arXiv subjects

Thomas Buchert

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Buchert.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Lagrangian theory of structure formation in relativistic cosmology III: gravitoelectric perturbation and solution schemes at any order

The relativistic generalization of the Newtonian Lagrangian perturbation theory is investigated. In previous works, the first-order trace solutions that are generated by the spatially projected gravitoelectric part of the Weyl tensor were given together with extensions and applications for accessing the nonperturbative regime. We furnish here construction rules to obtain from Newtonian solutions the gravitoelectric class of relativistic solutions, for which we give the complete perturbation and solution schemes at any order of the perturbations. By construction, these schemes generalize the complete hierarchy of solutions of the Newtonian Lagrangian perturbation theory.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Evidence for an environment-dependent shift in the baryon acoustic oscillation peak

The Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric assumes comoving spatial rigidity of metrical properties. The curvature term in comoving coordinates is environment-independent and cannot evolve. In the standard model, structure formation is interpreted accordingly: structures average out on the chosen metrical background, which remains rigid in comoving coordinates despite nonlinear structure growth. The latter claim needs to be tested, since it is a hypothesis that is not derived using general relativity. We introduce a test of the comoving rigidity assumption by measuring the two-point auto-correlation function on comoving scales---assuming FLRW comoving spatial rigidity---in order to detect shifts in the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) peak location for Large Red Galaxy (LRG) pairs of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. In tangential directions, subsets of pairs overlapping with superclusters or voids show the BAO peak. The tangential BAO peak location for overlap with Nadathur & Hotchkiss superclusters is $4.3\pm1.6$ Mpc/h less than that for LRG pairs unselected for supercluster overlap, and $6.6\pm2.8$ Mpc/h less than that of the complementary pairs. Liivamagi et al. superclusters give corresponding differences of $3.7\pm2.9$ Mpc/h and $6.3\pm2.6$ Mpc/h, respectively. We have found moderately significant evidence (Kolmogorov--Smirnov tests suggest very significant evidence) that the BAO peak location for supercluster-overlapping pairs is compressed by about 6% compared to that of the complementary sample, providing a potential challenge to FLRW models and a benchmark for predictions from models based on an averaging approach that leaves the spatial metric a priori unspecified.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2014

Direct Minkowski Functional analysis of large redshift surveys: a new high--speed code tested on the luminous red galaxy Sloan Digital Sky Survey-DR7 catalogue

As deeper galaxy catalogues are soon to come, it becomes even more importantto measure large-scale fluctuations in the catalogues with robust statistics that cover all moments of the galaxy distribution.In this paper we reinforce a direct analysis of galaxy data by employing the Germ-Grain method to calculate thefamily of Minkowski Functionals. We introduce a new code, suitable for the analysis of large data sets without smoothingand without the construction of excursion sets. We provide new tools to measure correlation properties, putting emphasis onexplicitly isolating non-Gaussian correlations with the help of integral-geometric relations. As a first application we present the analysis of large-scale fluctuations in the luminous red galaxy sample of Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 7 data. We findsignificant deviations from the $Λ$ cold dark matter mock catalogues on samples as large as $500h^{-1}$Mpc (more than $3σ$)and slight deviations of around $2σ$ on $700h^{-1}$Mpc, and we investigate possible sources of these deviations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Virialization-induced curvature versus dark energy

The concordance model is successful in explaining numerous observable phenomena at the price of introducing an exotic source of unknown origin: dark energy. Dark energy dominance occurs at recent epochs, when we expect most cosmological structures to have already formed, and thus, when the error induced by forcing the homogeneous FLRW metric onto the data is expected to be the most significant. We propose a way to quantify the impact of deviations from homogeneity on the evolution of cosmological parameters. Using a multi-scale partitioning approach and the virialization fraction estimated from numerical simulations in an Einstein-de Sitter model, we obtain an observationally realistic distance modulus over redshifts 0 < z < 3 by a relativistic correction of the FLRW metric.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Deep redshift topological lensing: strategies for the T^3 candidate

