Cosmological density fluctuations produced by sources of radiation at Z greater than 100

The effects of pregalactic sources of radiation on the large-scale inhomogeneity of the gaseous component of the universe are discussed. It is shown that self-gravitating systems with large binding energies could have formed in an early, expanding universe by a small injection of energy. A theory for the origins of cosmological fluctuations and binding energies on scales of 10 billion to 10 to the 16th solar masses is developed, including the presence of sources that create radiation pressure inhomogeneities. An investigation of radiation trapping associated with non-Thomson opacity is presented, and an idealized model of gas pressure-induced fluctuations is explored with consideration given to the heating of homogeneous neutral hydrogen by a single star. Possible scenarios for the formation of 'seed' stars which caused nonuniformity and collapse of gas clouds are examined, along with characteristics of the 3 K background that would be evidence for the early fluctuations.