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A reminder about Hubbles Law Definition of The Cosmological Principle Homogeneity and Isotropy
Specifically, he measured the distance and velocity of (nearby) galaxies he found that
This is called Hubbles Law. The constant H0 is called Hubbles constant. Current estimates are H0=71km/s/Mpc
Early history of cosmology is largely the realization that we do not occupy a special place in the Universe
Once though that Earth was at center of solar system now we know were not. Once thought that Solar System was at center of the Galaxy now we know were not. Once thought that our Galaxy was the dominant structure in the Universe now we know that its a pretty typical galaxy
Definition : The Cosmological Principle (or Copernican Principle) states that the Universe looks the same where-ever you are and whichever direction you look
Universe is homogeneous : every place in the universe has the same conditions as every other place, on average. Universe is isotropic : there is no preferred direction in the universe, on average.
Is it possible to have a space which is homogeneous but not isotropic? Is it possible to have a space which is isotropic but not homogeneous?
Cosmology involves using the machinery of General Relativity to model our Universe In detail, Universe is an incredibly complex place would be impossible to analyze mathematically if there were no simplifying principle Assumption of homogeneity and isotropy gives us the simplification that we need
Evidence for homogeneity and isotropy comes from galaxy surveys, observations of Cosmic Microwave Background, uniformity of elemental abundances
z=0.033
8/18/11
10
z=0.20
8/18/11
11
Almost uniform intensity of microwaves in all directions (isotropic 2.7K black body radiation)
Question : Hubble showed that (almost) all galaxies are moving away from us with velocity proportional to distance... It seems that we are at the center of the expansion! How is this consistent with the homogeneity assumption?
Cosmology is based on Relativity Theory (Special and General) which rests on the assumption that physics is the same all (inertial) frames of reference. Does that mean that there is no preferred frame of reference in the Universe?
No! A preferred frame sneaks into the theory via the imposition of the homogeneity assumption Homogeneity states that, at a moment, the Universe has the same average properties no matter where you are so we are imposing uniformity across a spatial slice of the spacetime (i.e. set of all points in spacetime that are simultaneous to each other) But the notion of simultaneity changes when once chances frame of reference so, in expanding Universe, homogeneity can only be true in some particular frame of reference Thus, homogeneity picks out a cosmological rest frame
Subtracting off the mean level leaves a dipole pattern motion of Earth wrt cosmological rest frame