Non-comoving baryons and cold dark matter in cosmic voids

We examine the fully relativistic evolution of cosmic voids constituted by baryons and cold dark matter (CDM), represented by two non-comoving dust sources in a $\Lambda$CDM background. For this purpose, we consider numerical solutions of Einstein's field equations in a fluid-flow representation adapted to spherical symmetry and multiple components. We present a simple example that explores the frame-dependence of the local expansion and the Hubble flow for this mixture of two dusts, revealing that the relative velocity between the sources yields a significantly different evolution in comparison with that of the two sources in a common 4-velocity (which reduces to a Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi model). In particular, significant modifications arise for the density contrast depth and void size, as well as in the amplitude of the surrounding over-densities. We show that an adequate model of a frame-dependent evolution that incorporates initial conditions from peculiar velocities and large-scale density contrast observations may contribute to understand the discrepancy between the local value of $H_0$ and that inferred from the CMB.Comment: Discussion of the evolution of baryon-CDM relative velocity added. Other minor but important corrections were incorporated. Version accepted for publication in EPJ

Beyond relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory. I. An exact-solution controlled model for structure formation

We develop a new nonlinear method to model structure formation in general relativity from a generalization of the relativistic Lagrangian perturbation schemes, controlled by Szekeres (and LTB) exact solutions. The overall approach can be interpreted as the evolution of a deformation field on an inhomogeneous reference model, obeying locally Friedmann-like equations. In the special case of locally one-dimensional deformations, the new model contains the entire Szekeres family of exact solutions. As thus formulated, this approach paraphrases the Newtonian and relativistic Zel'dovich approximations, having a large potential for applications in contexts where relativistic degrees of freedom are relevant. Numerical simulations are implemented to illustrate the capabilities and accuracy of the model.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

On general-relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory and its non-perturbative generalization

The Newtonian Lagrangian perturbation theory is a widely used framework to study structure formation in cosmology in the nonlinear regime. We review a general-relativistic formulation of such a perturbation approach, emphasizing results on already developed extensive formalism including among other aspects: the non-perturbative modeling of Ricci and Weyl curvatures, gravitational waves and pressure-supported fluids. We discuss subcases of exact solutions related to Szekeres Class II and, as exact average model, Ricci-flat LTB models. This latter forms the basis of a generalization that we then propose in terms of a scheme that goes beyond the relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory on a global homogeneous-isotropic background cosmology. This new approximation does not involve a homogeneous reference background and it contains Szekeres class I (and thus general LTB models) as exact subcases. Most importantly, this new approximation allows for the interaction of structure with an evolving `background cosmology', conceived as a spatial average model, and thus includes cosmological backreaction.Comment: 26 pages, 4 figures, matches published version in Univers

Lagrangian theory of structure formation in relativistic cosmology. VI. Comparison with Szekeres exact solutions

International audienceWe examine the relation between the Szekeres models and relativistic Lagrangian perturbation schemes, in particular the relativistic Zel’dovich approximation (RZA). We show that the second class of the Szekeres solutions is exactly contained within the RZA when the latter is restricted to an irrotational dust source with a flow-orthogonal foliation of spacetime. In such a case, the solution is governed by the first principal scalar invariant of the deformation field, proving a direct connection with a class of Newtonian three-dimensional solutions without symmetry. For the second class, a necessary and sufficient condition for the vanishing of cosmological backreaction on a scale of homogeneity is expressed through integral constraints. Domains with no backreaction can be smoothly matched, forming a lattice model, where exact deviations average out at a given scale of homogeneity, and the homogeneous and isotropic background is recovered as an average property of the model. Although the connection with the first class of Szekeres solutions is not straightforward, this class allows for the interpretation in terms of a spatial superposition of nonintersecting fluid lines, where each world line evolves independently and under the RZA model equations, but with different associated “local backgrounds”. This points to the possibility of generalizing the Lagrangian perturbation schemes to structure formation models on evolving backgrounds, including global cosmological backreaction

Beyond relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory. I. An exact-solution controlled model for structure formation

We develop a new nonlinear method to model structure formation in general relativity from a generalization of the relativistic Lagrangian perturbation schemes, controlled by Szekeres (and LTB) exact solutions. The overall approach can be interpreted as the evolution of a deformation field on an inhomogeneous reference model, obeying locally Friedmann-like equations. In the special case of locally one-dimensional deformations, the new model contains the entire Szekeres family of exact solutions. As thus formulated, this approach paraphrases the Newtonian and relativistic Zel'dovich approximations, having a large potential for applications in contexts where relativistic degrees of freedom are relevant. Numerical simulations are implemented to illustrate the capabilities and accuracy of the model

On general-relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory and its non-perturbative generalization

International audienceThe Newtonian Lagrangian perturbation theory is a widely used framework to study structure formation in cosmology in the weakly nonlinear regime. We review a general-relativistic formulation of such a perturbation approach, emphasizing results on already developed extensive formalism including among other aspects: the non-perturbative modeling of Ricci and Weyl curvatures, gravitational waves and pressure-supported fluids. We discuss subcases of exact solutions related to Szekeres Class II and, as exact average model, Ricci-flat LTB models. This latter forms the basis of a generalization that we then propose in terms of a scheme that goes beyond the relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory on a global homogeneous-isotropic background cosmology. This new approximation does not involve a homogeneous reference background and it contains Szekeres class I (and thus general LTB models) as exact subcases. Most importantly, this new approximation allows for the interaction of structure with an evolving `background cosmology', conceived as a spatial average model, and thus includes cosmological backreaction

Beyond relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory. I. An exact-solution controlled model for structure formation

We develop a new nonlinear method to model structure formation in general relativity from a generalization of the relativistic Lagrangian perturbation schemes, controlled by Szekeres (and LTB) exact solutions. The overall approach can be interpreted as the evolution of a deformation field on an inhomogeneous reference model, obeying locally Friedmann-like equations. In the special case of locally one-dimensional deformations, the new model contains the entire Szekeres family of exact solutions. As thus formulated, this approach paraphrases the Newtonian and relativistic Zel'dovich approximations, having a large potential for applications in contexts where relativistic degrees of freedom are relevant. Numerical simulations are implemented to illustrate the capabilities and accuracy of the model

Comment on ''Szekeres universes with homogeneous scalar fields''

In two recently published articles, Barrow and Paliathanasis (2018, 2019) [1, 2] claim to have found exact solutions of Einstein’s field equations belonging to the class of non-trivial (i.e., spatially inhomogeneous) Szekeres models, whose source is a mixture of dust and a homogeneous time-dependent scalar field, where the energy-momentum tensors (EMTs) of both mixture components are independently conserved. We prove in the present comment that these solutions are inconsistent with the authors’ assumptions, as independent conservation of these two mixture components necessarily leads to their solutions belonging to the set of spatially homogeneous subcases of the Szekeres family: Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) for class I, and Kantowski–Sachs (KS), Bianchi (or Bianchi–Behr–Schücking) I or Bianchi VI−1 for class II