The Void Abundance with Non-Gaussian Primordial Perturbations

We use a Press-Schechter-like calculation to study how the abundance of voids changes in models with non-Gaussian initial conditions. While a positive skewness increases the cluster abundance, a negative skewness does the same for the void abundance. We determine the dependence of the void abundance on the non-Gaussianity parameter fnl for the local-model bispectrum-which approximates the bispectrum in some multi-field inflation models-and for the equilateral bispectrum, which approximates the bispectrum in e.g. string-inspired DBI models of inflation. We show that the void abundance in large-scale-structure surveys currently being considered should probe values as small as fnl < 10 and fnl^eq < 30, over distance scales ~10 Mpc.Comment: Submitted to JCA

Magnetic fields and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in galaxy clusters

In this work we study the contribution of magnetic fields to the Sunyaev Zeldovich (SZ) effect in the intracluster medium. In particular we calculate the SZ angular power spectrum and the central temperature decrement. The effect of magnetic fields is included in the hydrostatic equilibrium equation by splitting the Lorentz force into two terms one being the force due to magnetic pressure which acts outwards and the other being magnetic tension which acts inwards. A perturbative approach is adopted to solve for the gas density profile for weak magnetic fields (< 4 micro G}). This leads to an enhancement of the gas density in the central regions for nearly radial magnetic field configurations. Previous works had considered the force due to magnetic pressure alone which is the case only for a special set of field configurations. However, we see that there exists possible sets of configurations of ICM magnetic fields where the force due to magnetic tension will dominate. Subsequently, this effect is extrapolated for typical field strengths (~ 10 micro G) and scaling arguments are used to estimate the angular power due to secondary anisotropies at cluster scales. In particular we find that it is possible to explain the excess power reported by CMB experiments like CBI, BIMA, ACBAR at l > 2000 with sigma_8 ~ 0.8 (WMAP 5 year data) for typical cluster magnetic fields. In addition we also see that the magnetic field effect on the SZ temperature decrement is more pronounced for low mass clusters ( ~ 2 keV). Future SZ detections of low mass clusters at few arc second resolution will be able to probe this effect more precisely. Thus, it will be instructive to explore the implications of this model in greater detail in future works.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure

Cosmological constant and gravitational theory on D-brane

In a toy model we derive the gravitational equation on a self-gravitating curved D-brane. The effective theory on the brane is drastically changed from the ordinal Einstein equation. The net cosmological constant on the brane depends on a tuning between the brane tension and the brane charges. Moreover, non-zero matter stress tensor exists if the net cosmological constant is not zero. This fact indicates a direct connection between matters on the brane and the dark energy.Comment: 6 pages, minor corrections, accepted for publication in Physical Review

An accelerated closed universe

We study a model in which a closed universe with dust and quintessence matter components may look like an accelerated flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe at low redshifts. Several quantities relevant to the model are expressed in terms of observed density parameters, $\Omega_M$ and $\Omega_{\Lambda}$, and of the associated density parameter $\Omega_Q$ related to the quintessence scalar field $Q$.Comment: 11 pages. For a festschrift honoring Alberto Garcia. To appear in Gen. Rel. Gra

Chaotic scalar fields as models for dark energy

We consider stochastically quantized self-interacting scalar fields as suitable models to generate dark energy in the universe. Second quantization effects lead to new and unexpected phenomena is the self interaction strength is strong. The stochastically quantized dynamics can degenerate to a chaotic dynamics conjugated to a Bernoulli shift in fictitious time, and the right amount of vacuum energy density can be generated without fine tuning. It is numerically observed that the scalar field dynamics distinguishes fundamental parameters such as the electroweak and strong coupling constants as corresponding to local minima in the dark energy landscape. Chaotic fields can offer possible solutions to the cosmological coincidence problem, as well as to the problem of uniqueness of vacua.Comment: 30 pages, 3 figures. Replaced by final version accepted by Phys. Rev.

Cross-Correlation of the Cosmic Microwave Background with the 2MASS Galaxy Survey: Signatures of Dark Energy, Hot Gas, and Point Sources

We cross-correlate the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature anisotropies observed by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) with the projected distribution of extended sources in the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). By modelling the theoretical expectation for this signal, we extract the signatures of dark energy (Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect;ISW), hot gas (thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect;thermal SZ), and microwave point sources in the cross-correlation. Our strongest signal is the thermal SZ, at the 3.1-3.7 \sigma level, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction based on observations of X-ray clusters. We also see the ISW signal at the 2.5 \sigma level, which is consistent with the expected value for the concordance LCDM cosmology, and is an independent signature of the presence of dark energy in the universe. Finally, we see the signature of microwave point sources at the 2.7 \sigma level.Comment: 35 pages (preprint format), 8 figures. In addition to minor revisions based on referee's comments, after correcting for a bug in the code, the SZ detection is consistent with the X-ray observations. Accepeted for publication in Physical Review

Antimatter from the cosmological baryogenesis and the anisotropies and polarization of the CMB radiation

