Beyond the Friedmann - Lemaître - Robertson - Walker Big Bang singularity

Abstract

Einstein's equation, in its standard form, breaks down at the Big Bang singularity. A new version, equivalent to Einstein's whenever the latter is defined, but applicable in wider situations, is proposed. The new equation remains smooth at the Big Bang singularity of the Friedmann - Lemaître - Robertson - Walker model. It is a tensor equation defined in terms of the Ricci part of the Riemann curvature. It is obtained by taking the Kulkarni - Nomizu product between Einstein's equation and the metric tensor. © 2012 Chinese Physical Society and IOP Publishing Ltd.