Find out how much the universe grew by during the period of inflation

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the growth of the universe during the inflationary period post-Big Bang, emphasizing that inflation remains a theoretical framework without conclusive evidence. Current calculations suggest a minimum of 60 e-foldings, equating to a growth factor of e^60, necessary for achieving the present flat universe. Observational limits hinder precise measurements of inflation's extent, but estimates indicate an expansion factor of at least 10^30 in all directions. Future discoveries regarding the specifics of inflation may provide clearer insights into its onset and magnitude.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosmological inflation theory
  • Familiarity with e-foldings in cosmology
  • Knowledge of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization
  • Basic grasp of gravitational waves and their significance in cosmology
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of gravitational waves on inflation theory
  • Explore the methods used to measure cosmic microwave background polarization
  • Investigate the mathematical framework behind e-foldings in cosmology
  • Study current advancements in observational cosmology related to inflation
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, cosmologists, and physics students interested in the early universe and the mechanisms of cosmic inflation will benefit from this discussion.

AaronKnight
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Is it possible to find out how much the universe grew by during the period of inflation after the big bang?
 
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Not yet. Inflation is still just one theory to explain some cosmological features, and there is no evidence for it (yet- see gravitational waves and experiments investigating polarisation of the CMB).

You can calculate the minimum amount of inflation required by an inflation theory to give us the current flat universe, and I think that's about 60 e-foldings if I remember correctly (so a factor of e^60).
 


AaronKnight said:
Is it possible to find out how much the universe grew by during the period of inflation after the big bang?
The difficulty is that there is a distinct limit to how far back in inflation that we can possibly observe. Now, we still don't know precisely what inflation was. If we do discover the details of what it is, it is conceivable that that will come along with some specific statements as to how and when it began, which will immediately tell us how much it grew.

The most that we can do at the current stage is place some lower limits on how much it grew. Current estimates are around a factor of at least 10^30 expansion in each direction (though I'd have to look at the specifics).
 

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