Acoustic instabilities at the transition from the radiation-dominated to the matter-dominated universe

Astronomical Observatory, Jagellonian University, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, ul. Orla 171, 30–244 Kraków, Poland

Corresponding author: G. Siemieniec-Oziębło, grazyna@oa.uj.edu.pl

Received: 20 December 2002
Accepted: 23 February 2004

Abstract

The transition from acoustic noise in the radiation-dominated universe to the density structures in the matter dominated epoch is considered. The initial state is a stochastic field of sound waves moving in different directions. The construction of the initial state is compatible with the hyperbolic type of propagation equation for density perturbations, and parallel to the theory of stochastic background of gravitational waves. Instantaneous transition between the cosmological epochs is assumed, and Darmois-Israel joining conditions are applied to match solutions for sound waves with growing or decaying modes at the decoupling. As a result a substantial amplification of the low scale structures is obtained.