Exploring and Testing Cosmological Models

Dear Colleagues,

Modern cosmology is constructed by adopting the cosmological principle, and is currently based on the six-parameter minimal ΛCDM paradigm. The model has passed several experimental tests, and is statistically favored with respect to alternative dark energy parameterizations. However, current tensions among cosmological parameters and the recent debate regarding possible departures from the cosmological principle have raised doubts about its validity at all scales of the universe’s evolution.

Moreover, although appealing and well-consolidated, the ΛCDM model shows strong discrepancies between quantum expectations and cosmic observations. Hence, the ΛCDM model could be somehow incomplete, suggesting that in the field of actual precision cosmology we may require a complete restyling of the cosmological puzzle, as it appears highly plagued by theoretical shortcomings.

This Special Issue intends to explore research articles focusing on current issues of modern cosmology and astrophysics, investigating early, intermediate and late times of the universe’s evolution and proposing alternatives to the standard cosmological scenario. This Special Issue focuses on the study of cosmological models, early-time cosmology, simulations in cosmology, numerical approaches to cosmology, dark matter distribution, small perturbations, solutions to the cosmological constant problem, dynamical systems in cosmology, quantum cosmology, extended theories of gravity, modified theories of gravity, etc. We also welcome the study of relativistic astrophysics in a broad sense. In this respect, wormhole physics, black hole physics, strange stars, gamma-ray bursts, relativistic thermodynamics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and all possible applications to cosmology are emphasized in this Special Issue.

We also expect to receive review articles describing the current state-of-the-art within this broad subject.

Dr. Orlando Luongo
Dr. Carlo Schimd
Prof. Dr. Stefano Camera
Dr. Francesco Pace
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• dark energy
• dark matter
• inflation
• perturbations
• baryogenesis
• quantum cosmology
• extended theories of gravity
• modified gravity
• relativistic astrophysics