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Was the big bang a whimper?

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Abstract

In many cases the spatially homogeneous cosmological models of General Relativity begin or end at a “big bang” where the density and temperature of the matter in the universe diverge. However in certain cases the spatially homogeneous development of these universes terminates at a singularity where all physical quantities are well—behaved (a “whimper”) and an associated Cauchy horizon. We examine the existence and nature of these singularities, and the possible fate of matter which crosses the Cauchy horizon in such a universe. The nature of both kinds of singularity is illustrated by simple models based on two-dimensional Minkowski space-time; and the possibility of other types of singularity occuring is considered.

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Author notes

  1. G. F. R. Ellis

    Present address: Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Boston University, Boston, USA

    G. F. R. Ellis

  2. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK

    G. F. R. Ellis

  3. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK

    A. R. King

Authors
  1. G. F. R. Ellis
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  2. A. R. King
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Communicated by J. Ehlers

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Ellis, G.F.R., King, A.R. Was the big bang a whimper?. Commun.Math. Phys. 38, 119–156 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651508

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651508

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