Second-order Cosmological Perturbations Research Articles

Second-order cosmological perturbations: New conserved quantities and the general solution at super-horizon scale

The study of long wavelength scalar perturbations, in particular the existence of conserved quantities when the perturbations are adiabatic, plays an important role in e.g. inflationary cosmology. In this paper we present some new conserved quantities at second order and relate them to the curvature perturbation in the uniform density gauge, $\zeta$, and the comoving curvature perturbation, ${\cal R}$. We also, for the first time, derive the general solution of the perturbed Einstein equations at second order, which thereby contains both growing and decaying modes, for adiabatic long wavelength perturbations for a stress-energy tensor with zero anisotropic stresses and zero heat flux. The derivation uses the total matter gauge, but results are subsequently translated to the uniform curvature and Poisson (longitudinal, zero shear) gauges.

Second-order cosmological perturbations. IV. Produced by scalar-tensor and tensor-tensor couplings during the radiation dominated stage

We continue to study the 2nd-order cosmological perturbations in synchronous coordinates in the framework of the general relativity (GR) during the radiation dominated (RD) stage, and to focus on the scalar-tensor and tensor-tensor couplings. The 1st-order curl velocity and the associated 1st-order vector metric perturbations are assumed to be vanishing. By analytically solving the 2nd-order Einstein equation and the energy-momentum conservation equations, we obtain the 2nd-order formal solutions (in the integral form) of all the metric perturbations, density contrast and velocity; perform the transformation between the synchronous coordinates; and identify the residual gauge modes in the 2nd-order solutions. In addition, we present the 2nd-order gauge transformations of the solutions from synchronous to Poisson coordinates. To apply these formal solutions to concrete cosmological study, one needs to choose proper initial conditions and do several numerical integrals.

Second-order cosmological perturbations. III. Produced by scalar-scalar coupling during radiation-dominated stage

We study the 2nd-order scalar, vector and tensor metric perturbations in Robertson-Walker (RW) spacetime in synchronous coordinates during the radiation dominated (RD) stage. The dominant radiation is modeled by a relativistic fluid described by a stress tensor $T_{\mu\nu}=(\rho+p)U_\mu U_\nu+g_{\mu\nu}p$ with $p= c^2_s \rho$, and the 1st-order velocity is assumed to be curlless. We analyze the solutions of 1st-order perturbations, upon which the solutions of 2nd-order perturbation are based. We show that the 1st-order tensor modes propagate at the speed of light and are truly radiative, but the scalar and vector modes do not. The 2nd-order perturbed Einstein equation contains various couplings of 1st-order metric perturbations, and the scalar-scalar coupling is considered in this paper. We decompose the 2nd-order Einstein equation into the evolution equations of 2nd-order scalar, vector, and tensor perturbations, and the energy and momentum constraints. The coupling terms and the stress tensor of the fluid together serve as the effective source for the 2nd-order metric perturbations. The equation of covariant conservation of stress tensor is also needed to determine $\rho$ and $U^\mu$. By solving this set of equations up to 2nd order analytically, we obtain the 2nd-order integral solutions of all the metric perturbations, density contrast and velocity. To use these solutions in applications, one needs to carry out seven types of the numerical integrals. We perform the residual gauge transformations between synchronous coordinates up to 2nd order, and identify the gauge-invariant modes of 2nd-order solutions.

The observed galaxy bispectrum from single-field inflation in the squeezed limit

Using the consistency relation in Fourier space, we derive the observed galaxy bispectrum from single-field inflation in the squeezed limit, in which one of the three modes has a wavelength much longer than the other two. This provides a non-trivial check of the full computation of the bispectrum based on second-order cosmological perturbation theory in this limit. We show that gauge modes need to be carefully removed in the second-order cosmological perturbations in order to calculate the observed galaxy bispectrum in the squeezed limit. We then give an estimate of the effective non-Gaussianity due to general-relativistic lightcone effects that could mimic a primordial non-Gaussian signal.

Second-order cosmological perturbations. I. Produced by scalar-scalar coupling in synchronous gauge

We present a systematic study of the 2nd order scalar, vector and tensor metric perturbations in the Einstein-de Sitter Universe in synchronous coordinates. For the scalar-scalar coupling between 1st order perturbations, we decompose the 2nd order perturbed Einstein equation into the respective field equations of 2nd order scalar, vector, and tensor perturbations, and obtain their solutions with general initial conditions. In particular, the decaying modes of solution are included, the 2nd order vector is generated even the 1st order vector is absent, and the solution of 2nd order tensor corrects that in literature. We perform general synchronous-to-synchronous gauge transformations up to 2nd order generated by a 1st order vector field $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ and a 2nd order $\xi^{(2)\mu}$. All the residual gauge modes of 2nd order metric perturbations and density contrast are found, and their number is substantially reduced when the transformed 3-velocity of dust is set be zero. Moreover, we show that only $\xi^{(2)\mu}$ is effective in carrying out 2nd order transformations that we consider, because $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ has been used in obtaining the 1st order perturbations. Holding the 1st order perturbations fixed, the transformations by $\xi^{(2)\mu}$ on the 2nd order perturbations have the same structure as those by $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ on the 1st order perturbations.

