Isotropic homogeneous universe with viscous fluid

Abstract

Exact solutions are obtained for the isotropic homogeneous cosmological model with viscous fluid. The fluid has only bulk viscosity and the viscosity coefficient is taken to be a power function of the mass density. The equation of state assumed obeys a linear relation between mass density and pressure. The models satisfying Hawking’s energy conditions are discussed. Murphy’s model is only a special case of this general set of solutions and it is shown that Murphy’s conclusion that the introduciton of bulk viscosity can avoid the occurrence of space-time singularity at finite past is not, in general, valid.