The 3-torus (T^3) FLRW model better fits the nearly zero large-scale auto-correlation of the WMAP CMB sky maps than the infinite flat model. The T^3 model's WMAP parameters imply approximately equal-redshift topological lensing at z \sim 6. We investigate observational strategies for rejecting the T^3 solution or providing candidate topologically lensed galaxy pairs. T^3 holonomies are applied to (i) existing z \sim 6 observations and (ii) simulated observations, creating multiply connected catalogues. Corresponding simply connected catalogues are generated. Each catalogue is analysed using a successive filter method and collecting matched quadruples. Quadruple statistics between the multiply and simply connected catalogues are compared. The expected rejection of the hypothesis, or detection of candidate topologically lensed galaxies, is possible at a significance of 5% for a pair of T^3 axis-centred northern and southern surveys if photometric redshift accuracy is σ(\zphot) < 0.01 for a pair of nearly complete 100 deg^2 surveys with a total of > 500 galaxies over 4.3 < z < 6.6, or for a pair of 196 deg^2 surveys with > 400 galaxies and σ(\zphot) < 0.02 over 4<z<7. Dropping the maximum time interval in a pair from Δt =1 Gyr/h to Δt =0.1 Gyr/h yields a requirement of σ(\zphot) < 0.005 or σ(\zphot) < 0.01, respectively. Millions of z \sim 6 galaxies will be observed over fields of these sizes during the coming decades, implying much stronger constraints. The question is not if the hypothesis will be rejected or confirmed, it is when.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Virialisation-induced curvature as a physical explanation for dark energy

The geometry of the dark energy and cold dark matter dominated cosmological model (LambdaCDM) is commonly assumed to be given by a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric, i.e. it assumes homogeneity in the comoving spatial section. The homogeneity assumption fails most strongly at (i) small distance scales and (ii) recent epochs, implying that the FLRW approximation is most likely to fail at these scales. We use the virialisation fraction to quantify (i) and (ii), which approximately coincide with each other on the observational past light cone. For increasing time, the virialisation fraction increases above 10% at about the same redshift (sim 1-3) at which Omega_Lambda grows above 10% (approx 1.8). Thus, instead of non-zero Omega_Lambda, we propose an approximate, general-relativistic correction to the matter-dominated (Omega_m =1, Omega_Lambda=0), homogeneous metric (Einstein de Sitter, EdS). A low-redshift effective matter-density parameter of Omega_m^eff(0) = 0.26 pm 0.05 is inferred. Over redshifts 0 < z < 3, the distance modulus of the virialisation-corrected EdS model approximately matches the LambdaCDM distance modulus. This rough approximation assumes "old physics" (general relativity), not "new physics". Thus, pending more detailed calculations, we strengthen the claim that "dark energy" should be considered as an artefact of emerging average curvature in the void-dominated Universe, via a novel approach that quantifies the relation between virialisation and average curvature evolution.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Lagrangian theory of structure formation in relativistic cosmology II: average properties of a generic evolution model

Kinematical and dynamical properties of a generic inhomogeneous cosmological model, spatially averaged with respect to free-falling (generalized fundamental) observers, are investigated for the matter model irrotational dust. Paraphrasing a previous Newtonian investigation, we present a relativistic generalization of a backreaction model based on volume-averaging the Relativistic Zeldovich Approximation. In this model we investigate the effect of kinematical backreaction on the evolution of cosmological parameters as they are defined in an averaged inhomogeneous cosmology, and we show that the backreaction model interpolates between orthogonal symmetry properties by covering subcases of the plane-symmetric solution, the Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi solution and the Szekeres solution. We so obtain a powerful model that lays the foundations for quantitatively addressing curvature inhomogeneities as they would be interpreted as Dark Energy or Dark Matter in a quasi-Newtonian cosmology. The present model, having a limited architecture due to an assumed FLRW background, is nevertheless capable of replacing 1/4 of the needed amount for Dark Energy on domains of 200 Mpc in diameter for typical (one-sigma) fluctuations in a CDM initial power spectrum. However, the model is far from explaining Dark Energy on larger scales (spatially), where a 6% effect on 400 Mpc domains is identified that can be traced back to an on average negative intrinsic curvature today. One drawback of the quantitative results presented is the fact that the epoch when backreaction is effective on large scales and leads to volume acceleration lies in the future. We discuss this issue in relation to the initial spectrum, the Dark Matter problem, the coincidence problem, and the fact that large-scale Dark Energy is an effect on the past light cone (not spatial), and we pinpoint key elements of future research.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2012

