Nonlinear Cosmological Perturbation Theory Research Articles

Flows for the masses: A multi-fluid non-linear perturbation theory for massive neutrinos

Velocity dispersion of the massive neutrinos presents a daunting challenge for non-linear cosmological perturbation theory. We consider the neutrino population as a collection of non-linear fluids, each with uniform initial momentum, through an extension of the Time Renormalization Group perturbation theory. Employing recently-developed Fast Fourier Transform techniques, we accelerate our non-linear perturbation theory by more than two orders of magnitude, making it quick enough for practical use. After verifying that the neutrino mode-coupling integrals and power spectra converge, we show that our perturbation theory agrees with N-body neutrino simulations to within 10% for neutrino fractions Ω ν,0 h 2 ≤ 0.005 up to wave numbers of k = 1 h/Mpc, an accuracy consistent with ≤ 2.5% errors in the neutrino mass determination. Non-linear growth represents a > 10% correction to the neutrino power spectrum even for density fractions as low as Ω ν,0 h 2 = 0.001, demonstrating the limits of linear theory for accurate neutrino power spectrum predictions. Our code FlowsForTheMasses is avaliable online at github.com/upadhye/FlowsForTheMasses.

Neutrino mass and dark energy constraints from redshift-space distortions

Cosmology in the near future promises a measurement of the sum of neutrino masses ∑ mν, a fundamental Standard Model parameter, as well as substantially-improved constraints on the dark energy. We use the shape of the BOSS redshift-space galaxy power spectrum, in combination with CMB and supernova data, to constrain the neutrino masses and the dark energy. Essential to this calculation are several recent advances in non-linear cosmological perturbation theory, including fast Fourier transform methods, redshift space distortions, and scale-dependent growth. Our 95% confidence upper bound ∑ mν < 180 meV degrades substantially to ∑ mν < 540 meV when the dark energy equation of state and its first derivative are also allowed to vary, representing a significant challenge to current constraints. We also study the impact of additional galaxy bias parameters, finding that a greater allowed range of scale-dependent bias only slightly shifts the preferred ∑ mν, weakens its upper bound by ≈ 20%, and has a negligible effect on the other cosmological parameters.

FAST-PT: a novel algorithm to calculate convolution integrals in cosmological perturbation theory

We present a novel algorithm, FAST-PT, for performing convolution or mode-coupling integrals that appear in nonlinear cosmological perturbation theory. The algorithm uses several properties of gravitational structure formation—the locality of the dark matter equations and the scale invariance of the problem—as well as Fast Fourier Transforms to describe the input power spectrum as a superposition of power laws. This yields extremely fast performance, enabling mode-coupling integral computations fast enough to embed in Monte Carlo Markov Chain parameter estimation. We describe the algorithm and demonstrate its application to calculating nonlinear corrections to the matter power spectrum, including one-loop standard perturbation theory and the renormalization group approach. We also describe our public code (in Python) to implement this algorithm. The code, along with a user manual and example implementations, is available at https://github.com/JoeMcEwen/FAST-PT.

Nonlinear superhorizon curvature perturbation in generic single-field inflation

We develop a theory of nonlinear cosmological perturbations on superhorizon scales for generic single-field inflation. Our inflaton is described by the Lagrangian of the form $W(X,\phi)-G(X,\phi)\Box\phi$ with $X=-\partial^{\mu}\phi\partial_{\mu}\phi/2$, which is no longer equivalent to a perfect fluid. This model is more general than k-inflation, and is called G-inflation. A general nonlinear solution for the metric and the scalar field is obtained at second order in gradient expansion. We derive a simple master equation governing the large-scale evolution of the nonlinear curvature perturbation. It turns out that the nonlinear evolution equation is deduced as a straightforward extension of the corresponding linear equation for the curvature perturbation on uniform $\phi$ hypersurfaces.

Beyond N formalism

We develop a theory of nonlinear cosmological perturbations on superhorizon scales for a multi-component scalar field with a general kinetic term and a general form of the potential in the context of inflationary cosmology. We employ the ADM formalism and the spatial gradient expansion approach, characterized by ${\mathcal {O}}(\epsilon ^2)$, where ϵ = 1/(HL) is a small parameter representing the ratio of the Hubble radius to the characteristic length scale L of perturbations. We provide a formalism to obtain the solution in the multi-field case. This formalism can be applied to the superhorizon evolution of a primordial non-Gaussianity beyond the so-called δN formalism which is equivalent to ${\mathcal {O}}(\epsilon ^0)$ of the gradient expansion. In doing so, we also derive fully nonlinear gauge transformation rules valid through ${\mathcal {O}}(\epsilon ^2)$. These fully nonlinear gauge transformation rules can be used to derive the solution in a desired gauge from the one in a gauge where computations are much simpler. As a demonstration, we consider an analytically solvable model and construct the solution explicitly.

