Subclustering in rich clusters of galaxies and their environs

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166163· OSTI ID:6995719

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

Substructure and small-scale clustering in and around rich clusters of galaxies formed in different cosmogonic scenarios are studied using N-body simulations and the results are compared with available observations. Several new statistical tests for subclustering are developed and applied to both the simulated and observed clusters. Results indicate the presence of some substructure in both the simulated and observed clusters. However, in most cases the actual amount of subclustering detected within the inner few megaparsecs is rather small. The results suggest that most rich clusters are in a relaxed state at present. A more promising means for distinguishing between the different cosmogonic scenarios is found from statistical measurements of small-scale clustering in the regions immediately surrounding rich clusters in the simulations, which show significant dependence on the amount of small-scale power present in the initial fluctuation spectrum. 65 references.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (USA); Jerusalem Hebrew Univ. (Israel)
• OSTI ID: 6995719
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 327; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COSMOLOGY
DISTRIBUTION
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXY CLUSTERS
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
MASS DISTRIBUTION
MATHEMATICS
MORPHOLOGY
PERTURBATION THEORY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STATISTICS