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Issue A&A
Volume 422, Number 1, July IV 2004
Page(s) 1 - 9
Section Cosmology (including clusters of galaxies)
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20040256



A&A 422, 1-9 (2004)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20040256

Thermal balance in decaying $\mathsf{\Lambda}$ cosmologies

D. Puy

Geneva Observatory, University of Geneva, Chemin des Maillettes 51, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland

(Received 12 February 2004 / Accepted 26 February 2004)

Abstract
We consider cosmological models in which the vacuum decay energy is channeled exclusively into radiation. We investigate the thermal evolution of the Universe with a variable cosmological term which varies as a function of the scale factor  a as $\Omega_\Lambda=\Omega_{\Lambda,1}+\Omega_{\Lambda,2}\, a^{-m}$. Using constraints given by the temperature measurements of the cosmic microwave background, at redshifts between z=0 and z=4, we find that $\forall m \neq 0$ $\Omega_\Lambda = \Omega_{\Lambda,0} \, a^{-m}$ models are clearly ruled out. The influence on the thermal decoupling between matter and radiation is also discussed.


Key words: cosmology: theory -- cosmic microwave background




© ESO 2004


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