Evolution equation for non-linear cosmological perturbations

We present a novel approach, based entirely on the gravitational potential, for studying the evolution of non-linear cosmological matter perturbations. Starting from the perturbed Einstein equations, we integrate out the non-relativistic degrees of freedom of the cosmic fluid and obtain a single closed equation for the gravitational potential. We then verify the validity of the new equation by comparing its approximate solutions to known results in the theory of non-linear cosmological perturbations. First, we show explicitly that the perturbative solution of our equation matches the standard perturbative solutions. Next, using the mean field approximation to the equation, we show that its solution reproduces in a simple way the exponential suppression of the non-linear propagator on small scales due to the velocity dispersion. Our approach can therefore reproduce the main features of the renormalized perturbation theory and (time)-renormalization group approaches to the study of non-linear cosmological perturbations, with some possibly important differences. We conclude by a preliminary discussion of the nature of the full solutions of the equation and their significance.

Comparing two different formulations of metric cosmological perturbation theory

We compare and contrast two different metric-based formulations of nonlinear cosmological perturbation theory: the MW2009 approach in Malik and Wands (2009 Phys. Rep. 475 1) following Bardeen and the recent approach of the paper KN2010 (Nakamura 2010 Adv. Astron. 2010 576273). We present each formulation separately. In the MW2009 approach, one considers the gauge transformations of perturbative quantities, choosing a gauge by requiring that certain quantities vanish, rendering all other variables gauge invariant. In the KN2010 formalism, one decomposes the metric tensor into a gauge variant and gauge invariant part from the outset. We compare the two approaches in both the longitudinal and uniform curvature gauges. In the longitudinal gauge, we find that Nakamura’s gauge invariant variables correspond exactly to those in the longitudinal gauge (i.e. for scalar perturbations to the Bardeen potentials), and in the uniform curvature gauge we obtain the usual relationship between gauge invariant variables in the flat and longitudinal gauge. Thus, we show that these two approaches are equivalent.

Manifestly gauge invariant theory of the nonlinear cosmological perturbations in the leading order of the gradient expansion

In the full nonlinear cosmological perturbation theory in the leading order of the gradient expansion, all the types of the gauge invariant perturbation variables are defined. The metric junction conditions across the spacelike transition hypersurface are formulated in a manifestly gauge invariant manner. It is manifestly shown that all the physical laws such as the evolution equations, the constraint equations, and the junction conditions can be written using the gauge invariant variables which we defined only. Based on the existence of the universal adiabatic growing mode in the nonlinear perturbation theory and the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ philosophy where the physical evolution are described using the energy density $\ensuremath{\rho}$ as the evolution parameter, we give the definitions of the adiabatic perturbation variable and the entropic perturbation variables in the full nonlinear perturbation theory. In order to give the analytic order estimate of the nonlinear parameter ${f}_{\mathrm{NL}}$, we present the exponent evaluation method. As the models where ${f}_{\mathrm{NL}}$ changes continuously and becomes large, using the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ philosophy, we investigate the non-Gaussianity induced by the entropic perturbation of the component which does not govern the cosmic energy density, and we show that in order to obtain the significant non-Gaussianity it is necessary that the scalar field which supports the entropic perturbation is extremely small compared with the scalar field which supports the adiabatic perturbation.

Nonlinear superhorizon perturbations of non-canonical scalar field

We develop a theory of non-linear cosmological perturbations at superhorizon scales for a scalar field with a Lagrangian of the form P(X,ϕ), where X = −∂μϕ∂μϕ and ϕ is the scalar field. We employ the ADM formalism and the spatial gradient expansion approach to obtain general solutions valid up to the second order in the gradient expansion. This formulation can be applied to, for example, DBI inflation models to investigate superhorizon evolution of non-Gaussianities. With slight modification, we also obtain general solutions valid up to the same order for a perfect fluid with a general equation of state P = P(ρ).

