FRW pertubations in overdense and underdense regions

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In summary: Since we expect a gravitating body to have a negative potential ##\Psi## (since it's attracting things), this tells us that ##\Psi < 0##. Similarly, since the density perturbation is trying to pull things together (by making the universe more dense in that region), the potential ##\Phi## should be positive.
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center o bass
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I'm currently reading Dodelson's "Modern Cosmology" where he in Chapter 4.2 discuss the Boltzmann equation for photons and consider a perturbed FRW spacetime for which ##g_{00} = -1 - 2 \Psi## and ##g_{ij} = a^2 \delta_{ij}(1+2\Phi)##. At page 90 he states that "in an overdense region we have ##\Psi <0## and ##\Phi >0##. Why is this true?
 
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center o bass said:
"in an overdense region we have Ψ<0\Psi 0. Why is this true?

I'm not an expert in this area, so I can't give the "standard" answer for why it's true, but I can explain why it seems reasonable to me. Consider the Schwarzschild metric, for which ##g_{00} = - \left( 1 - 2M / r \right) = -1 + 2M / r## and ##g_{rr} = 1 / \left( 1 - 2M / r \right) \approx 1 + 2M / r## (where we are using an approximation in which ##M / r## is small so we can ignore quadratic and higher terms). This obviously looks a lot like the perturbed FRW metric; in fact, if we put the FRW metric in spherical coordinates, the two are the same (except for the scale factor ##a^2##) if we set ##\Psi = - M / r## and ##\Phi = M / r##. So basically, what Dodelson is saying is that in an overdense region, the extra mass (due to the overdensity) acts like an ordinary gravitating body.
 

1. What are FRW perturbations in overdense and underdense regions?

FRW perturbations refer to small fluctuations in the density of matter in the universe, as described by the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric. Overdense regions have a higher density than the average, while underdense regions have a lower density.

2. What causes overdense and underdense regions in the universe?

These regions are thought to have originated from tiny quantum fluctuations in the early universe, which were amplified by inflation and later evolved into the large-scale structures we see today.

3. How do FRW perturbations affect the evolution of the universe?

FRW perturbations play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of structures in the universe. Overdense regions attract matter and eventually collapse to form galaxies, while underdense regions have less matter and thus slower evolution.

4. Can FRW perturbations be observed in the universe?

Yes, these perturbations can be observed through various methods, such as the cosmic microwave background radiation, galaxy surveys, and gravitational lensing. These observations provide valuable insights into the history and structure of the universe.

5. Are FRW perturbations uniform throughout the universe?

No, FRW perturbations are not uniform and show variations on different scales. These fluctuations are a result of the primordial density fluctuations and the gravitational interactions between matter and dark energy in the universe.

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