Introductory Astronomy

Lecturer: Prof. Sergei Gulyaev

Chapter 6: Cosmology. The Universe and the Big Bang

1. The picture that the Universe expands into a preexisting space like an
explosion is not correct.
2. The question “what was before the big bang?” does not make sense because
– Both space and time (spacetime) are part of the solution to Einstein’s
equation
– Both space and time are created in the big bang

Einstein’s General Relativity (GR) is the theory on which the big bang theory is
resting. GR is the modern “universal theory of gravitation”.

Observational facts on which the big bang theory is resting:

– Hubble’s law
– Cosmic microwave background radiation
– The abundance of the elements
– The large scale distribution and apparent evolution of galaxies.

General Relativity Theory: The theoretical foundation of Cosmology

Relativity:
• Galilean principle of relativity (Galileo, 1600)
• Special principle of relativity as a part of the special relativity theory (Einstein,
1905)
• General relativity theory (Einstein, 1915)

In his special relativity theory, Einstein

1. connected space and time in one entity: spacetime

2D interval: s2 = x2 + y2 (Pithagoras) s
3D interval: s2 = x2 + y2 + z2 y
4D (spacetime) interval: s2 = x2 + y2 + z2 – c2 t2
x
More precisely: ds2 = dx2 + dy2 + dz2 – c2 dt2
(interval in the spacetime)

2. made speed of light special: maximum possible speed in nature.

Classical (Galilean) relativity principle (see Wikipedia):

v = v1 + v2

v1 + v2
Special (Einstein’s) relativity principle: v=
1 + (v1 / c) ⋅ (v2 / c)

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 – it is a very clever formula. Even if v1 +v2 >c, the result, v, is always less or
equal to c (speed of light). Try to use this formula for v1 = c/2, v2 = c/2; and for
v1 = c, v2 = c/2.

3. Connected matter (mass) and energy. E = mc 2

In his General relativity theory, Einstein

1. suggested that gravity is nothing but a curvature of space (it is just a model,
but it works!)

• Mass tells space how to curve

• Space tells mass how to move

2. connected space (spacetime) and matter (matter-energy)

µν 88ππGG µν
G
G µν == 44 TT µν
cc
Distribution of
Geometry of mass and energy
spacetime in the universe
(Einstein tensor) (mass-energy tensor)

In fact it is not just one equation. Parameters µ and ν can be 0, 1, 2, 3, so this

is a system of 10 equations.

Why is general relativity (GR) difficult ?

• conceptually difficult (relativity of space and time, curvature of spacetime)
• mathematically difficult (it is the set of 10 coupled nonlinear partial
differential equations – very hard mathematics)
• space and time are part of the solution

Exact solution are known only for a very few simple cases. One of them is the
Alexander Friedmann’s solution for homogeneous and isotropic model of universe.
(Homogeneous: same in every place. Isotropic: same in all directions. We believe that
our Universe is both homogeneous and isotropic in a very large scale – greater than
the scale of a galactic cluster. ) This solution deals with a critical density: ρcrit .
Comparing real density of matter in the Universe, we can judge about geometry of the
space:

ρ >ρcrit: spherical geometry ρ =ρcrit: flat space ρ < ρcrit: hyperbolic geometry

(Here ρcrit = 10-26 kg/m3)

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New Zealander Roy Kerr is the author of one of the most important (and famous)
solutions of Einstein’s GR equations – solution for a rotating black hole. Kerr’s
solution creates the foundation for the science of black holes. Roy Kerr is a Professor
of the University of Canterbury (Christchurch) and one of living legends of science.
He visited AUT several times in recent years.

Observational foundations of Cosmology

Hubble’s Law

See Chapter 3, lecture called “How do we know it?”

Hubble’s Law is explained by the expansion of the universe.

Cosmic microwave background radiation. Origin and abundance of elements.

If the universe is expanding and cooling, the early universe must have been very
dense and hot. Then there has been a big bang. (Georgy Gamov, 1948)

Gamov: There was an optimum environment to breed the elements by nuclear fusion

– success: predicted that helium abundance is 25% (Hydrogen --75%)

– failure: could not reproduce elements more massive than lithium and
beryllium (⇒ formed in stars)

Gamov: In order to form hydrogen and helium at the right proportions, the following
conditions are required:
– density: ρ ≈ 10-5 g/cm-3
– temperature: T ≈ 109 K
Radiation from this epoch should be observable as an isotropic background radiation.

Gamov: Due to the expansion of the universe to the modern ρ ≈ 3×10-30 g/cm3, the
temperature should have dropped to T ≈ 5 K (-268 C or -450 F).

Can we observe this radiation ? Penzias and Wilson (1965) discovered highly
isotropic Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (CMB). See Wikipedia.

Spectrum of the CMB corresponds to temperature = 3K (270 C). Gamov’s prediction

was almost correct.

Should the CMB be perfectly smooth ?

No. Today’s Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on the largest scales, but there is
a fair amount of structure on small scales, such as galaxies, clusters of galaxies etc.

We observe some wriggles (fluctuations in temperature and density) in the CMB

radiation, corresponding to the seeds from which later on galaxies grow. Read about
“Planck” mission.

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