An analysis of the shear dynamics in Bianchi I cosmologies with $R^n$-gravity

Abstract

We consider the case of $R^n$-gravity and perform a detailed analysis of the dynamics in Bianchi I cosmologies which exhibit {\it local rotational symmetry} (LRS). We find exact solutions and study their behaviour and stability in terms of the values of the parameter $n$. In particular, we found a set of cosmic histories in which the universe is initially isotropic, then develops shear anisotropies which approaches a constant value.