Abstract
We extensively develop a perturbation theory for nonlinear cosmological dynamics, based on the Lagrangian description of hydrodynamics. We solve the hydrodynamic equations for a self-gravitating fluid with pressure, given by a polytropic equation of state, using a perturbation method up to second order. This perturbative approach is an extension of the usual Lagrangian perturbation theory for a pressureless fluid, in view of the inclusion of the pressure effect, which should be taken into account on the occurrence of velocity dispersion. We obtain the first-order solutions in generic background universes and the second-order solutions in a wider range of a polytropic index, whereas our previous work gives the first-order solutions only in the Einstein–de Sitter background and the second-order solutions for the polytropic index Using the perturbation solutions, we present illustrative examples of our formulation in one- and two-dimensional systems, and discuss how the evolution of inhomogeneities changes for the variation of the polytropic index.
- Received 1 May 2002
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.66.064014
©2002 American Physical Society