2006MNRAS.371..915D

We analyse the basic properties of about 6000 Lyman α absorbers observed in the high-resolution spectra of 19 quasars. We compare their observed characteristics with the predictions of our model of formation and evolution of absorbers and dark matter (DM) pancakes and voids based on the Zel'dovich theory of gravitational instability. This model asserts that absorbers are formed in the course of both linear and non-linear adiabatic and shock compression of DM and gaseous matter. Our model is consistent with simulations of structure formation, describes reasonably well the large-scale structure (LSS) observed in the distribution of galaxies at small redshifts, and emphasizes the generic similarity of the process of formation of LSS and absorbers. Using this model, we are able to link the column density and overdensity of the DM and gaseous components with the observed column density of neutral hydrogen, redshifts and Doppler parameters of absorbers. We show that the colder absorbers are associated with rapidly expanded underdense regions of galactic scale.

We extend an existing method of measuring the power spectrum of initial perturbations. The observed separations between absorbers and their DM column density are linked with the correlation function of the initial velocity field. Applying this method to our sample of absorbers, we recover the cold dark matter (CDM) like power spectrum at scales of 10h^–1 ≥ D ≥ 0.15h^–1Mpc with a precision of ∼15 per cent. However, at scales of ∼3-150h^–1kpc, the measured and CDM-like spectra are different. This result suggests a possible complex inflation with generation of excess power at small scales. Both confirmation of the CDM-like shape of the initial power spectrum and detection of its distortions at small scales are equally important for the widely discussed problems of physics of the early Universe, galaxy formation, and reheating of the Universe.