On the sources of the late integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect

In some scenarios, the peculiar gravitational potential of linear and mildly nonlinear structures depends on time and, as a result of this dependence, a late integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect appears. Here, an appropriate formalism is used which allows us to improve on the analysis of the spatial scales and locations of the main cosmological inhomogeneities producing this effect. The study is performed in the framework of the currently preferred flat model with cosmological constant, and it is also developed in an open model for comparisons. Results from this analysis are used to discuss the contribution of Great Attractor-like objects, voids, and other structures to the CMB anisotropy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.