Deflationary $\Lambda(t)$ cosmology: observational expressions

Abstract

We discuss the classical cosmological tests for a large class of FRW type models driven by a decaying vacuum energy density. Analytic expressions for the lookback time, age of the universe, luminosity distance, angular diameter, and galaxy number counts versus redshift are derived and their meaning discussed in detail. It is found that the standard FRW results are significantly altered, showing that such tests may constrain the physical parameters of these models which are also in agreement to the accelerated expansion suggested by the latest SNe type Ia observations.