Cosmological alignment of clusters of galaxies with their surroundings - A problem for cold dark matter?

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (38) References (44) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Cosmological Alignment of Clusters of Galaxies with Their Surroundings: A Problem for Cold Dark Matter? West, Michael J. ; Dekel, Avishai ; Oemler, Augustus, Jr. Abstract The alignment of clusters of galaxies with the surrounding galaxy distribution is found, using N-body simulations, to be a useful discriminant between certain cosmogonies within the gravitational instability picture. The observed large-scale alignments of the Shane-Wirtanen galaxy counts with Abell clusters places strong constraints on the form of the initial density fluctuation spectrum, requiring either a coherence length in the spectrum on a scale of a few tens of megaparsecs, as in pancake scenarios, or a flat (n <= -2) power spectrum on such large scales. The observed alignments are in conflict with hierarchical clustering scenarios such as the cold dark matter (CDM) model. This reflects a general deficiency of large-scale "filamentary" structure in CDM. Cluster ellipticities, contrary to alignments, seem to be rather insensitive to the cosmological initial conditions. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: January 1989 DOI: 10.1086/166991 Bibcode: 1989ApJ...336...46W Keywords: Cosmology; Dark Matter; Galactic Clusters; Galactic Evolution; Elliptical Galaxies; Power Spectra; Spatial Distribution; Astrophysics; COSMOLOGY; GALAXIES: CLUSTERING; GALAXIES: FORMATION full text sources ADS |