Synchronous to Newtonian gauge

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ergospherical
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cosmology Perturbation
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the transformation from synchronous gauge to Newtonian gauge in cosmology, specifically analyzing the perturbations around the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) background. The transformations involve the functions T and L, which are expressed in terms of the scalar perturbations h and h_S. The key equations derived include T_k = h_S'/2k^2 and L_k = h_S/2k, which are crucial for understanding the gauge transformations. The discussion emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying these transformation functions to facilitate the conversion between gauges.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosmological perturbation theory
  • Familiarity with gauge transformations in general relativity
  • Knowledge of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric
  • Proficiency in Fourier analysis and its application in cosmology
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric in detail
  • Learn about gauge invariance in cosmological perturbation theory
  • Explore the implications of scalar perturbations on cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies
  • Investigate the role of Fourier transforms in analyzing cosmological models
USEFUL FOR

Cosmologists, theoretical physicists, and researchers in gravitational physics who are working on gauge transformations and perturbation theory in cosmology.

ergospherical
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Education Advisor
Insights Author
Messages
1,100
Reaction score
1,387
In the context of cosmology, you can perturb around the FRW background, conventionally:$$g = a^2(\tau)[(1+2A)d\tau^2 - 2B_a dx^a d\tau -(\delta_{ab} + h_{ab}) dx^a dx^b]$$with ##a,b## being spatial indices only (1,2,3). You can do gauge transformations ##\tilde{x} = x + \xi## of the coordinates. These are typically split into ##\xi^0 \equiv T## and ##\xi^a = \partial^a L + \hat{L}^a##. You find the following first order transformations,\begin{align*}
\tilde{A} &= A - T' - \mathcal{H} T \\
\tilde{B}_a &= B_a + \partial_a T - L_a' \\
\tilde{h}_{ab} &= h_{ab} - 2\partial_{(a} L_{b)} - 2\mathcal{H} T \delta_{ab}
\end{align*}The problem is specifically, is starting from the synchronous gauge, where$$g = a^2(\tau)[d\tau^2 - (\delta_{ab} + h_{ab}) dx^a dx^b]$$with ##h_{ab} = \tfrac{1}{3}\delta_{ab} h + (\hat{k}_a \hat{k}_b - \tfrac{1}{3} \delta_{ab}) h_S## and where ##h, h_S## are functions. And then converting to the Newtonian gauge, where$$\tilde{g} = a^2(\tilde{\tau})[(1+2\Phi)d\tilde{\tau}^2 - (1-2\Psi) \delta_{ab} d\tilde{x}^a d\tilde{x}^b]$$There are supposed to be transformations of the form
$$\tilde{\tau} = \tau + \sum_k T_k(\tau) e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}}, \quad \tilde{\mathbf{x}} = \mathbf{x} + \sum_k L_k (\tau) i\hat{\mathbf{k}} e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}}$$The problem is to find ##T_k## and ##L_k## in terms of ##h_S## and ##h##. I can re-write the second one of these with ##\xi^j = \partial^j \left[ \sum_k L_k \tfrac{1}{k} e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}} \right]##, in other words my two transformation functions are\begin{align*}
T &= \sum_k T_k e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}} \\
L &= \sum_k L_k \frac{1}{k} e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}}
\end{align*}I must be missing something obvious about how to determine the forms of ##T_k## and ##L_k##. For example, in the synchronous gauge then ##A=0## and we get\begin{align*}
\tilde{A} = 0 - T' - \mathcal{H} T = - \sum_{k} \left[ (T_k' + \mathcal{H} T_k) e^{i\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}} \right]
\end{align*}where ##\tilde{A} = \Phi##. I'm supposed to find, apparently, that ##T_k = \tfrac{h_S'}{2k^2}## and ##L_k = \tfrac{h_S}{2k}##. Would someone be able to point me in the right direction?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
I think I've got it, after a bit of clearing things up. As before, we can find all the gauge transformations via ##\Delta \delta (\mathrm{something}) = - \mathcal{L}_{\xi} (\mathrm{something})##. It's easier for now to just suppress the Fourier subscripts and work with a given mode.
$$\delta h_{0i} = -a^2(i k^i T - i\hat{k}^i \dot{L}) = -a^2(k T - \dot{L}) i \hat{k}^i$$
and also the transformation of the function ##h_S##,
$$\delta h_S = -2a^2 Lk$$
In synchronous gauge you have ##h_{0i} = 0## and ##h_S## non-zero, whilst in Newtonian gauge you have ##h_{0i} = 0## still but also ##h^S = 0## (whilst ##h = -6\Psi##).

So ##\delta h_S = -a^2 h_S = -2a^2 Lk## gives ##L = h_S/2k##, and then ##T = \dot{L}/k = \dot{h}_S/2k^2##.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
2K
  • · Replies 38 ·
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K