Doppler effect vs expansion effect on wavelength

In summary, the red shifting of light from distant objects is affected by both the Doppler effect and the expansion of the universe. For objects within our galaxy, the redshift is solely due to their motion, while for objects millions of lightyears away, expansion becomes the dominant factor. However, the most natural interpretation of the redshift is as a Doppler shift, rather than just the stretching of space. This is because an observed frequency shift can be interpreted as either a kinematic or gravitational shift, and the kinematic interpretation is more natural in the context of the expanding universe.
  • #1
rogerperkins
8
0
Could you please clarify for me how much each of these contribute to the red shifting of light from distant objects? It seems to me that red shifting of light from near by objects i.e. within our galaxy would be affected more by the Doppler effect whereas for intergalactic objects the red shifting of light would be affected more by the expansion of the universe, eg. Light originating from some place billions of light years away and billions of years ago would get stretched out by the expansion of the universe and appear to be red shifted as if it were caused by the Doppler effect.

Thank You! :smile:

Roger
 
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  • #2
You are correct. The redshift from objects within our galaxy is solely due to their motion through space relative to us, as expansion does not affect bound objects like galaxies. Once you get a few hundred million lightyears away expansion starts to become the dominant form of redshift.
 
  • #3
Here is a paper with some additional information:

“The kinematic origin of the cosmological redshiftâ€
By Emory F. Bunn and David W. Hogg

"A common belief about big-bang cosmology is that the cosmological redshift cannot be properly viewed as a Doppler shift (that is, as evidence for a recession velocity), but must be viewed in terms of the stretching of space. We argue that, contrary to this view, the most natural interpretation of the redshift is as a Doppler shift, or rather as the accumulation of many infinitesimal Doppler shifts. The stretching-of-space interpretation obscures a central idea of relativity, namely that it is always valid to choose a coordinate system that is locally Minkowskian. We show that an observed frequency shift in any spacetime can be interpreted either as a kinematic (Doppler) shift or a gravitational shift by imagining a suitable family of observers along the photon’s path. In the context of the expanding universe the kinematic interpretation corresponds to a family of comoving observers and hence is more natural."

http://arxiv.org/pdf/0808.1081.pdf
 

What is the Doppler effect?

The Doppler effect is a phenomenon in physics that describes the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave as it moves towards or away from an observer. This change in frequency or wavelength is caused by the relative motion between the source of the wave and the observer.

What is the expansion effect on wavelength?

The expansion effect on wavelength is also known as the cosmological redshift. It is the phenomenon in which the wavelengths of light from distant objects in the universe are stretched as the space between the objects and the observer expands due to the expansion of the universe.

How does the Doppler effect affect the wavelength of a wave?

The Doppler effect causes the wavelength of a wave to appear shorter if the source of the wave is moving towards the observer, and longer if the source is moving away from the observer. This is because the frequency of the wave remains constant, but the wavelength changes due to the relative motion between the source and the observer.

How does the expansion effect on wavelength differ from the Doppler effect?

The expansion effect on wavelength is caused by the expansion of the universe, while the Doppler effect is caused by relative motion between the source of the wave and the observer. The expansion effect affects all objects in the universe, while the Doppler effect only affects objects that are in motion relative to an observer.

Can both the Doppler effect and the expansion effect occur on the same wave?

Yes, both the Doppler effect and the expansion effect can occur on the same wave. This is because the expansion of the universe affects all objects, including those that are in motion relative to an observer. Therefore, an object that is moving towards or away from an observer will experience both the Doppler effect and the expansion effect on its wavelength.

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