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Are galaxies more strongly correlated than clusters?

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Abstract

One of the most powerful tools used in attempts to understand the structure of the Universe is the correlation function ξ(r), the excess probability over random that there are two objects separated by a distance r. In particular, distributions of galaxies and of clusters of galaxies have been investigated using this parameter. Here we show that if the amplitudes of the cluster–cluster correlation function is made dimensionless, systematic changes with cluster richness vanish, implying scale invariance in the clustering process. The dimensionless galaxy–galaxy correlation seems stronger, implying gravitational enhancement on smaller scales.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA

    Alexander S. Szalay & David N. Schramm

  2. Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois, 60510, USA

    Alexander S. Szalay & David N. Schramm

  3. Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary

    Alexander S. Szalay

Authors
  1. Alexander S. Szalay
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  2. David N. Schramm
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Szalay, A., Schramm, D. Are galaxies more strongly correlated than clusters?. Nature 314, 718–719 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/314718a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/314718a0

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