Cosmology with a shock wave

Abstract

We construct the simplest solution of the Einstein equations that incorporates a shock-wave into a standard Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric whose equation of state accounts for the Hubble constant and the microwave background radiation temperature. This produces a new solution of the Einstein equations from which we are able to derive estimates for the shock position at present time. We show that the distance from the shock-wave to the center of the explosion at present time is comparable to the Hubble distance. We are motivated by the idea that the expansion of the universe as measured by the Hubble constant might be accounted for by an event more similar to a classical explosion than by the well-accepted scenario of the Big Bang.