The discussion centers on the role of dark matter (DM) in suppressing baryonic oscillations, particularly in relation to the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) power spectrum. Participants assert that while dark matter does not directly participate in baryonic oscillations due to its lack of pressure, it influences the odd peaks in the CMB spectrum and gravitationally suppresses the even peaks. The conversation references the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and highlights the necessity of understanding CMB and SDSS studies to grasp the implications of dark matter on structure formation in the early universe.
PREREQUISITESAstronomers, cosmologists, and physics students interested in the interplay between dark matter and baryonic matter in the context of the early universe and structure formation.
I don't think it suppresses them. It just doesn't participate in them (as dark matter doesn't experience pressure to any significant degree). In practical terms this means that dark matter contributes to all of the odd peaks in the CMB power spectrum, while only the normal matter contributes to the even peaks.wolram said:How does dark matter suppress baryonic osculations?
But it does, doesn't it? - it suppresses the even peaks as it acts gravitationally against the bouncing baryonic matter so that it doesn't expand as much as a result.Chalnoth said:I don't think it suppresses them. It just doesn't participate in them (as dark matter doesn't experience pressure to any significant degree). In practical terms this means that dark matter contributes to all of the odd peaks in the CMB power spectrum, while only the normal matter contributes to the even peaks.