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Winfried Zimdahl

Publications and source records attributed to Winfried Zimdahl.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

Interacting quintessence solution to the coincidence problem

We show that a suitable interaction between a scalar field and a matter fluid in a spatially homogeneous and isotropic spacetime can drive the transition from a matter dominated era to an accelerated expansion phase and simultaneously solve the coincidence problem of our present Universe. For this purpose we study the evolution of the energy density ratio of these two components. We demonstrate that a stationary attractor solution is compatible with an accelerated expansion of the Universe. We extend this study to account for dissipation effects due to interactions in the dark matter fluid. Finally, Type Ia supernovae and primordial nucleosynthesis data are used to constrain the parameters of the model.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2003

Self-interacting gas in a gravitational wave field

We investigate a relativistic self-interacting gas in the field of an external {\it pp} gravitational wave. Based on symmetry considerations we ask for those forces which are able to compensate the imprint of the gravitational wave on the macroscopic 4-acceleration of the gaseous fluid. We establish an exactly solvable toy model according to which the stationary states which characterize such a situation have negative entropy production and are accompanied by instabilities of the microscopic particle motion. These features are similar to those which one encounters in phenomena of self-organization in many-particle systems.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2002

Scaling Cosmology

We show that with the help of a suitable coupling between dark energy and cold dark matter it is possible to reproduce any scaling solution $ρ_{X}\propto ρ_{M}a^ξ$, where $ρ_{X}$ and $ρ_{M}$ are the densities of dark energy and dark matter, respectively. We demonstrate how the case $ξ= 1$ alleviates the coincidence problem. Future observations of supernovae at high redshift as well as quasar pairs which are planned to discriminate between different cosmological models will also provide direct constraints on the coupling between dark matter and dark energy.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Interacting Quintessence

We demonstrate that a suitable coupling between a quintessence scalar field and a pressureless cold dark matter (CDM) fluid leads to a constant ratio of the energy densities of both components which is compatible with an accelerated expansion of the Universe.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Cosmic acceleration from effective forces?

Accelerated expansion of the Universe may result from an anti-frictional force that is self-consistently exerted on cold dark matter (CDM). Cosmic anti-friction is shown to give rise to an effective negative pressure of the cosmic medium. While other models introduce a component of dark energy besides ``standard'' CDM, we resort to a phenomenological one-component model of CDM with internal self-interactions. We demonstrate how the dynamics of the LambdaCDM model may be recovered as a special case of cosmic anti-friction.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Conformal Symmetry and Cosmological Entropy Production

Introducing an effective refraction index of an isotropic cosmic medium, we investigate the cosmological fluid dynamics which is consistent with a conformal, timelike symmetry of a corresponding ``optical'' metric. We demonstrate that this kind of symmetry is compatible with the existence of a negative viscous pressure and, consequently, with cosmological entropy production. We establish an exactly solvable model according to which the viscous pressure is a consequence of a self-interacting one-particle force which is self-consistently exerted on the microscopic particles of a relativistic gas. Furthermore, we show that a sufficiently high decay rate of the refraction index of an ultrarelativistic cosmic medium results in an inflationary expansion of the universe.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2001

Cosmic anti-friction and accelerated expansion

We explain an accelerated expansion of the present universe, suggested from observations of supernovae of type Ia at high redshift, by introducing an anti-frictional force that is self-consistently exerted on the particles of the cosmic substratum. Cosmic anti-friction, which is intimately related to ``particle production'', is shown to give rise to an effective negative pressure of the cosmic medium. While other explanations for an accelerated expansion (cosmological constant, quintessence) introduce a component of dark energy besides ``standard'' cold dark matter (CDM) we resort to a phenomenological one-component model of CDM with internal self-interactions. We demonstrate how the dynamics of the LambdaCDM model may be recovered as a special case of cosmic anti-friction. We discuss the connection with two-component models and obtain an attractor behavior for the ratio of the energy densities of both components which provides a possible phenomenological solution to the coincidence problem.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe

We describe the ``deflationary'' evolution from an initial de Sitter phase to a subsequent Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) period as a specific non-equilibrium configuration of a self-interacting gas. The transition dynamics corresponds to a conformal, timelike symmetry of an ``optical'' metric, characterized by a refraction index of the cosmic medium which continously decreases from a very large initial value to unity in the FLRW phase.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2000

