and the universe stops accelerating. The fact thatthe cosmological observations prefer an equation of state of dark energy smaller than -1 can be a signal that dark energy will…