Tracing the Cosmic Web with Star-Forming Galaxies in the Distant Universe
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 13:31
in Astronomy & Space
Galaxies in the universe trace patterns on very large scales; there are large empty regions (called "voids") and dense regions where the galaxies exist. This distribution is called the cosmic web. The most massive concentrations of galaxies are clusters. The formation of the cosmic web is governed by the action of gravity on the invisible mysterious "dark matter" that exists throughout the universe. The normal baryonic material one can see falls into the dark matter halos and forms galaxies. The action of gravity over about 14-billion-year history of the universe makes the halos cluster together. The location of galaxies or clusters in this enormous cosmic web tests our understanding of the way structure forms in the universe.