Estimation of the size of the Universe from a topological viewpoint

Abstract

ABS>An analysis of the observational data shows that the data are consistent with the hypothesis that the space of the Universe is a topologically closed structure of small size (irrespective of the curvature sign) which is glued together''. A lower limit on the modern size of the Universe is obtained. The maximal and minimal gluing parameters'' of the world are not less than 400 and 10 Mps respectively. Thus it is possible that the maximal diameter of the Universe is 10 times smaller than the distances to distant quasars usually assumed. If the true gluing parameters are really of the magnitude mentioned above then some of the sources with a redshift z > 0.0025 and all sources with z> 0.1 are ghosts'' of long extinct and also of existing objects which are close to us. Several dozens of ghosts may correspond to a single object on the celestial sphere. (auth)