The Cosmic triangle: Assessing the state of the universe

Jun, 1999
35 pages
Published in:
  • Science 284 (1999) 1481-1488
e-Print:

Citations per year

19992005201120172023020406080100120
Abstract: (arXiv)
The "cosmic triangle" is introduced as a way of representing the past, present, and future status of the universe. Our current location within the cosmic triangle is determined by the answers to three questions: How much matter is in the universe? Is the expansion rate slowing down or speeding up? And, is the universe flat? A review of recent observations suggests a universe that is lightweight (matter density about one-third the critical value), is accelerating, and is flat. The acceleration implies the existence of cosmic dark energy that overcomes the gravitational self-attraction of matter and causes the expansion to speed up.
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