An expanding universe with scale factor a(t) is filled with (pressure-free) cold dark matter (CDM) of average mass density ρˉ(t). In the Zel'dovich approximation to gravitational clumping, the perturbed position r(q,t) of a CDM particle with unperturbed comoving position q is given by
r(q,t)=a(t)[q+ψ(q,t)]
where ψ is the comoving displacement.
(i) Explain why the conservation of CDM particles implies that
ρ(r,t)d3r=a3ρˉ(t)d3q,
where ρ(r,t) is the CDM mass density. Use (1) to verify that d3q=a−3[1−∇q⋅ψ]d3r, and hence deduce that the fractional density perturbation is, to first order,
δ≡ρˉρ−ρˉ=−∇q⋅ψ.
Use this result to integrate the Poisson equation ∇2Φ=4πGρˉ for the gravitational potential Φ. Then use the particle equation of motion r¨=−∇Φ to deduce a second-order differential equation for ψ, and hence that
δ¨+2(aa˙)δ˙−4πGρˉδ=0.
[You may assume that ∇2Φ=4πGρˉ implies ∇Φ=(4πG/3)ρˉr and that the pressure-free acceleration equation is a¨=−(4πG/3)ρˉa.]
(ii) A flat matter-dominated universe with background density ρˉ=(6πGt2)−1 has scale factor a(t)=(t/t0)2/3. The universe is filled with a pressure-free homogeneous (non-clumping) fluid of mass density ρH(t), as well as cold dark matter of mass density ρC(r,t).
Assuming that the Zel'dovich perturbation equation in this case is as in (2) but with ρˉ replaced by ρˉC, i.e. that
δ¨+2(aa˙)δ˙−4πGρˉCδ=0,
seek power-law solutions δ∝tα to find growing and decaying modes with
α=61(−1±25−24ΩH)
where ΩH=ρH/ρˉ.
Given that matter domination starts (t=teq ) at a redshift z≈105, and given an initial perturbation δ(teq)≈10−5, show that ΩH=2/3 yields a model that is not compatible with the large-scale structure observed today.