The Cosmological Constant
Abstract
The cosmological constant problem is examined in the context of both astronomy and physics. Effects of a nonzero cosmological constant are discussed with reference to expansion dynamics, the age of the universe, distance measures, comoving density of objects, growth of linear perturbations, and gravitational lens probabilities. The observational status of the cosmological constant is reviewed, with attention given to the existence of high-redshift objects, age derivation from globular clusters and cosmic nuclear data, dynamical tests of Omega sub Lambda, quasar absorption line statistics, gravitational lensing, and astrophysics of distant objects. Finally, possible solutions to the physicist's cosmological constant problem are examined.
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The cosmological constant can be cast as an effective cosmic fluid with equation of state minus one, which coincides with the equation of state of vacuum energy associated with zero-level quantum fluctuations.
“The cosmological constant can be cast into the model as an effective cosmic fluid with an equation of state of minus one. This coincides exactly with the equation of state of the vacuum energy associated with zero-level quantum fluctuations.”
From Testing general relativity in cosmology (2019) · cites this paper as Carroll et al. 1992
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Observational Evidence from Supernovae for an Accelerating Universe and a Cosmological Constant
Riess, A. G., Filippenko, A. V., Challis, P., Clocchiatti, A., Diercks, A., Garnavich, P. M., Gilliland, R. L., Hogan, C. J., Jha, S., Kirshner, R. P., et al. (1998) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.1086/300499 · Cited by 19,704 · see citing works
Measurements of Ω and Λ from 42 High‐Redshift Supernovae
Perlmutter, S., Aldering, G., Goldhaber, G., Knop, R. A., Nugent, P., Castro, P. G., Deustua, S., Fabbro, S., Goobar, A., Groom, D. E., et al. (1999) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/307221 · Cited by 18,062 · see citing works
FIVE-YEAR<i>WILKINSON MICROWAVE ANISOTROPY PROBE</i>OBSERVATIONS: COSMOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION
Komatsu, E., Dunkley, J., Nolta, M. R., Bennett, C. L., Gold, B., Hinshaw, G., Jarosik, N., Larson, D., Limon, M., Page, L., et al. (2009) · The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series · doi:10.1088/0067-0049/180/2/330 · Cited by 5,786 · see citing works
Riess, A. G., Strolger, L., Tonry, J., Casertano, S., Ferguson, H. C., Mobasher, B., Challis, P., Filippenko, A. V., Jha, S., Li, W., et al. (2004) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/383612 · Cited by 4,315 · see citing works
“…(FRW) cosmology with mass density M and vacuum energy density (i.e., the cosmological constant) is dL ¼ cH 10 (1þ z) kj j 1=2 sinn ( kj j1=2 ; Z z 0 dz (1þ z)2(1þ Mz) z(2þ z) 1=2) ; ð11Þ where k ¼ 1 M , and ‘‘sinn’’ is sinh for k > 0 and sin for k < 0 (Carroll et al. 1992).”
Dunkley, J., Komatsu, E., Nolta, M. R., Spergel, D. N., Larson, D., Hinshaw, G., Page, L., Bennett, C. L., Gold, B., Jarosik, N., et al. (2009) · The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series · doi:10.1088/0067-0049/180/2/306 · Cited by 1,787 · see citing works
Quintessence and the Rest of the World: Suppressing Long-Range Interactions
Carroll, S. M. (1998) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.81.3067 · Cited by 1,172 · see citing works
Self-citationTesting general relativity in cosmology
Ishak, M. (2019) · Living Reviews in Relativity · doi:10.1007/s41114-018-0017-4 · Cited by 449 · see citing works
Predictions from Quantum Cosmology
Vilenkin, A. (1995) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.74.846 · Cited by 368 · see citing works
Ishak, M., Upadhye, A., & Spergel, D. N. (2006) · Physical Review D · doi:10.1103/physrevd.74.043513 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Euclidean Wormholes, Baby Universes, and Their Impact on Particle Physics and Cosmology
Hebecker, A., Mikhail, T., & Soler, P. (2018) · Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences · doi:10.3389/fspas.2018.00035 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
“Nevertheless, because of its intrinsic interest and its immense historical importance we review the argument in the remainder of this subsection (for reviews discussing this as well as other early approaches to the cosmological constant problem see [116,117]).”
BackgroundCosmology with superluminous supernovae
Scovacricchi, D., Nichol, R. C., Bacon, D., Sullivan, M., & Prajs, S. (2016) · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · doi:10.1093/mnras/stv2752 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
- Authors
- Carroll, S. M., Press, W. H., & Turner, E. L.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (US)
- Princeton University (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 1992-09
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 499-542
- ISSN
- 0066-4146 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-4282
- OpenAlex
- W2596778397
- Cited by
- 1,542
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 57 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 52
- FWCI
- 18.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Keywords
- cosmological constant, vacuum energy density, expansion dynamics, age of the universe, high-redshift objects, globular clusters, quasar absorption lines, gravitational lensing, dark energy
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