Detection of the Effect of Cosmological Large-Scale Structure on the Orientation of Galaxies
Abstract
Galaxies are not distributed randomly throughout space but are instead arranged in an intricate ``cosmic web'' of filaments and walls surrounding bubble-like voids. There is still no compelling observational evidence of a link between the structure of the cosmic web and how galaxies form within it. However, such a connection is expected on the basis of our understanding of the origin of galaxy angular momentum: disk galaxies should be highly inclined relative to the plane defined by the large-scale structure surrounding them. Using the two largest galaxy redshift surveys currently in existence (2dFGRS and SDSS), we show at the 99.7% confidence level that these alignments do indeed exist: spiral galaxies located on the shells of the largest cosmic voids have rotation axes that lie preferentially on the void surface.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1086/503548
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0511680
- Bibcode:
- 2006ApJ...640L.111T
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmology: Dark Matter;
- Galaxies: Halos;
- Galaxies: Spiral;
- Galaxies: Structure;
- Cosmology: Large-Scale Structure of Universe;
- Methods: Statistical;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters