Standard candles in a stretching fabric of space

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the complexities of measuring redshift in light from distant objects due to the universe's accelerating expansion. It highlights that the redshift is not solely caused by the recession velocity of the object but also by the accumulated Doppler effect along the light's path through expanding space. This phenomenon complicates the use of standard candles in cosmology, as astronomers must differentiate between peculiar motions of these objects and their cosmological redshift. The challenges in accurately measuring distances due to these factors are significant for researchers in the field.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of redshift and its implications in cosmology
  • Familiarity with the concept of standard candles in astronomical measurements
  • Knowledge of the Doppler effect and its application in light observation
  • Basic principles of the expanding universe and cosmological models
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the concept of "peculiar motions" in cosmology and their impact on distance measurements
  • Study the Wikipedia page on "Distance measures (cosmology)" for detailed methodologies
  • Explore the implications of the expanding universe on light propagation and redshift calculations
  • Investigate advanced techniques for isolating cosmological redshift from peculiar motions
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, cosmologists, and physics students interested in the intricacies of redshift measurements and the challenges of using standard candles in an expanding universe.

Rebbyte
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I'm just trying to figure somethings out concerning the accelerating expansion of the universe and the measured redshift, etc.

If a light emitting object moves away from us, because of the expansion of the universe, the speed of that object causes a redshift in this light. But this light, from the time it is emitted to the time it is received, also travels through an expanding fabric of space. Like if it travels through a stretching rubber band. This will also cause a extra redshift. So long distance objects will appear to be accelerating away.
Since the expansion of the universe stretches the rubber band, the traveled path will also be longer than only causing by the movement of that object.
How is this been accounted for in the measurements and formulas for the use of standard candles?
 
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Rebbyte said:
If a light emitting object moves away from us, because of the expansion of the universe, the speed of that object causes a redshift in this light. But this light, from the time it is emitted to the time it is received, also travels through an expanding fabric of space. Like if it travels through a stretching rubber band. This will also cause a extra redshift.
This is the same thing. Specifically, the recession velocity of the observed object at emission alone does not cause its redshift. It's the accumulated Doppler redshift between infinitesimal point to point distances along the path of light that we observe. So that the expansion history matters, not just the state at emission.

Rebbyte said:
So long distance objects will appear to be accelerating away.
This does not follow. The exact same thing happens regardless of whether the expansion is accelerating or not.

Rebbyte said:
How is this been accounted for in the measurements and formulas for the use of standard candles?
This is not straightforward. Take a look at this Wiki page (and the sub-pages for various distances):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_measures_(cosmology)
 
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Rebbyte said:
Since the expansion of the universe stretches ...the traveled path will also be longer than that only caused by the movement of that object.
That's a very astute observation! In fact it's a big problem for astronomers to be able to separate the what's called "peculiar" motions of the standard candles from their cosmological ones due to the expansion of the universe. These peculiar motions include the motions of their host galaxies due to the gravitational attraction of the clusters they're in, and their rotational motions within their host galaxies. These motions cause a statistical scatter that introduces uncertainty in the calculation of their distances, and is a bane to researchers!
 
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