Relative information entropy and Weyl curvature of the inhomogeneous Universe

Penrose conjectured a connection between entropy and Weyl curvature of the Universe. This is plausible, as the almost homogeneous and isotropic Universe at the onset of structure formation has negligible Weyl curvature, which then grows (relative to the Ricci curvature) due to the formation of large-scale structure and thus reminds us of the second law of thermodynamics. We study two scalar measures to quantify the deviations from a homogeneous and isotropic space-time, the relative information entropy and a Weyl tensor invariant, and show their relation to the averaging problem. We calculate these two quantities up to second order in standard cosmological perturbation theory and find that they are correlated and can be linked via the kinematic backreaction of a spatially averaged universe model.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2012

Backreaction in late-time cosmology

We review the effect of the formation of nonlinear structures on the expansion rate, spatial curvature and light propagation in the universe, focusing on the possibility that it could explain cosmological observations without the introduction of dark energy or modified gravity. We concentrate on explaining the relevant physics and highlighting open questions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Lagrangian theory of structure formation in relativistic cosmology I: Lagrangian framework and definition of a nonperturbative approximation

In this first paper we present a Lagrangian framework for the description of structure formation in general relativity, restricting attention to irrotational dust matter. As an application we present a self-contained derivation of a general-relativistic analogue of Zel'dovich's approximation for the description of structure formation in cosmology, and compare it with previous suggestions in the literature. This approximation is then investigated: paraphrasing the derivation in the Newtonian framework we provide general-relativistic analogues of the basic system of equations for a single dynamical field variable and recall the first-order perturbation solution of these equations. We then define a general-relativistic analogue of Zel'dovich's approximation and investigate its implications by functionally evaluating relevant variables, and we address the singularity problem. We so obtain a possibly powerful model that, although constructed through extrapolation of a perturbative solution, can be used to put into practice nonperturbatively, e.g. problems of structure formation, backreaction problems, nonlinear properties of gravitational radiation, and light-propagation in realistic inhomogeneous universe models. With this model we also provide the key-building blocks for initializing a fully relativistic numerical simulation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2012

Lagrangian perturbations and the matter bispectrum I: fourth-order model for non-linear clustering

We investigate the Lagrangian perturbation theory of a homogeneous and isotropic universe in the non-relativistic limit, and derive the solutions up to the fourth order. These solutions are needed for example for the next-to-leading order correction of the (resummed) Lagrangian matter bispectrum, which we study in an accompanying paper. We focus on flat cosmologies with a vanishing cosmological constant, and provide an in-depth description of two complementary approaches used in the current literature. Both approaches are solved with two different sets of initial conditions---both appropriate for modelling the large-scale structure. Afterwards we consider only the fastest growing mode solution, which is not affected by either of these choices of initial conditions. Under the reasonable approximation that the linear density contrast is evaluated at the initial Lagrangian position of the fluid particle, we obtain the nth-order displacement field in the so-called initial position limit: the nth order displacement field consists of 3(n-1) integrals over n linear density contrasts, and obeys self-similarity. Then, we find exact relations between the series in Lagrangian and Eulerian perturbation theory, leading to identical predictions for the density contrast and the peculiar-velocity divergence up to the fourth order.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

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-Lemaître-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.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Global gravitational instability of FLRW backgrounds - interpreting the dark sectors

