The Smoothness Problem
Is there an alternative to inflation or is it the only mechanism that can explain how we ended up with what appears to be an incredibly smooth universe?
Although there are a some observations scientists have made that don't appear to be consistent with a cyclical or oscillating model of the universe (the accelerating expansion being the most obvious one), an oscillation model does have an advantage in that it would not require an inflationary period to yield the early smoothness that is essential to produce the seemingly even distribution of stars and galaxies we observe today. This is because, unlike the big bang's starting point, an oscillating universe does not necessarily have to reach an infinitely small point in space as it contracts before 'bouncing' back into expansion mode.
It may be that, similar to external matter feeding a type Ia supernova until it reaches critical mass and then explodes, the black pole described on the curved universe page of this website, reaches a critical mass just before space reduces to zero triggering its next cycle.
It also may be that our matter dominated universe may be balanced by an anti-matter black pole and that the makeup of the universe outside the black pole cycles between one of matter followed by one dominated by anti-matter.
Is there an alternative to inflation or is it the only mechanism that can explain how we ended up with what appears to be an incredibly smooth universe?
Although there are a some observations scientists have made that don't appear to be consistent with a cyclical or oscillating model of the universe (the accelerating expansion being the most obvious one), an oscillation model does have an advantage in that it would not require an inflationary period to yield the early smoothness that is essential to produce the seemingly even distribution of stars and galaxies we observe today. This is because, unlike the big bang's starting point, an oscillating universe does not necessarily have to reach an infinitely small point in space as it contracts before 'bouncing' back into expansion mode.
It may be that, similar to external matter feeding a type Ia supernova until it reaches critical mass and then explodes, the black pole described on the curved universe page of this website, reaches a critical mass just before space reduces to zero triggering its next cycle.
It also may be that our matter dominated universe may be balanced by an anti-matter black pole and that the makeup of the universe outside the black pole cycles between one of matter followed by one dominated by anti-matter.
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In an oscillating universe its makeup may cycle between matter and antimatter. With time running on the horizontal axis (in billions of years) and the radius of our observable universe on the vertical axis (in billions of light years), the universe may oscillate between compression and expansion (shown on the vertical axis in billions of light years) cycling between matter (+ve) and anti-matter (-ve). |