Clues on void evolution I: Large scale galaxy distributions around voids

TL;DR

This paper investigates galaxy density profiles around cosmic voids using SDSS data and simulations, revealing how void size influences surrounding density structures and supporting the LCDM model of universe large-scale structure.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed comparison of void environments in observations and simulations, linking void properties to their dynamical states within the LCDM framework.

Findings

Small voids often have overdense shells around them.

Large voids tend to have smooth density profiles without shells.

Simulation results agree well with observations, supporting LCDM predictions.

Abstract

We perform a statistical study focused on void environments. We examine galaxy density profiles around voids in the SDSS, finding a correlation between void--centric distance to the shell of maximum density and void radius when a maximum in overdensity exists. We analyze voids with and without a surrounding over-dense shell in the SDSS. We find that small voids are more frequently surrounded by over-dense shells whereas the radial galaxy density profile of large voids tends to rise smoothly towards the mean galaxy density. We analyse the fraction of voids surrounded by overdense shells finding a continuous trend with void radius. The differences between voids with and without an overdense shell around them can be understood in terms of whether the voids are, on average, in the process of collapsing or continuing their expansion, respectively, in agreement with previous theoretical expectations. We use numerical simulations coupled to semi-analytic models of galaxy formation in order to test and interpret our results. The very good agreement between the mock catalog results and the observations provides additional support to the viability of a LCDM model to reproduce the large scale structure of the universe as defined by the void network, in a way which has not been analysed previously.