Future Evolution of Structure in an Accelerating Universe

Abstract

Current cosmological data indicate that our universe contains a substantial component of dark vacuum energy that is driving the cosmos to accelerate. We examine the immediate and longer term consequences of this dark energy (assumed here to have a constant density). Using analytic calculations and supporting numerical simulations, we present criteria for test bodies to remain bound to existing structures. We show that collapsed halos become spatially isolated and dynamically relax to a particular density profile with logarithmic slope steeper than -3 at radii beyond r_200. The asymptotic form of the space-time metric is then specified. We develop this scenario further by determining the effects of the accelerating expansion on the background radiation fields and individual particles. In an appendix, we generalize these results to include quintessence.