Understanding the Cosmological Crisis on the Shape of the Universe Using Planck Data
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Date
2021Author
Kaguamba, Minjire K
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The shape of the universe has been a major topic of debate for scientists over the years. Since the
beginning of time human beings have been seeking answers to intriguing questions concerning the
nature of the universe, its shape, origin and its ultimate fate. Isaac Newton believed in a static and
infinite universe according to his theory. The renowned physicist hypothesized that, distribution
of matter was uniform and infinite and hence the universe was in balance. Einstein used the
Riemannian geometry to describe the geometry of space. This has three spatial dimensions and
another dimension which is temporal. Einstein achieved this by formulating the Einstein Field
Equations (EFEs). In our present age cosmologists have been conducting experiments and
developing mathematical models and theories to explain this cosmological phenomenon with
many observations leading to antagonistic conclusions. In the past models favoring a flat
universe have been widely accepted and applied by cosmologists around the globe. However
recent results from analyses of 2018 data taken by the European Space Agency Planck satellite
point out that our universe should be closed. These results have caused a lot of concern amongst
cosmologists as such findings might be plunging us to a cosmological crisis. Detailed analysis of
the cosmic microwave background (CMB) data confirmed the presence of enhanced lensing
amplitude when in comparison with the ɅCDM model prediction. These discrepancies have
triggered a number of studies that attempt to keenly reassess the level of discordance whereas
some try to settle it by introducing new physics.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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