The cosmic web for density perturbations of various scales

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to analyze how density perturbations of different scales influence the formation and structure of the cosmic web, revealing the specific scales responsible for various features.

Contribution

It demonstrates that small-scale perturbations form galaxy groups, while intermediate scales create filaments, and larger scales form superclusters, clarifying the scale-dependent formation of cosmic structures.

Findings

Galaxy groups form from perturbations ≤ 8 Mpc

Filaments are created by perturbations from 8 to 32 Mpc

Superclusters originate from larger perturbations

Abstract

We follow the evolution of galaxy systems in numerical simulation. Our goal is to understand the role of density perturbations of various scales in the formation and evolution of the cosmic web. We perform numerical simulations with the full power spectrum of perturbations, and with spectrum cut at long wavelengths. Additionally, we have one model, where we cut the intermediate waves. We analyze the density field and study the void sizes and density field clusters in different models. Our analysis shows that the fine structure (groups and clusters of galaxies) is created by small-scale density perturbations of scale $\leq 8$ \Mpc. Filaments of galaxies and clusters are created by perturbations of intermediate scale from $\sim 8$ to $\sim 32$ \Mpc, superclusters of galaxies by larger perturbations. We conclude that the scale of the pattern of the cosmic web is determined by density perturbations of scale up to $\sim 100$ \Mpc. Larger perturbations do not change the pattern of the web, but modulate the richness of galaxy systems, and make voids emptier. The stop of the increase of the scale of the pattern of the cosmic web with increasing scale of density perturbations can probably be explained as the freezing of the web at redshift $z\simeq 0.7$.