83 years of general relativity and cosmology: Progress and problems
1999Published in:
- Class.Quant.Grav. 16 (1999) A37-A75
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Abstract: (IOP)
This paper considers the evolution of the relation between gravitational theory and cosmology from the development of the first simple quantitative cosmological models in 1917 to the sophistication of our cosmological models at the turn of the millenium. It is structured around a series of major ideas that have been fundamental in developing today's models, namely: 1, the idea of a cosmological model; 2, the idea of an evolving universe; 3, the idea of astronomical observational tests; 4, the idea of physical structure development; 5, the idea of causal and visual horizons; 6, the idea of an explanation of spacetime geometry; and 7, the idea of a beginning to the universe. A final section considers relating our simplified models to the real universe, and a series of related unresolved issues that need investigation.- general relativity
- astrophysics: history
- cosmological model
- space-time: Robertson-Walker
- Friedman model
- cosmic background radiation
- causality
- space-time: horizon
- geometry
- space-time: singularity
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