Second-order cosmological perturbations. I. Produced by scalar-scalar coupling in synchronous gauge

TL;DR

This paper systematically analyzes second-order scalar, vector, and tensor metric perturbations in an Einstein-de Sitter universe, highlighting the generation of vector modes, correcting tensor solutions, and exploring gauge transformations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive derivation of second-order perturbations, including solutions, gauge transformations, and residual gauge modes, improving upon previous literature.

Findings

Second-order vector modes are generated even without first-order vectors.

The second-order tensor solution is corrected from previous results.

Residual gauge modes are identified and reduced by specific gauge transformations.

Abstract

We present a systematic study of the 2nd order scalar, vector and tensor metric perturbations in the Einstein-de Sitter Universe in synchronous coordinates. For the scalar-scalar coupling between 1st order perturbations, we decompose the 2nd order perturbed Einstein equation into the respective field equations of 2nd order scalar, vector, and tensor perturbations, and obtain their solutions with general initial conditions. In particular, the decaying modes of solution are included, the 2nd order vector is generated even the 1st order vector is absent, and the solution of 2nd order tensor corrects that in literature. We perform general synchronous-to-synchronous gauge transformations up to 2nd order generated by a 1st order vector field $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ and a 2nd order $\xi^{(2)\mu}$. All the residual gauge modes of 2nd order metric perturbations and density contrast are found, and their number is substantially reduced when the transformed 3-velocity of dust is set be zero. Moreover, we show that only $\xi^{(2)\mu}$ is effective in carrying out 2nd order transformations that we consider, because $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ has been used in obtaining the 1st order perturbations. Holding the 1st order perturbations fixed, the transformations by $\xi^{(2)\mu}$ on the 2nd order perturbations have the same structure as those by $\xi^{(1)\mu}$ on the 1st order perturbations.