Gravitational waves in an expanding Universe

Abstract

We study the tensorial modes of the two-fluid model, where one of this fluids has an equation of state $p = - ρ/3$ (variable cosmological constant, cosmic string fluid, texture) or $p = - ρ$ (cosmological constant), while the other fluid is an ordinary matter (radiation, stiff matter, incoherent matter). In the first case, it is possible to have a closed Universe whose dynamics can be that of an open Universe providing alternative solutions for the age and horizon problems. This study of the gravitational waves is extended for all values of the effective curvature $k_{eff}=k-\frac{8πG}{3}ρ_{0s}$, that is, positive, negative or zero, $k$ being the curvature of the spacelike section. In the second case, we restrict ourselves to a flat spatial section. The behaviour of gravitational waves have, in each case, very particular features, that can be reflected in the anisotropy spectrum of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. We make also some considerations of these models as candidate to dark matter models.