Non-linearity of large-scale structure formation in the Universe

Abstract

In the standard picture of cosmological structure formation, the Universe we see today is evolved under the gravitational instability from tiny random fluctuations. In this talk I discuss the onset of non-linearity in the large scale structure formation of the Universe when the linear perturbation theory break downs. Using 1D Zel'dovich Approximation which provides an exact solution for density evolution, I illustrate two effects: mode spawning and mode merging and their connection to mode coupling. Those mode couplings (quadratic, cubic >...etc.) from gravitational clustering are in fact what the polyspectra (bispectrum, trispectrum...etc.) are meant to measure.