2000 (IPP)

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Author: search.filters.author.Choudhury, T. Roy

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    Semi analytic approach to understanding the distribution of neutral hydrogen in the universe : Comparison of simulations with observations
    (2000-08-25) Choudhury, T. Roy; Srianand, R.; Padmanabhan, T.
    Following Bi & Davidsen (1997), we perform one dimensional semi analytic simulations along the lines of sight to model the intergalactic medium (IGM). Since this procedure is computationally efficient in probing the parameter space – and reasonably accurate – we use it to recover the values of various parameters related to the IGM (for a fixed background cosmology) by comparing the model predictions with different observations. For the currently favoured LCDM model (Ωm = 0.4, ΩΛ = 0.6 and h = 0.65), we obtain, using statistics obtained from the transmitted flux, constraints on (i) the combination f = (ΩBh2 )2 /J−12, where ΩB is the baryonic density parameter and J−12 is the total photoionisation rate in units of 10−12 s−1 , (ii) temperature T0 corresponding to the mean density and (iii) the slope γ of the effective equation of state of the IGM at a mean redshift z ≃ 2.5. We find that 0.8 < (T0/104 K) < 2.5 and 1.3 < γ < 2.3. while the constraint obtained on f is 0.0202 < f < 0.0322 . A reliable lower bound on J−12 can be used to put a lower bound on ΩBh2 , which can be compared with similar constraints obtained from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) and CMBR studies. We find that if J−12 > 1.2, the lower bound on ΩBh2 is in violation of the BBN value.
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    Semi analytic approach to understanding the distribution of neutral hydrogen in the universe
    (2000-10-28) Choudhury, T. Roy; Padmanabhan, T.; Srianand, R.
    Analytic derivations of the correlation function and the column density distribution for neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium (IGM) are presented, assuming that the non-linear baryonic mass density distribution in the IGM is lognormal. This ansatz was used earlier by Bi & Davidsen (1997) to perform 1D simulations of lines-of-sight and analyse the properties of absorption systems. We have taken a completely ana- lytic approach, which allows us to explore a wide region of the parameter space for our model. The analytic results have been compared with observations to constrain var- ious cosmological and IGM parameters, whenever possible. Two kinds of correlation functions are defined : (i) along the line-of-sight (LOS) and (ii) across the transverse direction. We find that the effects on the LOS correlation due to change in cosmology and the slope of the equation of state of the IGM, γ are of the same order, which means that we cannot constrain both the parameters simultaneously. However, it is possible to constrain γ and its evolution using the observed LOS correlation func- tion at different epochs provided one knows the background cosmology. We suggest that the constraints on the evolution of γ obtained using the LOS correlation can be used as an independent tool to probe the reionisation history of the universe. From the transverse correlation function, we obtain the excess probability, over random, of finding two neutral hydrogen overdense regions separated by an angle θ. We find that this excess probability is always less than 1 per cent for redshifts greater than 2. Our models also reproduce the observed column density distribution for neutral hydrogen and the shape of the distribution depends on γ. Our calculations suggest that one can rule out γ > 1.6 for z ≃ 2.31 using the column density distribution. However, one cannot rule higher values of γ at higher redshifts.
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    Issue of choosing nothing : What determines the low energy vacuum state of nature?
    (2000-09-25) Padmanabhan, T.; Choudhury, T. Roy
    Starting from an (unknown) quantum gravitational model, one can invoke a sequence of approx- imations to progressively arrive at quantum field theory (QFT) in curved spacetime, QFT in flat spacetime, nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and newtonian mechanics. The more exact theory can put restrictions on the range of possibilities allowed for the approximate theory which are not derivable from the latter – an example being the symmetry restrictions on the wave function for a pair of electrons. We argue that the choice of vacuum state at low energies could be such a ‘relic’ arising from combining the principles of quantum theory and general relativity, and demonstrate this result in a simple toy model. Our analysis suggests that the wave function of the universe, when it describes the large volume limit of the universe, dynamically selects a vacuum state for matter fields — which in turn defines the concept of particle in the low energy limit. The result also has the potential for providing a concrete quantum mechanical version of Mach’s principle.