The standard model of cosmology is based on homogeneous-isotropic solutions of Einstein's equations. These solutions are known to be gravitationally unstable to local inhomogeneous perturbations, commonly described as evolving on a background given by the same solutions. In this picture, the FLRW backgrounds are taken to describe the average over inhomogeneous perturbations for all times. We study in the present article the (in)stability of FLRW dust backgrounds within a class of averaged inhomogeneous cosmologies. We examine the phase portraits of the latter, discuss their fixed points and orbital structure and provide detailed illustrations. We show that FLRW cosmologies are unstable in some relevant cases: averaged models are driven away from them through structure formation and accelerated expansion. We find support for the proposal that the dark components of the FLRW framework may be associated to these instability sectors. Our conclusion is that FLRW cosmologies have to be considered critically as for their role to serve as reliable models for the physical background.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Toward physical cosmology: focus on inhomogeneous geometry and its non-perturbative effects

We outline the key-steps toward the construction of a physical, fully relativistic cosmology. The influence of inhomogeneities on the effective evolution history of the Universe is encoded in backreaction terms and expressed through spatially averaged geometrical invariants. These are absent and potential candidates for the missing dark sources in the standard model. Since they can be interpreted as energies of an emerging scalar field (the morphon), we are in the position to propose a strategy of how phenomenological scalar field models for Dark Energy, Dark Matter and Inflation, that are usually added as fundamental sources to a homogeneous-geometry (FLRW) cosmology, can be potentially traced back to inhomogeneous geometrical properties of space and its embedding into spacetime. We lay down a line of arguments that is - thus far only qualitatively - conclusive, and we address open problems of quantitative nature, related to the interpretation of observations. We discuss within a covariant framework ... [abridged]

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Effective inhomogeneous inflation: curvature inhomogeneities of the Einstein vacuum

We consider spatially averaged inhomogeneous universe models and argue that, already in the absence of sources, an effective scalar field arises through foliating and spatially averaging inhomogeneous geometrical curvature invariants of the Einstein vacuum. This scalar field (the `morphon') acts as an inflaton, if we prescribe a potential of some generic form. We show that, for any initially negative average spatial curvature, the morphon is driven through an inflationary phase and leads - on average - to a spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic universe model, providing initial conditions for pre-heating and, by the same mechanism, a possibly natural self-exit.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Multiscale approach to inhomogeneous cosmologies

The backreaction of inhomogeneities on the global expansion history of the Universe suggests a possible link of the formation of structures to the recent accelerated expansion. In this paper, the origin of this conjecture is illustrated and a model without Dark Energy that allows for a more explicit investigation of this link is discussed. Additionally to this conceptually interesting feature, the model leads to a LCDM-like distance-redshift relation that is consistent with SN data.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Effective Inhomogeneous Cosmologies and Emerging Scalar Fields

In this contribution we summarize two recent applications of a correspondence between backreaction terms in averaged inhomogeneous cosmologies and an effective scalar field (the `morphon'). Backreaction terms that add to the standard sources of Friedmannian kinematical laws and that emerge from geometrical curvature invariants built from inhomogeneities, can be interpreted in terms of a minimally coupled scalar field in the case of a dust matter source. We consider closure conditions of the averaged equations that lead to different evolution scenarii: a) the standard Chaplygin equation of state imposed as an effective relation between kinematical fluctuations and intrinsic curvature of space sections, and b) an inflationary scenario that emerges out of inhomogeneities of the Einstein vacuum, where averaged curvature inhomogeneities model the potential of an effective classical inflaton.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Towards physical cosmology: geometrical interpretation of Dark Energy, Dark Matter and Inflation without fundamental sources

We outline the key-steps towards the construction of a physical, fully relativistic cosmology, in which we aim to trace Dark Energy and Dark Matter back to physical properties of space. The influence of inhomogeneities on the effective evolution history of the Universe is encoded in backreaction terms and expressed through spatially averaged geometrical invariants. These are absent and interpreted as missing dark fundamental sources in the standard model. In the inhomogeneous case they can be interpreted as energies of an emerging scalar field (the morphon). These averaged invariants vanish for a homogeneous geometry, where the morphon is in an unstable equilibrium state. If this state is perturbed, the morphon can act as a classical inflaton in the Early Universe and its de-balanced energies can mimic the dark sources in the Late Universe, depending on spatial scale as Dark Energy or as Dark Matter, respectively. We lay down a line of arguments that is qualitatively conclusive, and we outline open problems of quantitative nature, related to the interpretation of observations.

gr-qc↗