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The history of what happens in any chosen sample region is the same as the history of what happens everywhere. Therefore it seems very tempting to limit ourselves with the formulation of Cosmology for the single sample region. But any region is influenced by other regions near and far. If we are to pay undivided attention to a single region, ignoring all other regions, we must in some way allow for their influence. E. Harrison in his book Cosmology, Cambridge University Press, 1981 suggests a simple model to realize this idea. The model has acquired the name of "Cosmic box" and it consists in the following.
Imaginary partitions, comoving and perfectly reflecting, are used to divide the Universe into numerous separate cells. Each cell encloses a representative sample and is sufficiently large to contain galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Each cell is larger than the largest scale of irregularity in the Universe, and the contents of all cells are in identical states. A partitioned Universe behaves exactly as a Universe without partitions. We assume that the partitions have no mass and hence their insertion cannot alter the dynamical behavior of the Universe. The contents of all cells are in similar states, and in the same state as when there were no partitions. Light rays that normally come from very distant galaxies come instead from local galaxies of long ago and travel similar distances by multiple re?ections. What normally passes out of a region is reflected back and copies what normally enters a region.
Let us assume further that the comoving walls of the cosmic box move apart at a velocity given by the Hubble law. If the box is a cube with sides of length $L$, then opposite walls move apart at relative velocity $HL$.Let us assume that the size of the box $L$ is small compared to the Hubble radius $L_{H} $ , the walls have a recession velocity that is small compared to the velocity of light. Inside a relatively small cosmic box we use ordinary everyday physics and are thus able to determine easily the consequences of expansion. We can even use Newtonian mechanics to determine the expansion if we embed a spherical cosmic box in Euclidean space.
Problem 1
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As we have shown before (see Chapter 3): $p(t)\propto a(t)^{-1} $ , so all freely moving particles, including galaxies (when not bound in clusters), slowly lose their peculiar motion and ultimately become stationary in expanding space. Try to understand what happens by considering a moving particle inside an expanding cosmic box
For simplicity we suppose the particle moves in a direction perpendicular to two opposite walls of an expanding box. Normally, of course, the particle rebounds in different directions, but the final result is just the same. The walls are perfect reflectors and therefore, relative to the wall, the particle rebounds with the same speed as when it strikes the wall. During the collision, the direction of motion is reversed, but the speed relative to the wall remains unchanged. Because the wall is receding, the particle returns to the center of the box with slightly reduced speed. Each time the particle strikes a receding wall it returns with reduced speed. Using the Hubble law it can be shown that a particle of mass m and speed U, moving within an expanding box, obeys the law that mU is proportional to $1/L$. The product mU is the momentum. As the box gets larger the momentum gets smaller. The length L expands in the same way as the scaling factor R, and the momentum therefore obeys the important law: \[mUR=const\] This law holds not only for particles in an expanding box but also for particles moving freely in an expanding Universe. Remarkably, the general relativity equation of motion of a freely moving particle in the uniformly curved space of an expanding Universe gives exactly the same result. This illustrates how the cosmic box not only helps us to understand what happens but also allows us to employ very simple methods to derive important results.
Problem 2
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Show that at redshift $z=1$ , when the Universe is half its present size, the kinetic energy of a freely moving nonrelativistic particle is four times its present value, and the energy of a relativistic particle is twice its present value.
Using $p\propto a^{-1} $ find for non-relativistic particle \[E_{kin} \propto a^{-2} \] In terms of the redshift this gives \[E_{kin} =E_{kin0} (1+z)^{2} \] Consider now a relativistic particle. In this case, $E\propto p$ and in terms of the redshift, \[E=E_{0} (1+z)\] Consequently, at redshift $z=1$ , when the Universe is half its present size, the kinetic energy of a freely moving nonrelativistic particle is four times its present value, and the energy of a relativistic particle is twice its present value.
Problem 3
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Let the cosmic box is filled with non-relativistic gas. Find out how the gas temperature varies in the expanding cosmic box.
