2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/15232We discuss two different realizations of a ``deflationary'' scenario of the early universe which imply a smooth transition from an initial de Sitter stage to a subsequent radiation-dominated FLRW period. Thermodynamically, this transition is a non-equilibrium process which may also be interpreted as the decay of an initial cosmic vacuum into relativistic matter.4 pages, talk given at the Journées Relativistes '99, Weimar, September 12-17AstrophysicsGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmologytext