Note on the Conservation of Quasi-Local Energy in an Expanding Universe

Abstract

Whether energy is conserved in a universe which keeps expanding is an intriguing question. It is tempting to argue that the total energy within the universe would have to increase as the universe expands. Upon more detailed inspection the question is a lot harder to settle since defining what is meant by energy or even what is meant by energy being conserved is a difficult problem in general relativity. Using the definition of quasi-local energy provided by Brown and York we try to answer the question in which sense the total energy in an expanding (or collapsing) universe is conserved.