We have seen before that individual particles, moving freely, lose their energy when enclosed in an expanding box. Exactly the same thing happens to a gas consisting of many particles. Particles composing a gas continually collide with one another; between collisions they move freely and lose energy in the way described for free particles; during their encounters they exchange energy, but collisions do not change the total energy. The temperature of a gas therefore varies with expansion in the same manner as the energy of a single (nonrelativistic) particle: gas temperature is proportional to $1/a^{2} $ . If $T$ denotes temperature, and $T_{0} $ the present temperature, then \[T=T_{0} \left(1+z\right)^{2} \]
Problem 4
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Show that entropy of the cosmic box is conserved during its expansion.
The number of photons in our cosmic box (and in the Universe) is a measure of its entropy. The total number of photons in the cosmic box is $N_{\lambda } =n_{\lambda } V$ . The photon density $n_{\lambda } $ varies as $T^{3} $ , and therefore varies as $1/a^{3} $. But $V$ varies as $a^{3} $ , hence also $VT^{3} =const$ . Thus the entropy of the thermal radiation in the cosmic box is constant during expansion. This is just another way of saying that the total number of photons $N_{\lambda } $ (and, consequently, entropy) in the box is constant. Actually, their number is slowly increased by the light emitted by stars and other sources, but this contribution is so small that for most purposes it can be ignored.
Problem 5
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Consider a (cosmic) box of volume V, having perfectly reflecting walls and containing radiation of mass density $\rho $. The mass of the radiation in the box is $M=\rho V$ . We now weigh the box and find that its mass, because of the enclosed radiation, has increased not by M but by an amount 2M. Why?
This unexpected increase in mass occurs because the radiation exerts pressure on the walls of the box and the walls contain stresses. These stresses in the walls are a form of energy that equals 3PV, where P is the pressure of the radiation. The pressure equals $\frac{1}{3} \rho $, and the energy in the walls is therefore $\rho V$and has a mass equivalent of $M=\rho V$ . The mass of the box is therefore increased by the mass $M$ of the radiation and the mass M of the stresses in the walls, giving a total increase of 2M. In the Universe there are no walls: nonetheless, the radiation still behaves as if it had a gravitational mass twice what is normally expected. Instead of using $\rho $ , we must use $\rho +3P$ as in the second Friedmann equation. This feature of general relativity explains why in a collapsing star, where all particles are squeezed to high energy, increasing the pressure, contrary to expectation, hastens the collapse of the star.
Problem 6
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Show that the jerk parameter is \[j(t)=q+2q^{2} -\frac{\dot{q}}{H} \]
\[j=\frac{1}{H^{3} } \frac{\dddot{a}}{a} =\frac{1}{aH^{3} } \frac{d}{dt} \left(\frac{\ddot{a}}{aH^{2} } aH^{2} \right)=-\frac{1}{aH^{3} } \frac{d}{dt} \left(qaH^{2} \right)=q+2q^{2} -\frac{\dot{q}}{H} \]
Problem 7
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We consider FLRW spatially flat Universe with the general Friedmann equations \[\begin{array}{l} {H^{2} =\frac{1}{3} \rho +f(t),} \\ {\frac{\ddot{a}}{a} =-\frac{1}{6} \left(\rho +3p\right)+g(t)} \end{array}\] Obtain the general conservation equation.
Using \[\frac{\ddot{a}}{a} =\dot{H}+H^{2} \] we find \[\dot{\rho }+3H\left(\rho +p\right)=6H\left(-f(t)+\frac{\dot{f}(t)}{2H} +g(t)\right)\]
Problem 8
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Show that for extra driving terms in the form of the cosmological constant the general conservation equation (see previous problem) transforms in the standard conservation equation.
In this case$f(t)=g(t)=\Lambda /3,\; \; \dot{f}=0$ and \[\dot{\rho }+3H\left(\rho +p\right)=6H\left(-f(t)+\frac{\dot{f}(t)}{2H} +g(t)\right)\to \dot{\rho }+3H\left(\rho +p\right)=0\]
Problem 9
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Show that case $f(t)=g(t)=\Lambda /3$ corresponds to $\Lambda (t)CDM$ model.
