Comoving/Proper distance, transverse comoving distance

In summary, co-moving distance, transverse comoving distance, and proper distance are all concepts used to measure distances in the expanding universe. The FRW metric can be expressed in two different forms, with different coordinate systems. Hobson describes co-moving coordinates as fixed positions where the "cosmological fluid" is at rest, and defines luminosity distance and angular diameter distance in terms of these coordinates. Proper motion distance and proper distance are also defined in terms of co-moving coordinates, with the latter being the path taken by light. Hogg's paper is a helpful resource to better understand these concepts.
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I'm utterly confused by co-moving distance, transverse comoving distance and proper distance. Is comoving distance = proper distance? Then what is transverse comoving distance? Here's what I know so far:
The FRW metric can either be expressed as
[tex]ds^2 = c^2dt^2 - a^2(t) \left[ \frac{dr^2}{1-kr^2} + r^2(d\theta^2 + sin^2 \theta d\phi^2) \right] [/tex]
or can be expressed as
[tex]ds^2 = c^2dt^2 - a^2(t) \left[ d\chi^2 + S^2(\chi) (d\theta^2 + sin^2 \theta d\phi^2) \right] [/tex]

Hobson describes: "##(\chi, \theta, \phi)## and ##(r,\theta,\phi)## are co-moving coordinates, where the galaxy has fixed coordinate positions were the 'cosmological fluid' is at rest. He also says that luminosity distance ##d_L = (1+z) R_0 S(\chi)## and angular diameter distance ##d_A = \frac{R_0 S(\chi)}{1+z}##.

My notes describe them as

comoving.png


To reconcile both material, it seems that proper motion distance is ##D_M = R_0 S(\chi)## and proper distance = ##D_C## which is path taken by light?
 
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FAQ: Comoving/Proper distance, transverse comoving distance

What is comoving distance?

Comoving distance is a measure of the distance between two objects in the expanding universe, taking into account the expansion of space over time. It is often used in cosmology to describe the distance between galaxies or clusters of galaxies.

What is proper distance?

Proper distance is the distance between two objects in the current state of the universe, without taking into account the effects of the expansion of space. It is often used to describe the distance between objects that are relatively close together, such as stars within a galaxy.

What is transverse comoving distance?

Transverse comoving distance is a measure of the comoving distance between two objects at a specific point in time, perpendicular to the line of sight. It takes into account the curvature of space and the expansion of the universe, and is often used to calculate the angular diameter distance.

How is comoving distance different from proper distance?

The main difference between comoving distance and proper distance is that comoving distance takes into account the expansion of the universe, while proper distance does not. This means that comoving distance will increase over time due to the expansion of space, while proper distance remains constant.

Why is comoving distance important in cosmology?

Comoving distance is important in cosmology because it allows us to compare distances between objects in the universe at different points in time. It takes into account the effects of the expansion of space, which is crucial in understanding the large-scale structure and evolution of the universe.

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