Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 312 3 iv Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
For one Fourier mode, the trace-free differential operator in the Einstein field equations is , with . Part (ii) gives . The two minus signs in the field equation therefore implyInsert . During radiation domination, , , and the Friedmann equation gives . ThusThese are the radiation-era adiabatic potentials with free-streaming neutrinos; photons are taken to have negligible scalar anisotropic stress.
To normalize the potentials, use . The denominator in the comoving curvature perturbation becomesWith , the conserved curvature therefore obeys . Combining it with the potential ratio givesAs a sign and normalization check, gives . Increasing the free-streaming radiation fraction increases while preserving the supplied curvature convention. The TeX's malformed definition of is restored by the PDF: .