Clusters of galaxies from cosmic strings

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.38.3610· OSTI ID:6862595

Shellard, E P.S.; Brandenberger, R H

Early discussion of the cosmic-string model of galaxy and cluster formation assumed a one-to-one correspondence between string loops of a given radius and cosmological objects of a given mass. In this paper the self-consistency of this simple picture is investigated and shown to be far from complete. We use Abell clusters as a benchmark to test this assumption, analytically estimating rms fluctuations in the ..cap omega.. = 1 cold-dark-matter model using random and correlated loop distributions. These results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations which are supplemented with systematic searches for large and rare overdensities. It is found that the majority of Abell clusters are not seeded by individual large loops, but by large mass concentrations of smaller loops. The implications for the cluster correlation function and for cluster morphology are discussed. The breakdown of this one-to-one correspondence is also apparent on galactic scales and mandates a revision of the standard cosmic-string scenario.

• Research Organization: Center for Theoretical Physics, Laboratory for Nuclear Science Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
• OSTI ID: 6862595
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 38:12; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640106 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPOSITE MODELS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
COSMOLOGY
EXTENDED PARTICLE MODEL
FUNCTIONS
GALAXY CLUSTERS
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PARTICLE MODELS
QUARK MODEL
STRING MODELS