Long wavelength limit of evolution of nonlinear cosmological perturbations

In the general matter composition where the multiple scalar fields and the multiple perfect fluids coexist, in the leading order of the gradient expansion, we construct all of the solutions of the nonlinear evolutions of the locally homogeneous universe. From the momentum constraint, we derive the constraints which the solution constants of the locally homogeneous universe must satisfy. We construct the gauge invariant perturbation variables in the arbitrarily higher order nonlinear cosmological perturbation theory around the spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. We construct the nonlinear long wavelength limit formula representing the long wavelength limit of the evolution of the nonlinear gauge invariant perturbation variables in terms of perturbations of the evolutions of the locally homogeneous universe. By using the long wavelength limit formula, we investigate the evolution of nonlinear cosmological perturbations in the universe dominated by the multiple slow rolling scalar fields with an arbitrary potential. The $\ensuremath{\tau}$ function and the $N$ potential introduced in this paper make it possible to write the evolution of the multiple slow rolling scalar fields with an arbitrary interaction potential and the arbitrarily higher order nonlinear Bardeen parameter at the end of the slow rolling phase analytically. It is shown that the nonlinear parameters such as ${f}_{\mathrm{NL}}$ and ${g}_{\mathrm{NL}}$ are suppressed by the slow rolling expansion parameters.

The de Sitter limit of inflation and non-linear perturbation theory

We study the fourth-order action of the comoving curvature perturbation in an inflationaryuniverse in order to understand more systematically the de Sitter limit in non-linearcosmological perturbation theory. We derive the action of the curvature perturbation tofourth order in the comoving gauge, and show that it vanishes sufficiently fast inthe de Sitter limit. By studying the de Sitter limit, we then extrapolate to thenth-order action of the comoving curvature perturbation and discuss the slow-roll order of then-point correlation function.

Gradient Expansion Approach to Nonlinear Superhorizon Perturbations

Using the gradient expansion approach, we formulate a nonlinear cosmological perturbation theory on super-horizon scales valid to O(ε2), where ε is the expansion parameter associated with a spatial derivative. For simplicity, we focus on the case of a single perfect fluid, but we take into account not only scalar but also vector and tensor modes. We derive the general solution under the uniform-Hubble time-slicing. In doing so, we identify the scalar, vector and tensor degrees of freedom contained in the solution. We then consider the coordinate transformation to the synchronous gauge in order to compare our result with the previous result given in the literature. In particular, we find that the tensor mode is invariant to O(ε2) under the coordinate transformation.

Cosmological Perturbation Theory Using the Schrödinger Equation

We introduce the theory of nonlinear cosmological perturbations using the correspondence limit of the Schrodinger equation. The resulting formalism is equivalent to using the collisionless Boltzmann (or Vlasov) equations, which remain valid during the whole evolution, even after shell crossing. Other formulations of perturbation theory explicitly break down at shell crossing, e.g., Eulerean perturbation theory, which describes gravitational collapse in the fluid limit. This Letter lays the groundwork by introducing the new formalism, calculating the perturbation theory kernels that form the basis of all subsequent calculations. We also establish the connection with conventional perturbation theories, by showing that third-order tree-level results, such as bispectrum, skewness, cumulant correlators, and three-point function, are exactly reproduced in the appropriate expansion of our results. We explicitly show that cumulants up to N = 5 predicted by Eulerian perturbation theory for the dark matter field δ are exactly recovered in the corresponding limit. A logarithmic mapping of the field naturally arises in the Schrodinger context, which means that tree-level perturbation theory translates into (possibly incomplete) loop corrections for the conventional perturbation theory. We show that the first loop correction for the variance is σ2 = σ + (-1.14 - n)σ for a field with spectral index n. This yields 1.86 and 0.86 for n = -3 and -2, respectively, to be compared with the exact loop order corrections 1.82 and 0.88. Thus, our tree-level theory recovers the dominant part of first-order loop corrections of the conventional theory, while including (partial) loop corrections to infinite order in terms of δ.

The Projected Three-Point Correlation Function: Theory and Observations

We report results for the angular three-point galaxy correlation function in the APM survey and compare them with theoretical expectations. For the first time, these measurements extend to sufficiently large scales to probe the weakly non-linear regime. On large scales, the results are in good agreement with the predictions of non-linear cosmological perturbation theory, for a model with initially Gaussian fluctuations and linear power spectrum $P(k)$ consistent with that inferred from the APM survey. These results reinforce the conclusion that large-scale structure is driven by non-linear gravitational instability and that APM galaxies are relatively unbiased tracers of the mass on large scales; they also provide stringent constraints upon models with non-Gaussian initial conditions and strongly exclude the standard cold dark matter model.