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Departures from the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertston-Walker Cosmological Model in an Inhomogeneous Universe: A Numerical Examination

John T. Giblin, Jr., James B. Mertens, and Glenn D. Starkman
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 251301 – Published 24 June 2016
Physics logo See Synopsis: A Relativistic View of a Clumpy Universe

Abstract

While the use of numerical general relativity for modeling astrophysical phenomena and compact objects is commonplace, the application to cosmological scenarios is only just beginning. Here, we examine the expansion of a spacetime using the Baumgarte-Shapiro-Shibata-Nakamura formalism of numerical relativity in synchronous gauge. This work represents the first numerical cosmological study that is fully relativistic, nonlinear, and without symmetry. The universe that emerges exhibits an average Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) behavior; however, this universe also exhibits locally inhomogeneous expansion beyond that expected in linear perturbation theory around a FLRW background.

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  • Received 17 November 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.251301

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Synopsis

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A Relativistic View of a Clumpy Universe

Published 24 June 2016

Cosmologists have begun using fully relativistic models to understand the effects of inhomogeneous matter distribution on the evolution of the Universe.

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Authors & Affiliations

John T. Giblin, Jr.1,2, James B. Mertens2, and Glenn D. Starkman2

  • 1Department of Physics, Kenyon College, 201 North College Rd, Gambier, Ohio 43022, USA
  • 2CERCA/ISO, Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA

See Also

Effects of Nonlinear Inhomogeneity on the Cosmic Expansion with Numerical Relativity

Eloisa Bentivegna and Marco Bruni
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 251302 (2016)

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Vol. 116, Iss. 25 — 24 June 2016

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