BINDING-ENERGY OF PRIMEVAL FLUCTUATIONS

The evolution of the binding energy of spherical adiabatic density perturbations of Friedmann universes is investigated. It is found that the binding energy oscillates after a clump enters the Jeans length, but at 90° out of phase with the density contrast, in the radiation-dominated era. The implications of this and other results for the nature of the primeval fluctuation spectrum are discussed. © 1977 Royal Astronomical Society.