Cosmological thermodynamics and deflationary gas universe

We establish a general thermodynamic scheme for cosmic fluids with internal self-interactions and discuss equilibrium and non-equilibrium aspects of such systems in connection with (generalized) symmetry properties of the cosmological dynamics. As an example we construct an exactly solvable gas dynamical model of a ``deflationary'' transition from an initial de Sitter phase to a subsequent Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) period. We demonstrate that this dynamics represents a manifestation of a conformal symmetry of an ``optical'' metric, characterized by a specific effective refraction index of the cosmic medium.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

Cosmological two-fluid thermodynamics

We reveal unifying thermodynamic aspects of so different phenomena as the cosmological electron-positron annihilation, the evaporation of primordial black holes with a narrow mass range, and the ``deflationary'' transition from an initial de Sitter phase to a subsequent standard Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-Robertson-Walker begin (FLRW) behavior.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1999

Self-interacting cosmic fluids: Particle production, causal evolution, and vacuum decay

We discuss two different realizations of a ``deflationary'' scenario of the early universe which imply a smooth transition from an initial de Sitter stage to a subsequent radiation-dominated FLRW period. Thermodynamically, this transition is a non-equilibrium process which may also be interpreted as the decay of an initial cosmic vacuum into relativistic matter.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1999

Cosmological particle production, causal thermodynamics, and inflationary expansion

Combining the equivalence between cosmological particle creation and an effective viscous fluid pressure with the fact that the latter represents a dynamical degree of freedom within the second-order Israel-Stewart theory for imperfect fluids, we reconsider the possibility of accelerated expansion in fluid cosmology. We find an inherent self-limitation for the magnitude of an effective bulk pressure which is due to adiabatic (isentropic) particle production. For a production rate which depends quadratically on the Hubble rate we confirm the existence of solutions which describe a smooth transition from inflationary to noninflationary behavior and discuss their interpretation within the model of a decaying vacuum energy density. An alternative formulation of the effective imperfect fluid dynamics in terms of a minimally coupled scalar field is given. The corresponding potential is discussed and an entropy equivalent for the scalar field is found.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1999

Generalised equilibrium of cosmological fluids in second-order thermodynamics

Combining the second-order entropy flow vector of the causal Israel-Stewart theory with the conformal Killing-vector property of $u_{i}/T$, where $u_{i}$ is the four-velocity of the medium and T its equilibrium temperature, we investigate generalized equilibrium states for cosmological fluids with nonconserved particle number. We calculate the corresponding equilibrium particle production rate and show that this quantity is reduced compared with the results of the previously studied first-order theory. Generalized equilibrium for massive particles turns out to be compatible with a dependence $ρ\propto a ^{-2}$ of the fluid energy density $ρ$ on the scale factor a of the Robertson-Walker metric and may be regarded as a realization of so-called K-matter.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1999

Thermodynamic equilibrium in the expanding universe

We show that a relativistic gas may be at ``global'' equilibrium in the expanding universe for any equation of state $0 < p \leq ρ/3$, provided that the gas particles move under the influence of a self-interacting, effective one-particle force in between elastic binary collisions. In the force-free limit we recover the equilibrium conditions for ultrarelativistic matter which imply the existence of a conformal timelike Killing vector.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1998

Cosmic evolution during primordial black hole evaporation

Primordial black holes with a narrow mass range are regarded as a nonrelativistic fluid component with an equation of state for dust. The impact of the black hole evaporation on the dynamics of the early universe is studied by resorting to a two-fluid model. We find periods of intense radiation reheating in the initial and final stages of the evaporation.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1998

Inflation in a self-interacting gas universe

We show that a de Sitter spacetime is a solution of Einstein's field equations with the energy momentum tensor of a self-interacting, classical Maxwell-Boltzmann gas in collisional equilibrium. The self-interaction is described by a four-force which is quadratic in the (spatially projected) particle four-momenta. This force does not preserve the particle number and gives rise to an exponential increase in the comoving entropy of the universe while the temperature of the latter remains constant. These properties of a gas universe are related to the existence of a ``projector-conformal'' timelike Killing vector representing a symmetry which is ``in between'' the symmetries characterized by a Killing vector and those characterized by a conformal Killing vector.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1998

Kinetic theory for nongeodesic particle motion: Selfinteracting equilibrium states and effective viscous fluid pressures

The particles of a classical relativistic gas are supposed to move under the influence of a quasilinear (in the particle four-momenta), self-interacting force inbetween elastic, binary collisions. This force which is completely fixed by the equilibrium conditions of the gas, gives rise to an effective viscous pressure on the fluid phenomenological level. Earlier results concerning the possibility of accelerated expansion of the universe due to cosmological particle production are reinterpreted. A phenomenon such as power law inflation may be traced back to specific self-interacting forces keeping the particles of a gas universe in states of generalized equilibrium.

gr-qc↗