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Unanswered Questions

201 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
12 votes
0 answers
220 views

Estimating the tangential and cross component of the galaxy's shear using Gnomonic projection

I would like to know how I can estimate the tangential and cross component of the galaxy's shear using Gnomonic projection of the right ascension and declination the galaxies relate to the center of ...
10 votes
0 answers
214 views

How well conserved is etendue in extreme gravitational lensing scenarios?

This excellent answer to Could dark matter exist in the Universe in the form of sufficiently dense objects? includes the following image and description: Light from the background galaxy circles a ...
8 votes
1 answer
187 views

What is the history of the average pressure, density, and temperature of the matter in the universe over time?

This question is inspired by this more specific question where Cerelic wanted to know if conditions were suitable for liquid water to exist during an epoch when the characteristic temperature of the ...
7 votes
0 answers
256 views

Get the expression of probed volume between 2 redshifts

1) I can't manage to find/justify the relation (1) below, from the common relation (2) of a volume. 2) It seems the variable r is actually the comoving distance and not comoving coordinates (with ...
5 votes
0 answers
70 views

Do all the accretion disks around a compact object (black hole or neutron star) emit astrophysical jet outflow?

Do all the accretion disks around a compact object (black hole or neutron star) emit astrophysical jet outflow? I mean is it mandatory for a jet to be emitted from an accretion disk? If so, then why? ...
5 votes
0 answers
120 views

Reasons for extremely high number density of galaxies at low redshift

I am currently analyzing the SDSS data especially in the extremely low redshift area, in order to measure the cosmological statistics. What I mean by extremely low is z<0.1. One peculiarity that I ...
5 votes
0 answers
128 views

Explain as simply as possible how the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect is used to estimate the Hubble constant

The Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect (SZ effect) is useful in determining the Hubble constant because it is independent of the cosmic distance ladder. This effect occurs when CMB (cosmic microwave background) ...
5 votes
0 answers
79 views

How did pressure evolve in the (early) universe?

I am trying to derive how the cosmological pressure $p(t)$ evolved over time in the universe, especially in the radiation and matter dominated epochs. There are some very nice explanations how $H(t)$ ...
5 votes
0 answers
88 views

Significantly blueshifted Lyman-$\alpha$

Lyman-$\alpha$ line in galaxies is notably known to show a double peaked profile, mainly due to its scattering in a moving medium, see e.g., the very recent Matthee et al. 2021, The X-SHOOTER Lyman-α ...
5 votes
0 answers
104 views

How to place an observer in a cosmological simulation

Suppose I have a cosmological simulation with points in xyz space at a certain redshift in a cube like this: And I have these for many cubes of different redshifts say from z=0 to z=2. Now I want to ...
5 votes
0 answers
186 views

What are some good books/online resources for astronomy problem sets?

I am currently studying for the international olympiad for astronomy and astrophysics (the syllabus can be found here: https://www.ioaastrophysics.org/syllabus/). I am currently using Carroll Ostlie's ...
5 votes
0 answers
126 views

Does the cosmological principle apply to the entire universe?

Some cosmological models assume that the universe is isotropic and homogeneous and that is also flat and infinite. If the universe is infinite now it was infinite immediately after the big bang. If ...
5 votes
0 answers
62 views

Strength of core-envelope coupling in stars

For a star with a given Zero-Age Main Sequence (ZAMS) mass, as a function of metallicity how strongly is the star's core coupled to its envelope? I understand that the core-envelope boundary is only (...
4 votes
0 answers
70 views

What does it exactly mean for spacetime to have no global symmetries?

Are there spacetimes or metrics with no global symmetries? Spacetimes/metrics with no global Poincaré, Lorentz, diffeomorphism, CPT, translational and gauge invariances? And if there are, what does it ...
4 votes
0 answers
97 views

Why is the latest Webb discovery of early-age universe considered so important?

The past week, news were flooding of an unexpected discovery of James Webb Space Telescope. In many articles it is mentioned that cosmologists cannot explain the formation of galaxies of this ...
4 votes
0 answers
70 views

If the universe is a closed spacetime structure, can we assign a center of mass to it?

