Title: Inflation, dark energy and geometry
Abstract: First I will give a broad introduction and try to justify why we should study alternatives to the standard cosmology when we have such a simple model consistent with all observations. Then I will focus on a spesific model for inflation which seems to violate the cosmic no-hair conjecture. This conjecture claims that inflation gives us the isotropic, homogenous and flat universe we have learned to love. Currently, together with David and Sigbjørn Hervik (in Stavanger), I am trying to understand more of the properties of this model. For example, what happens when you add spatial curvature to the initial state? Does the model solve the flatness-problem as a successful inflation model is supposed to do? We are also considering whether the model could be viable as dark energy. More questions than results will be presented since the study is not yet finished.
Welcome!