Morphological Analysis of the Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Sergei Shandarin
University of Kansas

Studies of the largest objects and structures in the universe conducted in the last three decades have resulted in the discovery of the cosmic supercluster-void network. The characteristic scale of the network is about 100 Mpc=3x10^26 cm, assuming the Hubble constant is about 70 km/s/Mpc. The structure consists of superclusters of galaxies that interwoven into complex network. The space between superclusters is devoid of galaxies and has been dubbed as voids of galaxies. Both superclusters and voids have complex geometry and topology. A quantitative characterization of the cosmic supercluster-void network is a long standing problem in modern cosmology. A better understanding how to quantify the large-scale structure of the universe along with better numerical modeling of the structure will help to understand in detail the physical process of structure formation. I review the modern methods and results of the analysis of geometry and topology of the large-scale network.

Presentation (PDF File)

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