Frw metric Definition and 31 Threads

The subject of this thread is about the existence of Closed Timelike Curves (CTC) in FLRW models. FLRW models have topology ##\mathbb R^4## or ##\mathbb S^3 \times \mathbb R##. What about their metric? Do they have any CTC ?

As required I start this thread on the meaning of "expanding universe" in the context of GR. FRW standard models have a special timelike congruence named "comoving" congruence. One can pick an adapted global chart in which the comoving congruence's worldlines are "at rest". Such a chart defines...

The question might be a bit weird: which are the current "speculations" about the topology of the Universe as spacetime ? I'm aware of, from the point of view of spacelike hypersurfaces of constant cosmological time, the topology of such "spaces" might be nearly flat on large scale. What about...

I would like to calculate the principal and Gaussian curvature of the spatial part of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric; specifically, the negative Gaussian curvature ##k=-1##. The FRW metric is, \begin{equation*} ds^2 = -dt^2 + R(t)^2 \left( \frac{dr^2}{1-k r^2} + r^2 d\Omega^2...

In the context of the model of eternal inflation, if an inflating "pocket universe" disconnects from an the background spacetime, does it mean that the baby universe itself can have its own spacetime? can they be described by a different spacetime metric than the background? if the original...

Wikipedia states the following in their article about the expansion of the universe: If the cosmological principle was discovered to be false in our universe, i.e. our universe was discovered to be inhomogeneous or anisotropic or both on very large scales and the FLRW metric does not hold for...

Once having converted the FLRW metric from comoving coordinates ##ds^2=-dt^2+a^2(t)(dr^2+r^2d\phi^2)## to "conformal" coordinates ##ds^2=a^2(n)(-dn^2+dr^2+r^2d\phi^2)##, is there a way to facilitate solving for general geodesics that would otherwise be difficult, such as cases with motion in...

I just need to compare my results of the Ricci and Riemann Tensors of FRW metric, but only considering the spatial coordinates.

I have calculated the Christoffel symbols for the above given metric, but I don't understand how to calculate a photon's four-momentum using this information. I believe it has something to do with the null geodesic equation but I can't understand how to put that information into the problem...

Using the Einstein-Hilbert action for a Universe with just the cosmological constant ##\Lambda##: $$S=\int\Big[\frac{R}{2}-\Lambda\Big]\sqrt{-g}\ d^4x$$ I would like to derive the equations of motion: $$\Big(\frac{\dot a}{a}\Big)^2+\frac{k}{a^2}=\frac{\Lambda}{3}\tag{1}$$ $$2\frac{\ddot...

My attempt: Realize we can work in whatever coordinate system we want, therefore we might as well work in the rest frame of the fluid. In this case ##u^a=(c,\vec{0})##. The conservation law reads ##\nabla^a T_{ab}=0##. Let us pick the Levi-Civita connection so that we don't have to worry about...

Homework Statement Prove Rijkl= k/R2 * (gik gjl-gil gjk) where gik is the 3 metric for FRW universe and K =0,+1,-1, and i,j=1,2,3, that is, spatial coordinates. . Homework Equations The Christoffel symbol definition: Γμνρ = ½gμσ(∂ρgνσ+∂νgρσ-∂σgνρ) and the Riemann tensor definition: Rμνσρ =...

What do people think of Fulvio Melia's argument for the necessity of "zero active mass" in FRW cosmologies? (i.e. the overall equation of state must be ##\rho+3p=0## at all times) Here is a link to an interesting lecture video: Here is a recent paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.07587

I don't understand the reasoning for any of the three constraints imposed. why would ##dtdx^i## terms indicate a preferred direction? what if there was identical terms for each ##x^i## would there still be a specified or preferred direction? (or is it that in this case we could rename ##t## to...

Homework Statement Homework Equations see above The Attempt at a Solution Using the conservation equation for ##p=0## I find: ##\rho =\frac{ \rho_0}{a^3}##; (I am told this is ##\geq0## , is ##a\geq0## so here I can conclude that ##\rho_0 \geq =0 ## or not?) Plugging this and ##p=0## into...

So I have been following various derivations of the FRW metric and have a bit of confusion due to varying convention... Would it be correct to say that curvature K can be expressed as both K = \frac{k}{a(t)^2} and K = \frac{k}{R(t)^2} where k is the curvature parameter? If so, is it correct to...

