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A general proof of the conservation of the curvature perturbation.

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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>10/05/2005
<mark>Journal</mark>Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume0505
Pages (from-to)004
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Without invoking a perturbative expansion, we define the cosmological curvature perturbation, and consider its behaviour assuming that the universe is smooth over a sufficiently large comoving scale. The equations are simple, resembling closely the first-order equations, and they lead to results which generalize those already proven in linear perturbation theory and (in part) in second-order perturbation theory. In particular, the curvature perturbation is conserved provided that the pressure is a unique function of the energy density.

Bibliographic note

This pioneering paper showed that the so-called delta N formalism can be radically generalised, to provide a powerful tool for calculating the non-gaussianity of the primordial perturbation. It has already been used as the starting point for new directions of research by several groups. 78 citations (SPIRES). RAE_import_type : Journal article RAE_uoa_type : Physics