It is often thought that the fluctuations in the electron-photon fluid which lead to the temperature pattern observed in the cosmic microwave background radiation field (CMB) behaved linearly from the time of horizon reentering to the time of last scattering, since their amplitude is small. However, we have shown that when including the non-linear dynamics of a relativistic perfect fluid, the many oscillations of the fluid lead to the formation of weak shock waves. In this project, we investigate the observable implications of these shocks.

This is work in collaboration with Neil Turok, Ue-Li Pen, Erik Schnetter and Derek Inman.

 

Publications:

Job Feldbrugge, Ue-Li Pen, Neil Turok. Gravitational waves from shock waves in the early universe (in preparation).