Second-order cosmological perturbations. II. Produced by scalar-tensor and tensor-tensor couplings

We study the second-order perturbations in the Einstein-de Sitter Universe in synchronous coordinate. We solve the second-order perturbed Einstein equation with scalar-tensor, and tensor-tensor couplings between 1st order perturbations, and obtain, for each coupling, the solutions of scalar, vector, tensor metric perturbations, including both the growing and decaying modes for general initial conditions. We perform general synchronous-to-synchronous gauge transformations up to 2nd order, which are generated by a 1st order vector field and a 2nd order vector field, and obtain all the residual gauge modes of the 2nd order metric perturbations in synchronous coordinates. We show that only the 2nd order vector field is effective for the 2nd order transformations that we consider because the 1st order vector field was already fixed in obtaining the 1st order perturbations. In particular, the 2nd order tensor is invariant under 2nd order gauge transformations using $\xi^{(2)\mu}$ only, just like the 1st order tensor is invariant under 1st order transformations.

Second-order Cosmological Perturbations Engendered by Point-like Masses

Abstract In the ΛCDM framework, presenting nonrelativistic matter inhomogeneities as discrete massive particles, we develop the second‐order cosmological perturbation theory. Our approach relies on the weak gravitational field limit. The derived equations for the second‐order scalar, vector, and tensor metric corrections are suitable at arbitrary distances, including regions with nonlinear contrasts of the matter density. We thoroughly verify fulfillment of all Einstein equations, as well as self‐consistency of order assignments. In addition, we achieve logical positive results in the Minkowski background limit. Feasible investigations of the cosmological back-reaction manifestations by means of relativistic simulations are also outlined.

Primordial magnetic fields from second-order cosmological perturbations: tight coupling approximation

We explore the possibility of generating large-scale magnetic fields from second-order cosmological perturbations during the pre-recombination era. The key process for this is Thomson scattering between the photons and the charged particles within the cosmic plasma. To tame the multi-component interacting fluid system, we employ the tight coupling approximation. It is shown that the source term for the magnetic field is given by the vorticity, which signals the intrinsically second-order quantities, and the product of the first-order perturbations. The vorticity itself is sourced by the product of the first-order quantities in the vorticity evolution equation. The magnetic fields generated by this process are estimated to be ∼10−29 G on the horizon scale at the recombination epoch. Although our rough estimate suggests that the current generation mechanism can work even on smaller scales, more careful investigation is needed to make clear whether it indeed works in a wide range of spatial scales.

Second-order matter density perturbations and skewness in scalar–tensor modified gravitymodels

We study second-order cosmological perturbations in scalar–tensormodels of dark energy that satisfy local gravity constraints, includingf(R) gravity. We derive equations for matter fluctuations under a sub-horizon approximationand clarify conditions under which first-order perturbations in the scalar field can beneglected relative to second-order matter and velocity perturbations. We also compute theskewness of the matter density distribution and find that the difference from theΛCDM (CDM: cold dark matter) model is less than a few per cent even if the growthrate of first-order perturbations is significantly different from that in theΛCDM model. This shows that the skewness provides a model-independent test for the picture ofgravitational instability from Gaussian initial perturbations including scalar–tensormodified gravity models.

Gauge-invariant formulation of second-order cosmological perturbations

Gauge invariant treatments of the second order cosmological perturbation in a four dimensional homogeneous isotropic universe filled with the perfect fluid are completely formulated without any gauge fixing. We derive all components of the Einstein equations in the case where the first order vector and tensor modes are negligible. These equations imply that the tensor and the vector mode of the second order metric perturbations may be generated by the scalar-scalar mode coupling of the linear order perturbations as the result of the non-linear effects of the Einstein equations.

Conservation of second-order cosmological perturbations in a scalar field dominated universe

We discuss second-order cosmological perturbations on super-Hubble scales, in a scalar field dominated universe, such as during single field inflation. In this contest we show that the gauge-invariant curvature perturbations defined on uniform density and comoving hypersurfaces coincide and that perturbations are adiabatic in the large scale limit. Since it has been recently shown that the uniform density curvature perturbation is conserved on large scales if perturbations are adiabatic, we conclude that both the uniform density and comoving curvature perturbations at second order, in a scalar field dominated universe, are conserved. Finally, in the light of this result, we comment on the variables recently used in the literature to compute non-Gaussianities.