If we envision the universe like a balloon but in 3D, is it possible, in general, to assign a of global center of mass?
4 votes
0 answers
60 views

Explanation for Planck 2018 temperature fluctuations strongest peaks

As it can be seen from Plank 2018 Cosmic Microwave Background temperature fluctuations data- There are 3 sharp peaks at multipole expansions $\ell \approx 250, 550, 800 $. Also as multipole expansion ...
4 votes
0 answers
113 views

How much more mass would Mars need to currently have enough pressure for liquid water and oxygen?

My question is whether Mars just about failed to meet the threshold or missed it by a lot. It's been dry for 3 billion years. How much bigger would it have needed to be to buy it that extra time? Let'...
4 votes
0 answers
101 views

From what distances do the atoms in you come from?

If the atoms of a human come from stars, comets, nebulas and magnetrons, then what is the greatest distance that two atoms of a human can possibly have been away from each other previously? Perhaps ...
4 votes
0 answers
49 views

Cross-correlations between Lagrange and Fourier synthesis

In the context of forecast for large surveys, I have to make cross-correlations between 2D (with angular coordinates of Lagrange transformation for GC photometric and Weak Lensing) and 3D (Fourier ...
4 votes
0 answers
101 views

Cosmology : Formula for the bias of galaxies

first I have posted originally on the physics stackexchange but I have not had answers about my question, so I try my luck on this specific forum (if forums leaders want to delete the original post on ...
4 votes
0 answers
269 views

Why the Hubble constant is so inconsistent?

Having a look on Wikipedia I noticed the following values (of the last 6 years) for the Hubble constant: 67.6±0.7 SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey 73.00±1.75 Hubble Space ...
3 votes
0 answers
41 views

Why MIT's Benjamin Rackham says "nearby ultracool dwarf SPECULOOS-3" would look "purplish-red, spotted, and flaring" from an airless orbiting planet?

May 15, 2024 MIT News article Newly discovered Earth-sized planet may lack an atmosphere includes the following: “We can say from our spectra and other observations that the star has a temperature of ...
3 votes
0 answers
132 views

What are the loopholes in recent claims that dark energy is not necessary?

I read an article on spacechatter about recent work that eliminates the need for dark energy in explaining observations. The pertinent quote from that article is “The study’s findings confirm that ...
3 votes
0 answers
68 views

Gravitational recoil with stars/planets...?

When two black holes are merging, the resulting merge can be ejected if one of the black holes had less mass than the other one, so the gravitational waves emitted by both of them is unbalanced, and ...
3 votes
0 answers
67 views

Critical density and Hubble parameter

Is it possible for the Hubble parameter of an /expanding/ universe made of radiation, matter and cosmological constant to be increasing with time? I'm trying to figure out if any form of scale factor $...
3 votes
0 answers
56 views

Potential energy in an expanding universe

A question you wonderful geniuses can hopefully answer. Imagine a piece of string drawn between two galaxies. Space between the galaxies is expanding. What force is being applied to the string? Where ...
3 votes
0 answers
79 views

Deviations of conservation laws in the context of cosmological evolution?

If energy is "not conserved" in General Relativity (or at least, it is difficult to define it) in the context of an accelerating expanding spacetime (like it happens in our Universe), are ...
3 votes
0 answers
84 views

Cosmic microwave background the same as the first visible light at 379,000 yrs after the Big Bang? How do these measure the age of the universe?

Was the CMB emitted at the same time as visible light at 379,000 yrs after the BB ? Was this a one time event ? If headed away from us, how does it measure the age of the universe?
3 votes
1 answer
333 views

Redshift distance proportionality at high Z and need for "mighty mouse" galaxies?

Allegedly supported by some evidence from the new James Webb space telescope physicist Eric Lerner has written an article that have garnered some attention. He writes that: "Put another way, the ...
3 votes
0 answers
48 views

How can a busy high school student get into learning Astronomy?

I'm a high school student that has loved physics for quite some time, but have only started dabbling with the more complex things. I know a fair bit about quantum mechanics and such as I like it, but ...
3 votes
0 answers
77 views

What is the main difference between cyclotron, synchrotron, and gyrosynchrotron radiation?

