The quasi-steady-state cosmology

Jayant V Narlikar

doi:10.1016/s0960-0779(02)00216-3

Abstract

This paper outlines an alternative cosmology called the quasi-steady-state cosmology (QSSC) which was proposed in 1993 as a rival to the standard big bang cosmology (SBBC). The motivation for an alternative cosmology is introduced by first discussing some of the weak points of the SBBC. The theoretical framework and observational tests of the QSSC are next described. Finally some tests which can distinguish between the SBBC and the QSSC are briefly mentioned.

Highlights

This paper begins with a discussion of the shortcomings of standard cosmology, and outlines an alternative cosmology called the Quasi-Steady State Cosmology (QSSC)
The spacetime geometry of the quasi-steady state cosmology (QSSC in brief) is described, just as in standard cosmology, by the Robertson-Walkar line element, with the expansion of the universe determined by the scale factor S(t)
The relative ease with which this type of distribution can be generated is in sharp contrast to the not inconsiderable efforts spent in standard cosmology in arriving at a cluster + void distribution through gravitational clustering

Summary

Cosmological solutions

The spacetime geometry of the quasi-steady state cosmology (QSSC in brief) is described, just as in standard cosmology, by the Robertson-Walkar line element, with the expansion of the universe determined by the scale factor S(t). The quasi steady-state model has two other dimensionless parameters: the ratio Smax/Smin between the amplitudes of S(t) at its maxima and minima, and the ratio S(t0)/Smin of the present scale factor to its periodic minimum. Typical values of these four parameters that give a good fit to the observational data are. We begin with the discussion of the microwave background first, as it represents the tour de force for the standard model

The microwave background

Origin of the light nuclei

Observations of discrete sources

Large scale structure

Concluding remarks