On the viability of the truncated Israel-Stewart theory in cosmology

Abstract: We apply the causal Israel-Stewart theory of irreversible thermodynamics to model the matter content of the universe as a dissipative fluid with bulk and shear viscosity. Along with the full transport equations we consider their widely used truncated version. By implementing a dynamical systems approach to Bianchi type IV and V cosmological models with and without cosmological constant, we determine the future asymptotic states of such universes and show that the truncated Israel-Stewart theory leads to solutions essentially different from the full theory. The solutions of the truncated theory may also manifest unphysical properties. Finally, we find that in the full theory shear viscosity can give a substantial rise to dissipative fluxes, driving the fluid extremely far from equilibrium, where the linear Israel-Stewart theory ceases to be valid.