Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 41 3 iv Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Apply the isotropic cosmological correlation-power-spectrum relation and put , . The band-limited linear density correlation isTwo integrations by parts give the primitive . Evaluating both endpoints yieldsThe apparent singularity at the origin is removable. Either the Taylor series or the original integral givesIn fact . The sharp spectral cutoff produces oscillations and negative correlations at some nonzero separations, even though the matter power spectrum is everywhere nonnegative. A covariance function need not be pointwise nonnegative; its required positivity is that of the covariance quadratic form.
An abrupt cutoff in a nonnegative density power spectrum produces an oscillating correlation function
. Details. Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 45 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Write . Using the transform in part (a), the band-limited linear density correlation isTwo integrations by parts give the antiderivative . Subtract its value at zero to obtain, for ,The origin is a removable limit. The bracket starts with , soThis is also the density variance obtained directly by setting in the integral. The sharp spectral edge produces oscillatory correlations, with leading large- term . A negative correlation at some separation is compatible with a nonnegative power spectrum.
