Qualitative study of perfect-fluid Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker models with a cosmological constant
Preprint
Abstract
The evolution of spatially homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models containing a perfect fluid with equation of state p=w\rho\ and a cosmological constant \Lambda\ is investigated for arbitrary combinations of w and \Lambda, using standard qualitative analysis borrowed from classical mechanics. This approach allows one to consider a large variety of situations, appreciating similarities and differences between models, without solving the Friedmann equation, and is suitable for an elementary course in cosmology.Keywords
All Related Versions
- Version 1, 2011-12-19, ArXiv
- Published version: American Journal of Physics, 80 (8), 670.
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dark energy and the cosmological constant: a brief introductionEuropean Journal of Physics, 2009
- On the stability of the Einstein static universeClassical and Quantum Gravity, 2003
- A phantom menace? Cosmological consequences of a dark energy component with super-negative equation of statePhysics Letters B, 2002
- A dynamical study of the Friedmann equationsEuropean Journal of Physics, 2001
- Lambda: The Constant That Refuses to DieArchive for History of Exact Sciences, 2001
- Particle-Like Description for FRW CosmologiesGeneral Relativity and Gravitation, 1998
- Thermodynamic properties of γ fluids and the quantum vacuumPhysical Review D, 1995
- General and unified solution for perfect fluid homogeneous and isotropie cosmological modelsGeneral Relativity and Gravitation, 1988
- Foundations of Mechanics; Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics; and Classical Dynamical SystemsPhysics Today, 1980
- On the Instability of Einstein's Spherical WorldMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 1930