From the Nobel Prize-winning physicist
Opinions on the large-scale structure of the early universe range widely
from primeval chaos to a well-ordered mass distribution. P. J. E.
Peebles argues that the evolution proceeded from a nearly uniform
initial state to a progressively more irregular and clumpy universe. The
discussion centers on the largest known structures, the clusters of
galaxies, the empirical evidence of the nature of the clustering, and
the theories of how the clustering evolves in an expanding universe.
In Chapter One the author provides an historical introduction to the
subject. Chapter Two contains a survey of methods used to deal with the
Newtonian approximation to the theory of the evolution of the mass
distribution. Recent progress in the use of statistical measures of the
clustering is described in Chapter Three. Chapters Four and Five return
to techniques for dealing with cosmic evolution, in the statistical
measures of clustering and under general relativity theory. Lastly, in
Chapter Six Professor Peebles assesses the progress in attempts to link
theory and observation to arrive at a well established physical picture
of the nature and evolution of the universe.