Matter Matters: Unphysical Properties of the Rh = ct Universe

Abstract

It is generally agreed that there is matter in the universe and, in this paper, we show that the existence of matter is extremely problematic for the proposed Rh = ct universe. Considering a dark energy component with an equation of state of w=-1/3, it is shown that the presence of matter destroys the strict expansion properties that define the evolution of Rh = ct cosmologies, distorting the observational properties that are touted as its success. We further examine whether an evolving dark energy component can save this form of cosmological expansion in the presence of matter by resulting in an expansion consistent with a mean value of <w> = -1/3, finding that the presence of mass requires unphysical forms of the dark energy component in the early universe. We conclude that matter in the universe significantly limits the fundamental properties of the Rh = ct cosmology, and that novel, and unphysical, evolution of the matter component would be required to save it. Given this, Rh = ct cosmology is not simpler or more accurate description of the universe than prevailing cosmological models, and its presentation to date possesses significant flaws.

7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in MNRAS

References in corpus (7)

• A luminous quasar at a redshift of z = 7.085
• Quasars at z=6: the survival of the fittest
• We do not live in the R_h = c t universe
• High-z Quasars in the R_h=ct Universe
• Constraints on Dark Energy from the Observed Expansion of our Cosmic Horizon
• Age of the Universe, Average Deceleration Parameter and Possible Implications for the End of Cosmology
• Phantom Energy and the Cosmic Horizon: Rh is still not a horizon!

Cited by in corpus (21)

• Strong evidence for an accelerating universe
• Robust model comparison disfavors power law cosmology
• The Linear Growth of Structure in the R_h=ct Universe
• The Apparent (Gravitational) Horizon in Cosmology
• On Recent Claims Concerning the R_h=ct Universe
• Model Comparison of $\Lambda$CDM vs $R_h=ct$ using Cosmic Chronometers
• A Test of Cosmological Models using high-z Measurements of H(z)
• Power law cosmology model comparison with CMB scale information
• Testing the Distance-Duality Relation in the $R_h=ct$ Universe
• Estimated Age of the Universe in Fractional Cosmology
• Primordial Nucleosynthesis in the Rh = ct cosmology: Pouring cold water on the Simmering Universe
• Cosmological Tests With Strong Gravitational Lenses using Gaussian Processes
• Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models do not require zero active mass
• Study of the observational compatibility of an inhomogeneous cosmology with linear expansion according to SNe Ia
• Constancy of the Cluster Gas Mass Fraction in the R_h=ct Universe
• The $R_{\mathrm{h}}=ct$ universe and quintessence
• Reference level of the vacuum energy density of the Universe and astrophysical data
• The Origin of Rest-mass Energy
• Puzzling initial conditions in the R_h=ct model
• Another coincidence problem for $\Lambda$CDM?
• Is there a Cosmological Basis for E = mc^2?