Astrophysical consequences of extended cosmology

¹ Astronomy Group, Department of Physics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario  N2L 3G1, Canada e-mail: wesson@astro.uwaterloo.ca
² Gravity-Probe B, Hansen Physics Labs, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

Received: 27 February 2005
Accepted: 13 June 2005

Abstract

We outline astrophysical implications of a cosmological model based on the popular view that gravity should be extended from four to more dimensions to unify the forces of physics. At early times the model is inflationary, galaxies form easier, and their peculiar velocities are damped to produce a universal energy field. At late times the model is close to standard, but the dynamics of field galaxies and those in clusters are modified. It is possible to further test the model using a high-velocity radially-moving spacecraft in the solar system.   These consequences provide a good way to look for extra dimensions.