3 research outputs found
Relativistic cosmological perturbation scheme on a general background: scalar perturbations for irrotational dust
In standard perturbation approaches and N-body simulations, inhomogeneities
are described to evolve on a predefined background cosmology, commonly taken as
the homogeneous-isotropic solutions of Einstein's field equations
(Friedmann-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmologies). In order to make
physical sense, this background cosmology must provide a reasonable description
of the effective, i.e. spatially averaged, evolution of structure
inhomogeneities also in the nonlinear regime. Guided by the insights that (i)
the average over an inhomogeneous distribution of matter and geometry is in
general not given by a homogeneous solution of general relativity, and that
(ii) the class of FLRW cosmologies is not only locally but also globally
gravitationally unstable in relevant cases, we here develop a perturbation
approach that describes the evolution of inhomogeneities on a general
background being defined by the spatially averaged evolution equations. This
physical background interacts with the formation of structures. We derive and
discuss the resulting perturbation scheme for the matter model `irrotational
dust' in the Lagrangian picture, restricting our attention to scalar
perturbations.Comment: 18 pages. Matches published version in CQ
Accelerated expansion from structure formation
We discuss the physics of backreaction-driven accelerated expansion. Using
the exact equations for the behaviour of averages in dust universes, we explain
how large-scale smoothness does not imply that the effect of inhomogeneity and
anisotropy on the expansion rate is small. We demonstrate with an analytical
toy model how gravitational collapse can lead to acceleration. We find that the
conjecture of the accelerated expansion being due to structure formation is in
agreement with the general observational picture of structures in the universe,
and more quantitative work is needed to make a detailed comparison.Comment: 44 pages, 1 figure. Expanded treatment of topics from the Gravity
Research Foundation contest essay astro-ph/0605632. v2: Added references,
clarified wordings. v3: Published version. Minor changes and corrections,
added a referenc