Genesis of the Big Bang

The authors of this volume have been intimately connected with the conception of the Big Bang model since 1947. Following the late George Gamov's ideas in 1942 and more particularly in 1946 that the early universe was an appropriate site for the synthesis of the elements, they became deeply involved in the question of cosmic nucleosynthesis and particularly the synthesis of the light elements. In the course of this work they developed a general relativistic model of the expanding universe with physics folded in, which led in a progressive, logical sequence to our prediction of the existence of a present cosmic background radiation some seventeen years before the observation of such radiation was reported by Penzias and Wilson. In addition, they carried out with James W. Follin, Jr., a detailed study of the physics of what was then considered to be the very early universe, starting a few seconds after the Big Bang, which still provides a methodology for studies of light element nucleosynthesis. Because of their involvement, they bring a personal perspective to the subject. They present a picture of what is now believed to be the state of knowledge about the evolution of the expanding universe and delineate the story of the development of the Big Bang model as they have seen and lived it from their own unique vantage point.

Contents

• Preface
• 1 An Overview of the Big Bang Model
• 2 Cosmology before the Big Bang Model
• 3 Development of the Current Big Bang Model
• 4 Some Alternatives Proposed for the Big Bang Model
• 5 The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
• 6 Inflation and the Very Early Universe
• 7 Further Discussion of Alternatives
• 8 Future of the Universe
• 9 The Anthropic Principle
• 10 Epilogue
• Mathematical Appendices: Line Element and the Energy Equation, Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, Age of the Universe, The Planck Numbers, The Uncertainty Principle, "Divine Curves", The Density Ratio Omega
• Appendix - Recommended Reading List