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Mattig formula

Mattig formula is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mattig formula rather than just read about it. In short: Mattig's formula was an important formula in observational cosmology and extragalactic astronomy which gives relation between radial coordinate and redshift of a given source. It depends on the cosmological model being used and is used to calculate luminosity distance in terms of redshift.

Key takeaways

  • Mattig formula belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Mattig formula to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Mattig formula from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mattig's formula was an important formula in observational cosmology and extragalactic astronomy which gives relation between radial coordinate and redshift of a given source. It depends on the cosmological model being used and is used to calculate luminosity distance in terms of redshift. It assumes zero dark energy, and is therefore no longer applicable in modern cosmological models such as the Lambda-CDM model, (which require a numerical integration to get the distance-redshift relation). However, Mattig's formula was of considerable historical importance as the first analytic formula for the distance-redshift relationship for arbitrary matter density, and this spurred significant research in the 1960s and 1970s attempting to measure this relation.

Without dark energy Derived by W. Mattig in a 1958 paper, the mathematical formulation of the relation is,

r 1 = c R 0 H 0 q 0 z + ( q 0 − 1 ) ( − 1 + 1 + 2 q 0 z ) q 0 2 ( 1 + z ) {\displaystyle r_{1}={\frac {c}{R_{0}H_{0}}}{\frac {q_{0}z+(q_{0}-1)(-1+{\sqrt {1+2q_{0}z}})}{q_{0}^{2}(1+z)}}}

Where, r 1 = d p R = d c R 0 {\displaystyle r_{1}={\frac {d_{p}}{R}}={\frac {d_{c}}{R_{0}}}} is the radial coordinate distance (proper distance at present) of the source from the observer while d p {\displaystyle d_{p}} is the proper distance and d c {\displaystyle d_{c}} is the comoving distance.

q 0 = Ω 0 / 2 {\displaystyle q_{0}=\Omega _{0}/2} is the deceleration parameter while Ω 0 {\displaystyle \Omega _{0}} is the density of matter in the universe at present.

R 0 {\displaystyle R_{0}} is scale factor at present time while R {\displaystyle R} is scale factor at any other time.

H 0 {\displaystyle H_{0}} is Hubble's constant at present and

z {\displaystyle z} is as usual the redshift. This equation is only valid if q 0 > 0 {\displaystyle q_{0}>0} . When q 0 ≤ 0 {\displaystyle q_{0}\leq 0} the value of r 1 {\displaystyle r_{1}} cannot be calculated. That follows from the fact that the derivation assumes no cosmological constant and, with no cosmological constant, q 0 {\displaystyle q_{0}} is never negative. From the radial coordinate we can calculate luminosity distance using the following formula,

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mattig formula

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mattig formula claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mattig formula before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mattig formula ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mattig formula

In research
Mattig formula appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Mattig formula in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Mattig formula is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Observational cosmology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Mattig formula outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mattig formula in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Mattig formula means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Mattig formula out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mattig formula in simple terms?

Mattig's formula was an important formula in observational cosmology and extragalactic astronomy which gives relation between radial coordinate and redshift of a given source. It depends on the cosmological model being used and is used to calculate luminosity distance in terms of redshift.

Why does Mattig formula matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mattig formula?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mattig formula.

Tags

  • Observational cosmology

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