Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model

Abstract The first and second laws of thermodynamics should lead to a consistent scenario for discussing the cosmological constant problem. In the present study, to establish such a thermodynamic scenario, cosmological equations in a flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker universe were derived fro...

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Main Author: Nobuyoshi Komatsu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14332-5
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author Nobuyoshi Komatsu
author_facet Nobuyoshi Komatsu
author_sort Nobuyoshi Komatsu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The first and second laws of thermodynamics should lead to a consistent scenario for discussing the cosmological constant problem. In the present study, to establish such a thermodynamic scenario, cosmological equations in a flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker universe were derived from the first law, using an arbitrary entropy $$S_{H}$$ S H on a cosmological horizon. Then, the cosmological equations were formulated based on a general formulation that includes two extra driving terms, $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) and $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) , which are usually used for, e.g., time-varying $$\Lambda (t)$$ Λ ( t ) cosmology and bulk viscous cosmology, respectively. In addition, thermodynamic constraints on the two terms are examined using the second law of thermodynamics, extending a previous analysis (Komatsu in Phys. Rev. D 99:043523, 2019). It is found that a deviation $$S_{\Delta }$$ S Δ of $$S_{H}$$ S H from the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy plays important roles in the two terms. The second law should constrain the upper limits of $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) and $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) in our late Universe. The orders of the two terms are likely consistent with the order of the cosmological constant $$\Lambda _{\text {obs}}$$ Λ obs measured by observations. In particular, when the deviation $$S_{\Delta }$$ S Δ is close to zero, $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) and $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) should reduce to zero and a constant value (consistent with the order of $$\Lambda _{\text {obs}}$$ Λ obs ), respectively, as if a consistent and viable scenario could be obtained from thermodynamics.
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spelling doaj-art-d3a00160a1764e7bb8c0f8b93dc31ebd2025-08-20T02:05:42ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522025-06-0185611210.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14332-5Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological modelNobuyoshi Komatsu0Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Kanazawa UniversityAbstract The first and second laws of thermodynamics should lead to a consistent scenario for discussing the cosmological constant problem. In the present study, to establish such a thermodynamic scenario, cosmological equations in a flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker universe were derived from the first law, using an arbitrary entropy $$S_{H}$$ S H on a cosmological horizon. Then, the cosmological equations were formulated based on a general formulation that includes two extra driving terms, $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) and $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) , which are usually used for, e.g., time-varying $$\Lambda (t)$$ Λ ( t ) cosmology and bulk viscous cosmology, respectively. In addition, thermodynamic constraints on the two terms are examined using the second law of thermodynamics, extending a previous analysis (Komatsu in Phys. Rev. D 99:043523, 2019). It is found that a deviation $$S_{\Delta }$$ S Δ of $$S_{H}$$ S H from the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy plays important roles in the two terms. The second law should constrain the upper limits of $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) and $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) in our late Universe. The orders of the two terms are likely consistent with the order of the cosmological constant $$\Lambda _{\text {obs}}$$ Λ obs measured by observations. In particular, when the deviation $$S_{\Delta }$$ S Δ is close to zero, $$h_{\text {B}}(t)$$ h B ( t ) and $$f_{\Lambda }(t)$$ f Λ ( t ) should reduce to zero and a constant value (consistent with the order of $$\Lambda _{\text {obs}}$$ Λ obs ), respectively, as if a consistent and viable scenario could be obtained from thermodynamics.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14332-5
spellingShingle Nobuyoshi Komatsu
Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
title_full Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
title_fullStr Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
title_full_unstemmed Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
title_short Cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics: thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
title_sort cosmological scenario based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics thermodynamic constraints on a generalized cosmological model
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14332-5
work_keys_str_mv AT nobuyoshikomatsu cosmologicalscenariobasedonthefirstandsecondlawsofthermodynamicsthermodynamicconstraintsonageneralizedcosmologicalmodel