Profiles of clusters of galaxies - cosmological scenarios versus observations

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165175· OSTI ID:6209540

West, M J; Dekel, A; Oemler, A Jr

The present study of rich clusters of galaxies by means of comparisons of N-body simulations with observations identifies protoclusters in large scale simulations which represent a wide range of cosmological scenarios (including hybrid ones). The density profiles of the simulated clusters are found to be similar, irrespective of initial conditions. The existence of a universal profile suggests that violent relaxation is efficient in the erasing of initial condition traces from the cluster profile during first collapse, although the secondary infall does not significantly affect it. Observed luminosity profiles are obtained for a sample of 27 Abell clusters, and a comparison with theoretical mass density profiles shows good agreement. Cluster density profiles are judged to be poor indicators of the origin of the large-scale structure in the universe. 77 references.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT
• OSTI ID: 6209540
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 316; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
640106 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
COSMOLOGY
DENSITY
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE
LUMINOSITY
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
UNIVERSE