Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 1990
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990phdt.........4z&link_type=abstract
Ph.D. Thesis Toronto Univ. (Ontario). Dept. of Astronomy.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
4
Agglomeration, Galactic Clusters, Stellar Gravitation, Galactic Evolution, Gravitation Theory, Thermodynamics
Scientific paper
The probability distribution of galaxy counts in cells has been emphasized recently as an important statistical measure of galaxy clustering since it contains information on correlation functions of all orders. A simple analytic formula for this distribution has been proposed by Saslaw and Hamilton from the view point of gravitational thermodynamics considered for a statistically homogeneous and isotropic gravitating system (the universe) of identical particles (galaxies). It appears that gravitational thermodynamic theory may not account for the accuracy of Saslaw and Hamilton's formula, as found numerically by N-body simulations. The intriguing problem of why the formula is so accurate is at least partially resolved by showing that the formula is consistent with all the relevant predictions of gravitational clustering theory. Comparison of the formula with the observations suggests that galaxy clustering is mainly an inevitable consequence of gravitational instability occurring in a statistically homogeneous and isotropic gravitating system started with a zero or small peculiar velocity field and a random or nearly random spatial distribution of galaxies. Saslaw and Hamilton's formula has also been reported to be sufficient for describing counts of galaxy clusters in cells. This is consistent with the usual hierarchical clustering scenario in which galaxy clusters formed from galaxies as bound dynamical entities and started to cluster under their mutual gravitational attractions with essentially the same initial conditions as galaxies. It is shown that the observed mass function of galaxy clusters is also consistent with such a clustering scenario.
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