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The thermodynamical history of the universe
Author(s) -
Marx George
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fortschritte der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.469
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1521-3978
pISSN - 0015-8208
DOI - 10.1002/prop.19840320404
Subject(s) - physics , universe , galaxy , rest (music) , instability , entropy (arrow of time) , neutrino , astrophysics , theoretical physics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , acoustics
A predestrian walk is offered in the early universe. It is argued that the universe has departed from its original thermal equilibrium as a consequence of its mechanical instability. This transient deviation from the state of maximum entropy has made the creation of protons and galaxies possible. It is shown that several puzzling astrophysical phenomena can be explained by assuming a nonvanishing rest mass for the heaviest stable neutrino in the region of 30 eV.