How are these various types of radiation generated? What is the main difference between them? Can someone suggest a book related to these radiations?
3 votes
0 answers
65 views

Why are CMB peak heights sensitive to the physical densities

A very simple question: why should it be that the CMB power spectrum allows constraints to be placed on the combination of parameters $$\omega_c = \Omega_c h^2$$ $$\omega_b = \Omega_b h^2$$ as opposed ...
3 votes
0 answers
98 views

spectral index of primordial power spectrum

According to eq (7.62) here, the dimensionless primordial power spectrum takes a power law form: $$\mathcal P(k)=A_s\left(\frac{k}{k_0}\right)^{n_s-1},$$ with $n_s\approx 1$, i.e. $\mathcal P(k)$ is ...
3 votes
0 answers
47 views

Superconducting space dust; what transient fields could induce persistent current loops?

Science Alert's Superconductivity Has Been Discovered in Meteorites For The First Time quotes from Superconductivity found in meteorites (Wampler et al. PNAS March 23, 2020) The paper describes the ...
3 votes
0 answers
122 views

Information on Planetary nebula formed from the death of our star the 'Sun'!

I want to know the expansion rate, composition, mass and density of hydrogen present of a Planetary nebula similar to that which will be formed after the death of our star the sun. Knowing these ...
3 votes
0 answers
168 views

Combined mass of binary stars

This is Question 17 from USAAAO Practice Round 2015. The answer is D. It would be best if someone can detail out the workings. In a nearby star system, two stars are seen to orbit each other every ...
3 votes
0 answers
106 views

Can "rock stars" form from interstellar dust?

Imagine a large and massive dust cloud made of solid phase micrometeoroids, asteroids and larger planetoids, all material in it is in solid phase, and contains no hydrogen or other volatiles in gas ...
3 votes
1 answer
318 views

Mass of the universe

How do we calculate the mass of the universe taking into consideration dark matter? Mass of visible matter can be computed by stellar method, but how do we calculate mass of dark matter which we don'...
3 votes
0 answers
324 views

Total number density of galaxies and problematic expression in practise

This post comes from physics exchange forum, I have transfered it here, maybe I will be luckier since I have not received answers on the other forum. Here is the issue : I am asked to give the ...
3 votes
0 answers
121 views

What is the difference between Steinhardt's and Neil Turok's cyclic cosmology and Guth's inflationary model and Hartle, Hawking no boundry cosmology?

I have been reading some cosmology and need to ask the experts at this point some specific points. I must admit I am a little confused. There are a few models of the universe and may be necessary at ...
3 votes
0 answers
188 views

What is the spectral power output of a typical galaxy?

I'm looking for a function which gives the typical isotropic spectral power of light emitted by an entire galaxy on the whole electromagnetic spectrum (in watts per frequency unit), as a function of ...
3 votes
0 answers
2k views

What is meant by ionization states?

I am going through the theory of Saha equation but I am not able to understand the concept of ionisation state? What are ionization states actually?
3 votes
0 answers
61 views

Why is the E-mode polarization spectrum out of phase with the Temperature spectrum?

The E-mode polarization power spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background displays the same acoustic peaks that can be seen in the (more famed) temperature power spectrum. However, they are out of ...
3 votes
0 answers
69 views

Available data on the Milky way around 1920

In a book by Alexander Moszkowski, there is an Einstein quote about a hypothetical size of the universe (100 million Light years). Moszkowski claims that Einstein had deduced that from the ...
3 votes
0 answers
333 views

Angular momentum in planetary disk formation

Reading about the formation of planetary disks, one of the major problems, it seems like, is the evacuation of angular momentum. Aparently planets can't form with the amount o angular momentum the ...
3 votes
0 answers
75 views

How exactly can the hypothetical conformal invariance of the CMB spectrum be established by analyzing tensor modes?

In the introduction of this paper at the top of p11, it is mentioned that a hypothetical enhancement of the scale invariance of the CMB spectrum to conformal invariance could potentially be ...
2 votes
0 answers
84 views

Would we know if the universe was rotating?

I was wondering what we would observe if the universe had a small rotation. My conclusion was that galaxies on the equatorial plane of the universe would be slightly more redshifted than galaxies than ...
2 votes
0 answers
102 views

What would the Big Crunch theoretically look/feel like?

In the Big Crunch theory, the expansion of the universe reverses, resulting in all matter contracting into a single point. Imagine you are alive at the time of this event. What would the sky look like?...
2 votes
0 answers
174 views

What happens at the edge of a finite and "bounded" universe?

So far, we know only about two types of universes: Infinite and finite universes (Unbounded edition). In an infinite universe, there is no edge. Because well, an infinite space doesn't have an edge. ...

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