An Equilibrium Balance of the Universe

Abstract

An alternative cosmological model is presented, which avoids the requirement of dark energy and dark matter. Based on the proposition that energy conservation should be valid not only locally but also globally, the energy tensor of general relativity has to be corrected, including potential energy of matter explicitly. This leads to the consequence that a homogeneous universe must be static, as potential energy acts as a field with negative pressure. In this static universe cosmological red shift can be understood as energy loss by gravitational radiation. There exists a continuous matter cycle, beginning from hot intergalactic plasma, which is replenished by the jets of quasars, the formation of large web-like structures, the formation of galaxies and stars, to the final collapse into quasars again. The model is confirmed qualitatively by the observed size distribution of cosmic structures. Quantitative confirmation is obtained from the diffuse x-ray background and from observations of supernovas. As the total energy content of the universe (trace of the energy tensor) is zero in this model, creation ex nihilo is possible, but requires changes of our elementary particle models. An idea of a modified model is presented.