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For conformal time $d\tau =dt/a$, the conformal Hubble parameter is $\mathcal{H}=a^{\prime }/a=aH=\dot{a}$, where primes and dots denote conformal and cosmic time derivatives respectively. Its inverse, in units $c=1$, is the comoving Hubble radius. It differs from the ordinary Hubble parameter by one factor of the scale factor.

A negatively curved universe with pressureless matter and no dark energy expands forever. With $a_0=1$ and $0<{\Omega }_{m,0}<1$, its scale factor is $a={\Omega }_{m,0}(\cosh \eta -1)/[2(1-{\Omega }_{m,0})]$ and its cosmic time is $t={\Omega }_{m,0}(\sinh \eta -\eta )/[2H_0(1-{\Omega }_{m,0}{)}^{3/2}]$. The parameter is conformal time scaled by $\sqrt{-K}$ and measured from the Big Bang.

Use units $c=\hslash =k_B=1$, and write $H=\dot{a}/a$ for the Hubble parameter, with dots denoting cosmic time. Differentiating the Friedmann equation givesOn an interval where $H\ne 0$, use the Hubble parameter identity $\dot{H}=\ddot{a}/a-H^2$ and the Friedmann acceleration equation to findSubstitution cancels the curvature term and gives the continuity equationThe cosmological perfect-fluid continuity equation extends by continuity through a regular isolated turning point. Physically it states that the change of energy in a comoving volume is the negative of the pressure work: $d(\rho a^3)=-Pd(a^3)$.

For separately conserved cosmological fluids, each component obeys this equation individually. A constant equation-of-state parameter $w_i=P_i/{\rho }_i$ therefore giveswhere the present scale factor is normalized to $a_0=1$. Thus the component density laws areThe extra factor for radiation in cosmology is the cosmological redshift of each photon's energy; pressureless matter has only number dilution, while the specified dark energy is a cosmological constant.

The critical density at a given expansion rate is the total density that makes the spatial curvature vanish:These cosmological density parameters use the critical density at that same time. Put $E(a)=H(a)/H_0$ and ${\Omega }_{K,0}=-K/H_0^2$. The Friedmann equation yieldsConsequently the fractional-density evolution, rather than just the component-density evolution, isIn particular ${\sum }_i{\Omega }_i=1+K/(a^2{H}^2)$. The simple powers of $a$ alone apply to ${\rho }_i$, or to ${\rho }_i/{\rho }_{\mathrm{crit},0}$, not to the instantaneous cosmological density parameters. At a recollapse turning point $H=0$, those instantaneous ratios are undefined even though the component densities remain finite.

For the open matter-dominated Friedmann solution, write $\Omega ={\Omega }_{m,0}$, so $0<\Omega <1$. The present Friedmann equation gives $-K=H_0^2(1-\Omega )$. With $A=H_0^2\Omega$ and $B=H_0^2(1-\Omega )>0$, the expanding equation becomesChoose the hyperbolic substitutionThen $da=(A/(2B))\sinh \eta d\eta$ and $\sqrt{a/(a+A/B)}=\tanh (\eta /2)$. Their product givesTake the Big Bang to be $t=0$, $\eta =0$, and integrate. The parametric solution isThe parameter is determined explicitly byThus $\eta$ is conformal time multiplied by $\sqrt{-K}$, with its origin at the Big Bang; it is not equal to unscaled cosmic time. In particular today ${\eta }_0=\mathrm{arcosh}(2/\Omega -1)$. Small $\eta$ gives $a\propto {\eta }^2$ and $t\propto {\eta }^3$, hence $a\propto t^{2/3}$. Large $\eta$ gives $a/t\to H_0\sqrt{1-\Omega }=\sqrt{-K}$, in agreement with the curvature-dominated universe limit.

Use units $c=1$ and cosmic time $t$. Define the Hubble parameter $H=\dot{a}/a$, the equation-of-state parameter $\omega =P/\rho$, and the cosmological density parameterHere ${\rho }_{\mathrm{crit}}$ is the critical density. The definition requires $H\ne 0$; assume positive energy density and an expanding branch so that $\log a$ is a valid time coordinate. The Friedmann equation gives $\Omega -1=K/(a^2{H}^2)$. The Friedmann acceleration equation and Hubble parameter identity giveDifferentiating the Friedmann equation and combining with this identity yields the cosmological perfect-fluid continuity equation $\dot{\rho }=-3H(\rho +P)$. ConsequentlyThus the cosmological density parameter flow isThis identity allows time-dependent $\omega$; constancy is needed only for the simple power-law integration in the next part.

The printed $\mathcal{H}$ is the conformal Hubble parameter, $\mathcal{H}=aH=\dot{a}$; ${\mathcal{H}}^{-1}$ is the comoving Hubble radius, rather than the physical radius $H^{-1}$. Since the derivative requested is with respect to cosmic time,Thus the cosmic-time derivative of the comoving Hubble radius hasFor an expanding universe, the same factor $1+3\omega$ determines whether a small departure from flatness grows and whether the comoving Hubble radius grows. Ordinary matter with $\omega >-1/3$ therefore has both signs associated with the conventional Flatness problem and Horizon problem. Scales whose physical wavelengths now exceed the Hubble radius were even farther outside it, in relative terms, earlier in such an era, rather than being brought inside for causal equilibration. Accelerated expansion with $\omega <-1/3$ reverses both signs.

There is a qualification to the word “always”: an actual Horizon problem depends on the complete past history, not just this local sign. In a flat, constant-$\omega$ hot Big Bang model with $\omega >-1/3$, $a\propto (t-t_B{)}^p$ with $p=2/[3(1+\omega )]<1$, so the comoving particle horizon ${\int }_{t_B}^{t}d{t}^{\prime }/a(t^{\prime })$ is finite. The conventional causal problem then accompanies the flatness instability. An earlier accelerated era or a different past boundary can change the causal conclusion even when the present-era comoving Hubble radius is growing. Thus the requested correspondence is valid in that usual expanding hot Big Bang setting, not a universal logical equivalence between global horizons and local stability. At $\omega =-1/3$ both local effects are marginal.

In cosmic time, all three Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker metrics can be writtenwhereThe closed spatial slice is a three-sphere of radius $a(t)$, soThe complete flat and open spatial slices are noncompact and have

For a homogeneous fluid in the Spatially flat FLRW metric, the equations in part (a) reduce to the cosmological perfect-fluid continuity equationwhile homogeneity makes the spatial relativistic Euler equation automatic. The Einstein field equations give the flat Friedmann equation and Friedmann acceleration equation,equivalently $\ddot{a}/a=-4\pi G(\rho +3P)/3$.

Take a fixed comoving region, whose physical volume is $V=V_0{a}^3$. Its energy is $E=\rho V$, so the first-law relation $dE=-PdV$ givesDifferentiating with respect to cosmic time and using the Hubble parameter $H=\dot{a}/a$ yields the cosmological perfect-fluid continuity equation

For the barotropic equation of state $P=w\rho$, separation gives the constant-equation-of-state density scalingSubstituting this into the flat Friedmann equation and integrating the expanding branch gives, for $w\ne -1$,For $w=-1$, the density and Hubble parameter are constant and instead $a(t)\propto e^{Ht}$.

Conformal time is defined byAt radiation–string equality, let each component have density ${\rho }_{\mathrm{eq}}$ at $a=a_{\mathrm{eq}}$. Since radiation in cosmology has $w=1/3$ and a cosmic string network has $w=-1/3$,ConsequentlyThusOn the expanding branch, integration givesChoosing the Big Bang to occur at $\tau =0$ gives the radiation--cosmic-string Friedmann solution