Three-dimensional numerical relativity is applied to an investigation of the so-called "cosmic nohair conjecture," which has been proposed to explain the homogeneity and isotropy of the present Universe via the inflationary scenario. We present a general formalism to study this cosmological problem using numerical relativity. Following this formalism, we find general solutions of the linearized Einstein equation in the de Sitter background and discuss a homogenization mechanism in the linear regime.

• Received 1 May 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.43.1788