Inflation in the universe, Circa 1986
The hot big bang cosmology, or the standard cosmology as it is appropriately known, is a highly successful model, providing a reliable and tested accounting of the Universe from 0.01 sec after the bang until today, some 15 Gyr later. However, very special initial data seem to be required in order to account for the observed smoothness and flatness of our Hubble volume and for the existence of the small primeval density inhomogeneities required for the formation of structure in the Universe. Inflation offers a means of accounting for these special initial data which is based upon physics at sub-planck energy scales (<>10/sup 28/ cm) may be a highly irregular. At present, the most conspicuous blemish on the paradigm is the lack of a compelling particle physics model to implement it. Some other unresolved issues facing inflation, including the confrontation between inflation and observational data are also reviewed. 112 refs., 4 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Chicago Univ., IL (USA). Enrico Fermi Inst.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03000
- OSTI ID:
- 6839243
- Report Number(s):
- FNAL/C-86/168-A; CONF-8607113-1; ON: DE87005399
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 11. international conference on general relativity and gravitation, Stockholm, Sweden, 1 Jul 1986; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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640106* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Cosmology