Astronomy:Big Brake
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The Big Brake is a theoretical scientific model suggested as one of the possibilities for the ultimate fate of the universe – a possible cosmological singularity. In this model, the effect of dark energy reverses, causing the expansion of the universe to decelerate at an infinite rate, ultimately coming to a halt.[1]
Soft singularities
The Big Brake model does not fall under the same category as such singularities. The Big Brake model falls under the category of cosmological singularities not connected with the divergence of the Hubble variable itself but of one of its higher derivatives.[2] The Big Brake singularity occurs at finite values of the Hubble parameter, scale factor and vanishing energy density, but diverging deceleration and infinite pressure.[3]
As the singularity occurs at a finite value of the Hubble parameter, while the first or higher derivatives of the Hubble parameter (in this case, the second derivative of the Hubble parameter and scale factor) are divergent, this implies the divergence of some curvature invariants.
These types of singularities are referred to as soft, quiescent, or sudden.[4] They are referred to as so due to the fact that, as the expansion rate appears to remain finite, there is a chance that the universe and the existence of matter 'survives'. Though, the divergent derivates mean that this type of 'survivable' singularity is still considered a singularity in general relativity, nonetheless.
Outcomes
As this singularity is a soft one, it is expected that it may be possible for geodesic observers, as well as strings, to cross the singularity. Following the singularity, the tachyonic universe may eventually recollapse in a Big Crunch.[3]
It is also possible that matter may still exist after this soft singularity, though in a different form and organisation. Furthermore, cosmic matter may be subjected to extreme tidal forces and be destroyed.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026} in these circumstances are also unclear.[5][6]
See also
- Big Bang
- Big Crunch
- Big Freeze
- Big Rip
References
- ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}". https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/?s=Big%20Brake&loc=jsphrase. - ↑ "Singularities and Black Holes > Non-Standard Singularities (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)" (in en). https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spacetime-singularities/non-standard-singularities.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Keresztes, Zoltán; Gergely, László Á; Kamenshchik, Alexander Yu; Gorini, Vittorio; Polarski, David (2010-12-04), "Will the tachyonic universe survive the big brake?", Physical Review D 82 (12), doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.82.123534, Bibcode: 2010PhRvD..82l3534K
- ↑ Kamenshchik, Alexander Y.; Kiefer, Claus; Sandhöfer, Barbara (2007-09-27). "Quantum cosmology with a big-brake singularity" (in en-US). Physical Review D 76 (6). doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.76.064032. ISSN 1550-7998. Bibcode: 2007PhRvD..76f4032K. https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.76.064032. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ↑ Musser, George (September 2010). "The Paradox of Time: Why It Can't Stop, But Must". Scientific American.
- ↑ "Could Time End?: Scientific American Podcast". Scientificamerican.com. http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=could-time-end-10-09-21. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
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