Cosmological consequences of the brane/bulk inter-action

We investigate cosmological consequences arising from the interaction between a homogeneous and isotropic brane-universe and the bulk. A Friedmann equation is derived which incorporates both the brane and bulk matter contributions, which are both assumed to be of arbitrary fluid form. In particular, new terms arise which describe the energy flow onto (or away from) the brane, as well as changes of the equation of state in the bulk. We discuss Randall-Sundrum type models as well as dilatonic domain walls and carefully consider the conditions for stabilizing the induced gravitational constant. Furthermore, consequences for cosmological perturbations are analyzed. We show that, in general, super-horizon amplitudes are not constant. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.