Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) : the large-scale structure of galaxies and comparison to mock universes
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Date
11/02/2014Author
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Abstract
From a volume-limited sample of 45 542 galaxies and 6000 groups with z ≤ 0.213, we use an adapted minimal spanning tree algorithm to identify and classify large-scale structures within the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey. Using galaxy groups, we identify 643 filaments across the three equatorial GAMA fields that span up to 200 h−1 Mpc in length, each with an average of eight groups within them. By analysing galaxies not belonging to groups, we identify a secondary population of smaller coherent structures composed entirely of galaxies, dubbed ‘tendrils’ that appear to link filaments together, or penetrate into voids, generally measuring around 10 h−1 Mpc in length and containing on average six galaxies. Finally, we are also able to identify a population of isolated void galaxies. By running this algorithm on GAMA mock galaxy catalogues, we compare the characteristics of large-scale structure between observed and mock data, finding that mock filaments reproduce observed ones extremely well. This provides a probe of higher order distribution statistics not captured by the popularly used two-point correlation function.
Citation
Alpaslan , M , Robotham , A S G , Driver , S , Norberg , P , Baldry , I , Bauer , A E , Bland-Hawthorn , J , Brown , M , Cluver , M , Colless , M , Foster , C , Hopkins , A , Van Kampen , E , Kelvin , L S , Lara-Lopez , M A , Liske , J , Lopez-Sanchez , A R , Loveday , J , McNaught-Roberts , T , Merson , A & Pimbblet , K 2014 , ' Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) : the large-scale structure of galaxies and comparison to mock universes ' , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , vol. 438 , no. 1 , pp. 177-194 . https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt2136
Publication
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0035-8711Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description
MA acknowledges funding from the University of St Andrews and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. ASGR is supported by funding from a UWA Fellowship. PN acknowledges the support of the Royal Society through the award of a University Research Fellowship and the European Research Council, through receipt of a Starting Grant (DEGAS-259586). MJIB acknowledges the financial support of the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship 100100280. TMR acknowledges support from a European Research Council Starting Grant (DEGAS-259586).Collections
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