Averaging of a locally inhomogeneous realistic universe

We present an averaging scheme in general relativity which allows us to study the effect of local inhomogeneity on the global behavior of the universe. The scheme uses 3+1 splitting of spacetime and introduces Isaacson averaging on the spatial hypersurface to get the averaged geometry. As a result of the averaging, the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FWR) geometry is derived in the first-order approximation for a wide class of inhomogeneous nonlinear matter distribution. The deviation from the FRW expansion is derived to the next order in terms of the anisotropic distribution of an effective stress-energy tensor. Using a simple model of inhomogeneity we show that the average effect of the inhomogeneity behaves like a negative spatial curvature term and thus has a tendency to extend the age of the universe. © 1996 The American Physical Society.