‘Understanding’ cosmological bulk viscosity

1996/02/23 by Winfried Zimdahl · 89 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications #Argument (complex analysis) #Astrophysics #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Classical mechanics #Cosmology #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Perfect fluid #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Radiative transfer #Theoretical physics #Thermodynamics #Universe #Viscosity #Volume viscosity #astro-ph #gr-qc

paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/mnras/280.4.1239

published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 280(4), 1239-1243 (Oxford University Press) · 12 pages, Latex file, to appear in MNRAS

arxiv created 1996/02/23 · openalex publication_date 1996/06/01 · arxiv updated 2015/06/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

A universe consisting of two interacting perfect fluids with the same 4-velocity is considered. A heuristic mean free time argument is used to show that the system as a whole cannot also be perfect, but necessarily implies a non-vanishing bulk viscosity. A new formula for the bulk viscosity is derived and compared with corresponding results of radiative hydrodynamics.

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• Complete cosmic scenario from inflation to late time acceleration: Nonequilibrium thermodynamics in the context of particle creation
• Inflationary solution of Hamilton Jacobi equations during weak dissipative regime
• General Bulk-Viscous Solutions and Estimates of Bulk Viscosity in the Cosmic Fluid