Kinematics in spatially flat FLRW space-time

TL;DR

This paper develops a detailed kinematic framework for spatially flat FLRW space-times using physical coordinates, identifying conserved quantities and analyzing energy and momentum behaviors for particles in expanding universes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel co-moving local chart approach with physical coordinates to analyze kinematics in flat FLRW space-times, including conserved momenta and energy loss effects.

Findings

Existence of a conserved momentum in FLRW space-times.

Identification of peculiar and recessional momenta.

Analysis of energy loss similar to photon redshift.

Abstract

The kinematics on spatially flat FLRW space-times is presented for the first time in co-moving local charts with physical coordinates, i. e. the cosmic time and Painlev\' e-type Cartesian space coordinates. It is shown that there exists a conserved momentum which determines the form of the covariant four-momentum on geodesics in terms of physical coordinates. Moreover, with the help of the conserved momentum one identifies the peculiar momentum separating the peculiar and recessional motions without ambiguities. It is shown that the energy and peculiar momentum satisfy the mass-shell condition of special relativity while the recessional momentum does not produce energy. In this framework, the measurements of the kinetic quantities along geodesic performed by different observers are analysed pointing out an energy loss of the massive particles similar to that giving the photon redshift. The examples of the kinematics on the de Sitter expanding universe and a new Milne-type space-time are extensively analysed.