So from a killing tensor the FRW metric is known to possess, for a massless particle we find the well known result that as the universe expands the frequency of the photons decreases . But , what does this do for gr ? Was this known to happen before gr ? Thanks a lot. (I know it is used to...

Homework Statement (a) Find the FRW metric, equations and density parameter. Express the density parameter in terms of a and H. (b) Express density parameter as a function of a where density dominates and find values of w. (c) If curvature is negligible, what values must w be to prevent a...

Taken from Hobson's book: Metric is given by ds^2 = c^2 dt^2 - R^2(t) \left[ d\chi^2 + S^2(\chi) (d\theta^2 + sin^2\theta d\phi^2) \right] Thus, ##g_{00} = c^2, g_{11} = -R^2(t), g_{22} = -R^2(t) S^2(\chi), g_{33} = -R^2(t) S^2(\chi) sin^2 \theta##. Geodesic equation is given by: \dot...

I'm looking at Tod and Hughston Introduction to GR and writing the metric in the two forms; [1]##ds^{2}=dt^{2}-R^{2}(t)(\frac{dr^{2}}{1-kr^{2}}+r^{2}(d\theta^{2}+sin^{2}\theta d\phi^{2}))## [2] ##ds^{2}=dt^{2}-R^{2}(t)g_{ij}dx^{i}dx^{j}## where...

This is probably a stupid question but does k=1,0,-1 correspond to closed,flat,open refer to space or space-times? Looking at a derivation what each geometrically represents is only done when talking about the spatial part of the FRW metric. As space can be flat and space-time still curved...

So in deriving the metric, the space-time can be foliated by homogenous and isotropic spacelike slices. And the metric must take the form: ##ds^{2}=-dt^{2}+a^{2}(t)\gamma_{ij}(u)du^{i}du^{j}##, where ## \gamma_{ij} ## is the metric of a spacelike slice at a constant t QUESTION: So I've read...

I'm looking at: http://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/9712019.pdf, deriving the FRW metric, and I don't fully understand how the Ricci Vectors eq 8.5 can be attained from 7.16, by setting ##\partial_{0} \beta ## and ##\alpha=0## I see that any christoffel symbol with a ##0## vanish and so so do any...

I was wondering if I can expand the FRW metric in d spatial dimensions, like: g_{\mu \nu}^{frw} = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & - \frac{a^2(t)}{1-kr^2} & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & - a^2(t) r^2 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & -a^2 (t) r^2 \sin^2 \theta \end{pmatrix} \rightarrow g_{MN} = \begin{pmatrix} g_{\mu...

When working with light-propagation in the FRW metric $$ds^2 = - dt^2 + a^2 ( d\chi^2 + S_k(\chi) d\Omega^2)$$ most texts just set $$ds^2 = 0$$ and obtain the equation $$\frac{d\chi}{dt} = - \frac{1}{a}$$ for a light-ray moving from the emitter to the observer. Question1: Do we not strictly...

Hello everyone, I already know that the solution to this question is obvious but I can't find it. Consider an expanding universe following the FRW metric ds^2=-dt^2-a^2(t)dx^2 (1 space dimension for simplicity). We know that the physical spatial distance x_p is related to the comoving spatial...

In an expanding universe that is modeled by the FRW metric we assume that scale factor of the "present epoch" is unity which is equivalent to a zero redshift. Therefore, most observed galaxies with nonzero redshifts are in our past light cone. But it is unclear to me how much back in time or...

hi we know that our universe is homogenous and isotropic in large scale. the metric describe these conditions is FRW metric. In FRW, we have constant,k, that represent the surveture of space. it can be 1,0,-1. but the the Einstan Eq, Ricci scalar is obtained as function of time! and this...

In the context of Friedmann's time, 1922, how did he know to make the metric scale factor, a, a function of time when Hubble's redshifts were not yet published? I understand that he took the assumption that the universe is homogenous and isotropic, but does that naturally imply that the universe...

Hi, I'm new to Physics Forum and wasn't really sure where to post this since its not strictly speaking a homwork question. So if it happens to be in the wrong place I apologise. I was looking through some lecture notes from when I did my Physics degree years ago and come across a problem...

What are the symmetries determined by FRW spacetime? I guess they include Lorentz symmetry, rotationally and translationally symmetries, but not time symmetry. Is this right? Thanks