A decoupled system of hyperbolic equations for linearized cosmological perturbations

The linear cosmological perturbation theory of almost homogeneous and isotropic perfect fluid and scalar field universes is reconsidered and formally simplified. Using the existence of a covariant conserved quantity on large perturbation scales, a closed integral expression for comoving energy density perturbations is obtained for arbitrary equations of state. On this basis we establish a simple relation between fluid energy density perturbations at `reentry' into the horizon...

It is shown that a first-order relativistic perturbation theory for the open, flat or closed Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe admits one, and only one, gauge-invariant quantity which describes the perturbation to the energy density and which becomes equal to the usual Newtonian energy density in the non-relativistic limit. The same holds true for the perturbation to the particle number density. These facts exclude all definitions of gauge-invariant quantities used...

We study the non-equilibrium dynamics of a system of coupled scalar fields in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe. We consider the evolution of spatially homogeneous "classical" fields and of their quantum fluctuations including the quantum backreaction in the one-loop approximation. We discuss in particular the dimensional regularisation of the coupled system and a special subtraction procedure in order to obtain the renormalised equations of motion and the renormali...

We extend the fully non-linear and exact cosmological perturbation equations in a Friedmann background universe to include the background curvature. The perturbation equations are presented in a gauge ready form, so any temporal gauge condition can be adopted freely depending on the problem to be solved. %The background curvature term explicitly appears only in the energy and momentum constraint equations. We consider the scalar, and vector perturbations without anisotropic s...

We investigate gauge invariant cosmological perturbations in a spatially flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker universe with scalar fields. It is well known that the evolution equation for the gauge invariant quantities has exact solutions in the long-wavelength limit. We find that these gauge invariant solutions can be obtained by differentiating the background solution with respect to parameters contained in the background system. This method is very useful when we analyze the lon...

We study the dynamical behaviour of gauge-invariant linear perturbations in spherically symmetric dust cosmologies including a cosmological constant. In contrast to spatially homogeneous FLRW models, the reduced degree of spatial symmetry causes a non-trivial dynamical coupling of gauge-invariant quantities already at first order perturbation theory and the strength and influence of this coupling on the spacetime evolution is investigated here. We present results on the under...

This paper describes and proves a canonical procedure to decouple perturbations and optimize their gauge around backgrounds with one non-homogeneous dimension, namely of co-homogeneity 1, while preserving locality in this dimension. Derivatively-gauged fields are shown to have a purely algebraic action; they can be decoupled from the other fields through gauge-invariant re-definitions; a potential for the other fields is generated in the process; in the remaining action each ...

One of the longstanding problems of modern gravitational physics is the detection of gravitational waves, for which the standard theoretical analysis relies upon the split of the space-time metric into a background metric plus perturbation. However, as is well known, the background need not be Minkowskian in several cases of physical interest. Thus, we here investigate in more detail what happens if the background space-time has a non-vanishing Riemann curvature. In the case ...

We reconsider linear perturbations around general Friedmann - Lemaitre - Robertson - Walker (FLRW) cosmological backgrounds. Exploiting gauge freedom involving only time reparametrizations, we write down classical background solutions analytically, for an arbitrary number of fluid components. We then show that the time evolution of scalar and tensor adiabatic perturbations are governed by Schr\"odinger-like differential equations of generalized Heun type. After recovering kno...

This work discusses scalar-tensor theories of gravity, with a focus on the Brans-Dicke subclass, and one that also takes note of the latter's equivalence with $f(R)$ gravitation theories. A 1+3 covariant formalism is used in this case to discuss covariant perturbations on a background Friedmann-Laimaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) space-time. Linear perturbation equations are developed, based on gauge-invariant gradient variables. Both scalar and harmonic decompositions are appl...