In this thesis, we discuss the observational consequences of extra dimensions on cosmological phenomena. We begin with an overview of extra dimensions, from the initial ideas of Kaluza and Klein to the more recent concept of braneworld models and in particular review the cosmological aspects of the DGP braneworld model, which can produce late time acceleration. We then go on to consider the asymmetric brane model, comparing its cosmology to the standard concordance and DGP models and showing how the asymmetric model can be considered a one-parameter extension of the DGP model over a range of relevant physical scales. Using type Ia supernovae data and the cosmic microwave background shift parameter, the effect of this new parameter on the expansion history of the universe is considered. We then turn our attention to cosmic string loops, which emit bursts of gravitational radiation, produced by cusps and kinks on the loops. We investigate the kinematic effect extra dimensions will have on these gravitational wave bursts and find that the effects of the additional dimensions are more pronounced for cusps than for kinks: cusps are rounded off and their probability of formation is reduced, however, the probability of kink formation is unchanged. Finally, we recompute the gravitational wave bursts taking the various factors into account and look at the implications of this recalculation for the LIGO and LISA gravitational wave detectors, find that both signals, and in particular the cusp signal, have a potentially significant damping, and consider the implications for the detection of extra dimensions.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:527085 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | O'Callaghan, Eimear Eileen |
| Publisher | Durham University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/566/ |
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