Could early universe crunches explain dark energy?

Introduction

Dark energy is a term used by scientists to explain the mysterious force that accelerates the expansion of the universe because the force is so mysterious and not much information is known, scientists are using a known phenomenon called crunches to help try to explain dark energy and its properties. This article will explore crunches and how they are a possibility in explaining a mystery force that exists in the universe…


What is Dark Energy?

Dark energy is a force that takes up around 68% of the universe and is known for its powers of making the expansion of the universe accelerate quicker and quicker. Dark energy is a recently discovered force and its existence was only recently discovered through observations of distant supernovae in only the late 1990’s. Dark energy is an invisible force that can’t be seen but can be easily recognised for its trait of pushing matter and galaxies away from each other, like an anti-gravity force, Although dark energy plays a huge role in the expansion of the universe, the underlying cause is unknown and so far there is no evidence on why this force exists.

What are Crunches?

A crunch is a hypothesised collapsed structure that might have occurred during the early inflationary phase of the universe that happened very early in the universe, roughly 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang. Crunches are best summed up as tiny, dense regions that collapsed, hence the crunched, that collapsed onto themself due to a more known force; gravity. Crunches would have been torn apart and stretched out by the rapid expansion of the universe but later discovered again throughout the colossal universe.

How Crunches Could Cause Dark Energy

After knowing about crunches and dark energy, this is the part where the article explains how crunches could relate to and explain dark energy. The leftover energy from crunches collapsing could manifest itself as a cosmological constant that fills up space with dark energy. As the universe expands, the stored energy from these crunches can spread out and help accelerate the expansion, a very similar behavior to a more cryptic force, dark energy. Crunches could provide the right amount of distribution of dark energy needed to explain the universe’s accelerating expansion

Problems with the Crunch Theory

Crunches are the leading theory for dark energy, but with theories, there are always flaws and problems. The main flaw with the crunch theory is it is clear that crunches were even possible during inflation given uncertainties in physics at such early times and tiny scales. On top of that, we have no direct evidence that crunches happened at such an early time in the beginning of the universe, only once the universe started cooling down is when scientists observed these tiny crunches. The theory of the crunch also does not fully explain why dark energy would take on the specific properties that we know of from how crunches happen such as dark energy having a constant amount of strength over time.




Other Theories of Dark Energy

other not as popular leading theories of dark energy still have a possibility of being true. String Theory is another possibility but is not as likely as the crunch theory; string theory explains the cosmological constant of space itself and then later predicted by quantum mechanics. Dynamic dark energy theories where dark energy arises from an evolving scalar field permeating space are complex theories and a completely different topic from the one we’re exploring but deserve an honourable mention. Modified Gravity Theories explain the concept of twisted gravity where general relativity breaks down on cosmological scales. All these are possible, but just not as likely or popular as the crunch theory.




Conclusion

Crunch Theory is the theory to try to explain the mysterious force of dark matter, dark matter is a force that is the cause of the fast expansion of the universe and takes up 68% of the universe’s space. The crunch theory states that early crunches that happened in the universe that collapsed on itself can release unused energy similar to dark energy. While this is a leading theory, there are other not as popular theories to explain dark energy, such as string theory, modified gravity, or dynamic dark energy. Understanding dark energy and future applications of crunches could lead to a further understanding of the vast universe and more complications in the expansion of the universe.

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