Syksy Rasanen

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.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.

Light propagation in statistically homogeneous and isotropic universes with general matter content

We derive the relationship of the redshift and the angular diameter distance to the average expansion rate for universes which are statistically homogeneous and isotropic and where the distribution evolves slowly, but which have otherwise arbitrary geometry and matter content. The relevant average expansion rate is selected by the observable redshift and the assumed symmetry properties of the spacetime. We show why light deflection and shear remain small. We write down the evolution equations for the average expansion rate and discuss the validity of the dust approximation.We derive the relationship of the redshift and the angular diameter distance to the average expansion rate for universes which are statistically homogeneous and isotropic and where the distribution evolves slowly, but which have otherwise arbitrary geometry and matter content. The relevant average expansion rate is selected by the observable redshift and the assumed symmetry properties of the spacetime. We show why light deflection and shear remain small. We write down the evolution equations for the average expansion rate and discuss the validity of the dust approximation.We derive the relationship of the redshift and the angular diameter distance to the average expansion rate for universes which are statistically homogeneous and isotropic and where the distribution evolves slowly, but which have otherwise arbitrary geometry and matter content. The relevant average expansion rate is selected by the observable redshift and the assumed symmetry properties of the spacetime. We show why light deflection and shear remain small. We write down the evolution equations for the average expansion rate and discuss the validity of the dust approximation.

Applicability of the linearly perturbed FRW metric and Newtonian cosmology

It has been argued that the effect of cosmological structure formation on the average expansion rate is negligible, because the linear approximation to the metric remains applicable in the regime of nonlinear density perturbations. We discuss why the arguments based on the linear theory are not valid. We emphasize the difference between Newtonian gravity and the weak field, small velocity limit of general relativity in the cosmological setting.

Model-independent cosmological constraints from the CMB

We analyse CMB data in a manner which is as independent as possible of the model of late-time cosmology. We encode the effects of late-time cosmology into a single parameter which determines the distance to the last scattering surface. We exclude low multipoles ` < 40 from the analysis. We consider the WMAP5 and ACBAR data. We obtain the cosmological parameters 100!b = 2:13 � 0:05, !c = 0:124 � 0:007, ns = 0:93 � 0:02 andA = 0:593 � � 0:001 � (68% C.L.). The last number is the angular scale subtended by the sound horizon at decoupling. There is a systematic shift in the parameters as more lowdata are omitted, towards smaller values of !b and ns and larger values of !c. The scaleA remains stable and very well determined.

Cosmological acceleration from structure formation

We discuss the Buchert equations, which describe the average expansion of an inhomogeneous dust universe. In the limit of small perturbations, they reduce to the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker equations. However, when the universe is very inhomogeneous, the behavior can be qualitatively different from the FRW case. In particular, the average expansion rate can accelerate even though the local expansion rate decelerates everywhere. We clarify the physical meaning of this paradoxical feature with a simple toy model, and demonstrate how acceleration is intimately connected with gravitational collapse. This provides a link to structure formation, which in turn has a preferred time around the era when acceleration has been observed to start.

The microwave sky and the local Rees-Sciama effect

The microwave sky shows unexpected features at the largest angular scales, among them the alignments of the dipole, quadrupole and octopole. Motivated by recent X-ray cluster studies, we investigate the possibility that local structures at the 100 h^(-1) Mpc scale could be responsible for such correlations. These structures give rise to a local Rees-Sciama contribution to the microwave sky that may amount to Delta T/T ~ 10^(-5) at the largest angular scales. We model local structures by a spherical overdensity (Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi model) and assume that the Local Group is falling toward the centre. We superimpose the local Rees-Sciama effect on a statistically isotropic, gaussian sky. As expected we find alignments among low multipoles, but a closer look reveals that they do not agree with the type of correlations revealed by the data.

Light propagation and the average expansion rate in near-FRW universes

We consider universes that are close to Friedmann-Robertson-Walker in the sense that metric perturbations, their time derivatives and first spatial derivatives are small, but second spatial derivatives are not constrained. We show that if we in addition assume that the observer four-velocity is close to its background value and close to the four-velocity which defines the hypersurface of averaging, the redshift and the average expansion rate remain close to the FRW case. However, this is not true for the angular diameter distance. The four-velocity assumption implies certain conditions on second derivatives of the metric and/or the matter content.

A covariant treatment of cosmic parallax

The Gaia satellite will soon probe parallax on cosmological distances. Using the covariant formalism and considering the angle between a pair of sources, we find parallax for both spacelike and timelike separation between observation points. Our analysis includes both intrinsic parallax and parallax due to observer motion. We propose a consistency condition that tests the FRW metric using the parallax distance and the angular diameter distance. This test is purely kinematic and relies only on geometrical optics, it is independent of matter content and its relation to the spacetime geometry. We study perturbations around the FRWmodel, and find that they should be taken into account when analysing observations to determine the parallax distance.The Gaia satellite will soon probe parallax on cosmological distances. Using the covariant formalism and considering the angle between a pair of sources, we find parallax for both spacelike and timelike separation between observation points. Our analysis includes both intrinsic parallax and parallax due to observer motion. We propose a consistency condition that tests the FRW metric using the parallax distance and the angular diameter distance. This test is purely kinematic and relies only on geometrical optics, it is independent of matter content and its relation to the spacetime geometry. We study perturbations around the FRW model, and find that they should be taken into account when analysing observations to determine the parallax distance.The Gaia satellite will soon probe parallax on cosmological distances. Using the covariant formalism and considering the angle between a pair of sources, we find parallax for both spacelike and timelike separation between observation points. Our analysis includes both intrinsic parallax and parallax due to observer motion. We propose a consistency condition that tests the FRW metric using the parallax distance and the angular diameter distance. This test is purely kinematic and relies only on geometrical optics, it is independent of matter content and its relation to the spacetime geometry. We study perturbations around the FRW model, and find that they should be taken into account when analysing observations to determine the parallax distance.

Testing distance duality with CMB anisotropies

We constrain deviations of the form

CMB seen through random Swiss Cheese

T\propto (1+z)^{1+\epsilon}