Introduction to Cosmology Ryden · Problem 10.1

Inflation and the Very Early Universe

Physics — Astrophysics · inflation-flatness-omega

Problem

What upper limit is placed on Ω(tP)\Omega(t_P) by the requirement that the universe not end in a Big Crunch between the Planck time, tP≈5×10−44t_P \approx 5\times10^{-44} s, and the start of the inflationary epoch at tit_i? Compute the maximum permissible value of Ω(tP)\Omega(t_P), first assuming ti≈10−36t_i \approx 10^{-36} s, then assuming ti≈10−26t_i \approx 10^{-26} s. (Hint: prior to inflation, the Friedmann equation will be dominated by the radiation term and the curvature term.)

Browse the problem library