On the coherence length of large-scale peculiar velocities and gravitational clustering

Abstract

If the large-scale structure in the universe is formed by gravitational clustering of less than 0 density fluctuations, the correlation function of massive objects/clusters of the clustering hierarchy would be increased over the underlying mass autocorrelation function. This means that if light traces mass, the peculiar gravitational field on the average would be stronger when measured by galaxies associated with such clusters. This in turn would lead to larger rms peculiar velocities deduced from the motions of such samples. Ellipticals are known to populate preferentially dense regions/(rich) clusters, and it is, therefore, suggested that this mechanism is responsible for the large peculiar motions observed recently by the Seven Samurai in a sample of elliptical galaxies. On the assumption that light traces mass, these and the cluster-cluster correlation function results are consistent with gravitational clustering of n of about -1 fluctuations in Omega of about 0.2 universe. It is further shown that according to the gravitational clustering theory, galaxies selected preferentially from poor groups should exhibit small rms peculiar velocities. 21 refs.