Well, the quantum fluctuations in the field that drives inflation get blown up by the rapid expansion to tremendous scales. These teeny tiny quantum fluctuations, then, become the seeds that grow to form the differences in temperature we see in the CMB.houhou.trad said:I can understand how can inflation give rise to the isotropy of the CMB, but that it can give rise also to the irregularities in the CMB...!?
Please, can anyone explain me this?
thanks.
Chalnoth said:Well, the quantum fluctuations in the field that drives inflation get blown up by the rapid expansion to tremendous scales. These teeny tiny quantum fluctuations, then, become the seeds that grow to form the differences in temperature we see in the CMB.
Inflation is a theory that suggests the universe underwent a rapid period of expansion in the first few moments after the Big Bang. During this inflationary period, tiny quantum fluctuations were amplified and stretched out to become the large-scale structures we see in the universe today. These fluctuations are responsible for the irregularities in the distribution of matter and energy in the universe.
Inflation can create both small-scale and large-scale irregularities in the universe. Small-scale irregularities, known as density fluctuations, are responsible for the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Large-scale irregularities, known as anisotropies, can be seen in the cosmic microwave background radiation and provide evidence for the inflationary theory.
One of the key puzzles in cosmology is why the universe appears to be so uniform on a large scale. Inflation offers an explanation for this by suggesting that all regions of the observable universe were once in close contact before the rapid expansion, allowing for the uniformity we see today. This is known as the horizon problem.
Inflation can provide a potential explanation for the existence of dark matter and dark energy. The rapid expansion during inflation could have created an abundance of particles that could make up dark matter. Additionally, the energy density of the inflaton field (thought to drive inflation) could contribute to the vacuum energy density needed to explain dark energy.
There are several observations that support the inflationary theory. One of the most significant is the observed uniformity of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which matches the predictions of inflation. Additionally, the theory has successfully predicted the distribution and properties of large-scale structures in the universe. However, more research and observations are needed to fully confirm the inflationary theory.