Introduction to Cosmology Ryden · Problem 11.3

Structure Formation: Gravitational Instability

Physics — Astrophysics · photon-baryon-fluid-sound-speed-jeans-length

Problem

A volume containing a photon--baryon fluid is adiabatically expanded or compressed. The energy density of the fluid is ε=εγ+εbary\varepsilon = \varepsilon_\gamma + \varepsilon_{\rm bary}, and the pressure is P=Pγ=εγ/3P = P_\gamma = \varepsilon_\gamma/3. What is dP/dεdP/d\varepsilon for the photon--baryon fluid? What is the sound speed, csc_s? In Equation 11.26, how large an error did we make in our estimate of λJ(before)\lambda_J(\text{before}) by ignoring the effect of the baryons on the sound speed of the photon--baryon fluid?

Related theory

Browse the problem library