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 a simpler or more accurate description of the universe than prevailing cosmological models, and its presentation to date possesses significant flaws. © 2013 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.