For \textbf{$f(t)=g(t)=\Lambda /3$} \[\dot{\rho }+3H\left(\rho +p\right)=6H\left(-f(t)+\frac{\dot{f}(t)}{2H} +g(t)\right)\to \dot{\rho }+3H\left(\rho +p\right)=\dot{\Lambda }(t)\] which corresponds to \textbf{$\Lambda (t)CDM$}model.
The de Sitter spacetime is the solution of the vacuum Einstein equations with a positive cosmological constant$\Lambda $ .
To describe the geometry of this spacetime one usually takes the spatially flat metric \[ds^{2} =dt^{2} -a^{2} (t)d\vec{x}^{2} \] with the scale factor \[a(t)=a_{0} e^{Ht} \] The Hubble parameter is thus a fixed constant.
Problem 10
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Show that the de Sitter spacetime has a constant four-dimensional curvature.
\[R=-6\left(\frac{\ddot{a}}{a} +H^{2} \right)=-6\left(\dot{H}+2H^{2} \right)=-12H^{2} \] As \[H^{2} =\frac{8\pi G}{3} \rho _{\Lambda } =\frac{\Lambda }{3} \] then \[R=-4\Lambda \]
Problem 11
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In the de Sitter spacetime transform the FRLW metric into the explicitly conformally flat metric.
Introduce $dt\equiv a\left(\eta \right)d\eta $ to obtain \[ds^{2} =dt^{2} -a^{2} (t)d\vec{x}^{2} =a^{2} \left(\eta \right)\left(d\eta ^{2} -d\vec{x}^{2} \right)\] where the conformal time $\eta $ and the scale factor $a\left(\eta \right)$ are \[\eta =-\frac{1}{H} e^{-Ht} ,\quad a\left(\eta \right)=-\frac{1}{H\eta } \] The conformal time $\eta $ changes from $-\infty $ to $0$ when the proper time $t$ goes from $-\infty $ to $+\infty $.
Problem 12
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(Problems 12-13, A.Vilenkin, Many worlds in one, Hill and Wang, New York, 2006)}
In thirties of XX-th century a cyclic Universe model was popular. This model predicted alternating stages of expansion and contraction. Show that such model contradicts the second law of thermodynamics.
Second law requires that entropy, which is a measure of disorder, should grow in each cycle of cosmic evolution. If the Universe had already gone through an infinite number of cycles, it would have reached the maximum-entropy state of thermal equilibrium ("heat death"). We certainly do not find ourselves in such a state.
Problem 13
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P. Steinhardt and N. Turok proposed a model of cyclic Universe where the expansion rate in each cycle is greater than the contraction one so that volume of the Universe grows from one cycle to the other. Show that this model does not contradict the second law of thermodynamics and is free of the heat death problem.
The contradiction to the second principle of thermodynamics and therefore the heat death problem are absent in the considered model, because the amount of expansion in a cycle is greater than the amount of contraction. So the volume of the Universe is increased after each cycle. The entropy of our observable region is now the same as the entropy of a similar region in the preceding cycle, but the entropy of the entire Universe has increased, simply because the volume of the Universe is now greater. As time goes on, both the entropy and the total volume grow without bound. The state of maximum of entropy is never reached.
Problem 14
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If a closed Universe appeared as a quantum fluctuation, so what is the upper limit of its existence? (see A.Vilenkin, Many worlds in one, Hill and Wang, New York, 2006)
The energy of a closed Universe is always equal to zero. The energy of matter is positive, the gravitational energy is negative, and it turns out that in a closed Universe the two contributions exactly cancel each other. Thus if a closed Universe were to arise as a quantum fluctuation, there would be no need to borrow energy from the vacuum $\left(\Delta E=0\right)$ and because $\Delta E\Delta t\ge \hbar $, the lifetime of the fluctuation could be arbitrary long.