We discuss the hypotheses that cosmological baryon asymmetry and entropy were produced in the early Universe by phase transition of the scalar fields in the framework of spontaneous baryogenesis scenario. We show that annihilation of the matter-antimatter clouds during the cosmological hydrogen recombination could distort of the CMB anisotropies and polarization by delay of the recombination. After recombination the annihilation of the antibaryonic clouds (ABC) and baryonic matter can produce peak-like reionization at the high redshifts before formation of quasars and early galaxy formation. We discuss the constraints on the parameters of spontaneous baryogenesis scenario by the recent WMAP CMB anisotropy and polarization data and on possible manifestation of the antimatter clouds in the upcoming PLANCK data.Comment: PRD in press with minor change

The Physics of Cluster Mergers

Clusters of galaxies generally form by the gravitational merger of smaller clusters and groups. Major cluster mergers are the most energetic events in the Universe since the Big Bang. Some of the basic physical properties of mergers will be discussed, with an emphasis on simple analytic arguments rather than numerical simulations. Semi-analytic estimates of merger rates are reviewed, and a simple treatment of the kinematics of binary mergers is given. Mergers drive shocks into the intracluster medium, and these shocks heat the gas and should also accelerate nonthermal relativistic particles. X-ray observations of shocks can be used to determine the geometry and kinematics of the merger. Many clusters contain cooling flow cores; the hydrodynamical interactions of these cores with the hotter, less dense gas during mergers are discussed. As a result of particle acceleration in shocks, clusters of galaxies should contain very large populations of relativistic electrons and ions. Electrons with Lorentz factors gamma~300 (energies E = gamma m_e c^2 ~ 150 MeV) are expected to be particularly common. Observations and models for the radio, extreme ultraviolet, hard X-ray, and gamma-ray emission from nonthermal particles accelerated in these mergers are described.Comment: 38 pages with 9 embedded Postscript figures. To appear in Merging Processes in Clusters of Galaxies, edited by L. Feretti, I. M. Gioia, and G. Giovannini (Dordrecht: Kluwer), in press (2001

Conformal Invariance, Dark Energy, and CMB Non-Gaussianity

In addition to simple scale invariance, a universe dominated by dark energy naturally gives rise to correlation functions possessing full conformal invariance. This is due to the mathematical isomorphism between the conformal group of certain 3 dimensional slices of de Sitter space and the de Sitter isometry group SO(4,1). In the standard homogeneous isotropic cosmological model in which primordial density perturbations are generated during a long vacuum energy dominated de Sitter phase, the embedding of flat spatial sections in de Sitter space induces a conformal invariant perturbation spectrum and definite prediction for the shape of the non-Gaussian CMB bispectrum. In the case in which the density fluctuations are generated instead on the de Sitter horizon, conformal invariance of the horizon embedding implies a different but also quite definite prediction for the angular correlations of CMB non-Gaussianity on the sky. Each of these forms for the bispectrum is intrinsic to the symmetries of de Sitter space and in that sense, independent of specific model assumptions. Each is different from the predictions of single field slow roll inflation models which rely on the breaking of de Sitter invariance. We propose a quantum origin for the CMB fluctuations in the scalar gravitational sector from the conformal anomaly that could give rise to these non-Gaussianities without a slow roll inflaton field, and argue that conformal invariance also leads to the expectation for the relation n_S-1=n_T between the spectral indices of the scalar and tensor power spectrum. Confirmation of this prediction or detection of non-Gaussian correlations in the CMB of one of the bispectral shape functions predicted by conformal invariance can be used both to establish the physical origins of primordial density fluctuations and distinguish between different dynamical models of cosmological vacuum dark energy.Comment: 73 pages, 9 figures. Final Version published in JCAP. New Section 4 added on linearized scalar gravitational potentials; New Section 8 added on gravitational wave tensor perturbations and relation of spectral indices n_T = n_S -1; Table of Contents added; Eqs. (3.14) and (3.15) added to clarify relationship of bispectrum plotted to CMB measurements; Some other minor modification

The 21 cm Signature of Cosmic String Wakes

We discuss the signature of a cosmic string wake in 21cm redshift surveys. Since 21cm surveys probe higher redshifts than optical large-scale structure surveys, the signatures of cosmic strings are more manifest in 21cm maps than they are in optical galaxy surveys. We find that, provided the tension of the cosmic string exceeds a critical value (which depends on both the redshift when the string wake is created and the redshift of observation), a cosmic string wake will generate an emission signal with a brightness temperature which approaches a limiting value which at a redshift of $z + 1 = 30$ is close to 400 mK in the limit of large string tension. The signal will have a specific signature in position space: the excess 21cm radiation will be confined to a wedge-shaped region whose tip corresponds to the position of the string, whose planar dimensions are set by the planar dimensions of the string wake, and whose thickness (in redshift direction) depends on the string tension. For wakes created at $z_i + 1 = 10^3$, then at a redshift of $z + 1 = 30$ the critical value of the string tension $\mu$ is $G \mu = 6 \times 10^{-7}$, and it decreases linearly with redshift (for wakes created at the time of equal matter and radiation, the critical value is a factor of two lower at the same redshift). For smaller tensions, cosmic strings lead to an observable absorption signal with the same wedge geometry.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures; a couple of comments added in the discussion sectio