On the curvature of the present-day universe

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/25/19/195001zbMATH Open1151.83367arXiv0803.1401OpenAlexW3103134011MaRDI QIDQ3531192FDOQ3531192

Authors: Thomas Buchert, Mauro Carfora 

Publication date: 21 October 2008

Published in: Classical and Quantum Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We discuss the effect of curvature and matter inhomogeneities on the averaged scalar curvature of the present-day Universe. Motivated by studies of averaged inhomogeneous cosmologies, we contemplate on the question whether it is sensible to assume that curvature averages out on some scale of homogeneity, as implied by the standard concordance model of cosmology, or whether the averaged scalar curvature can be largely negative today, as required for an explanation of Dark Energy from inhomogeneities. We confront both conjectures with a detailed analysis of the kinematical backreaction term and estimate its strength for a multi-scale inhomogeneous matter and curvature distribution. Our main result is a formula for the spatially averaged scalar curvature involving quantities that are all measurable on regional (i.e. up to 100 Mpc) scales. We propose strategies to quantitatively evaluate the formula, and pinpoint the assumptions implied by the conjecture of a small or zero averaged curvature. We reach the conclusion that the standard concordance model needs fine-tuning in the sense of an assumed equipartition law for curvature in order to reconcile it with the estimated properties of the averaged physical space, whereas a negative averaged curvature is favoured, independent of the prior on the value of the cosmological constant.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/0803.1401

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Exact solutions to problems in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C15) Approximation procedures, weak fields in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C25) Macroscopic interaction of the gravitational field with matter (hydrodynamics, etc.) (83C55) Relativistic cosmology (83F05) Geometrodynamics and the holographic principle (83E05)

Cited In (16)

• Light propagation in a universe with spatial inhomogeneities
• Future evolution in a backreaction model and the analogous scalar field cosmology
• How matter generates spatial curvature
• Dark matter from backreaction? Collapse models on galaxy cluster scales
• Gauss–Bonnet–Chern approach to the averaged Universe
• The averaging problem on the past null cone in inhomogeneous dust cosmologies
• Square-torsion gravity: a geometric candidate for dark matter
• Relativistic numerical cosmology with silent universes
• Inhomogeneity-induced variance of cosmological parameters
• Geometrical order-of-magnitude estimates for spatial curvature in realistic models of the universe
• Towards a covariant smoothing procedure for gravitational theories
• Vorticity generation in cosmology and the role of shell crossing
• Dark energy from structure: a status report
• Is dark energy an effect of averaging?
• Effect of cosmic backreaction on the future evolution of an accelerating universe
• Another look at redshift drift and the backreaction conjecture

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