Large scale structure of the Universe

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development of the large-scale structure paradigm of the Universe, emphasizing the role of Zeldovich, and presents analysis of SDSS data and simulations showing the early presence and stability of the cosmic web's skeleton.

Contribution

It demonstrates the correlation of density wave phases in the current Universe and shows that the cosmic web's structure was already present in early evolution stages.

Findings

Phases of density waves are correlated across scales.

The cosmic web's skeleton existed early in structure formation.

Density maxima and minima are more stable at larger wavelengths.

Abstract

A short overview is given on the development of our present paradigm of the large scale structure of the Universe with emphasis on the role of Ya. B. Zeldovich. Next we use the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data and show that the distribution of phases of density waves of various scale in the present-day Universe are correlated. Using numerical simulations of structure evolution we show that the skeleton of the cosmic web was present already in an early stage of the evolution of structure. The positions of maxima and minima of density waves (their phases) are the more stable, the larger is the wavelength. The birth of the first generation of stars occured most probably in the central regions of rich proto-superclusters where the density was highest in the early Universe.