Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2005 / ii / Paper 3 / 10D (Cosmology)

For a homogeneous isotropic metric, radial light propagation covers comoving distance $\int cdt/a(t)$. The physical particle horizon is $d_p(t)=a(t){\int }_{t_i}^{t}cd{t}^{\prime }/a(t^{\prime })$, when this is finite. A future event horizon exists when $d_e(t)=a(t){\int }_t^{t_f}cd{t}^{\prime }/a(t^{\prime })$ is finite. The Hubble radius is the instantaneous scale $c/H$, with $H=\dot{a}/a$; it is not generally the same as either causal horizon.

For an Einstein-de Sitter universe, $H=2/(3t)$, so $c/H=3ct/2$, while $d_p=3ct$ from a beginning at zero. The future integral diverges, so there is no event horizon. For an eternal-past de Sitter spacetime, $H$ is constant and the particle-horizon integral from $-\infty$ diverges. Its event horizon and Hubble radius both equal $c/H$. Thus a Hubble radius is not automatically a particle horizon, even in these simple isotropic models.

For an expanding decelerating power law $a\propto t^{\alpha }$ with $0<\alpha <1$, the particle horizon is $ct/(1-\alpha )$, and the comoving Hubble radius is $c/(aH)\propto t^{1-\alpha }$. It increases with time, so regions that are mutually visible today can have been out of causal contact at early times. The nearly uniform early thermal conditions inferred across such regions give the horizon problem.

During cosmic inflation, accelerated expansion makes the comoving Hubble radius decrease. A patch initially within one causal communication scale can expand into the region now observed, after which its separated parts are temporarily outside the Hubble radius and later re-enter during deceleration. Sufficient duration before the hot radiation era permits a common causal origin; accelerated expansion is not itself a claim that signals propagate faster than light locally.

For the radiation-era law beginning at $t_r$, the present particle-horizon estimate isRescale this present physical distance back to $t_r$ using $a(t_r)/a(t_0)=\sqrt{t_r/t_0}$. Its physical size was $2c\sqrt{t_r{t}_0}\simeq 0.6\mathrm{m}$, of order one metre as required. The matched inflationary Hubble rate is $H=1/(2t_r)\simeq 5\times 10^{34}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, with Hubble radius $c/H\simeq 6\times 10^{-27}\mathrm{m}$.

If inflation produces $N$ e-folds before $t_r$, this patch began with size $0.6e^{-N}$ metres. It fits within one Hubble radius ifThis estimate uses the idealized radiation-only history stated in the question; substituting the actual matter-dominated history would change the numerical estimate.