1998/03/31 by Peter Coles, P. Coles, Francesco Lucchin +5 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Electrical and Electromagnetic Research #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01876.x
published as Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 300 (1998) 183-187 · 6 pages, Latex using MN style, 2 figures enclosed. Version accepted for publication in MNRAS
arxiv created 1998/05/29 · openalex publication_date 1998/10/11 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We calculate the statistical clustering of Lyman-break galaxies predicted in a selection of currently-fashionable structure formation scenarios. These models are all based on the cold dark matter model, but vary in the amount of dark matter, the initial perturbation spectrum, the background cosmology and in the presence or absence of a cosmological constant term. If Lyman-break galaxies form as a result of hierarchical merging, the amplitude of clustering depends quite sensitively on the minimum halo mass that can host such a galaxy. Interpretation of the recent observations by Giavalisco et al. (1998) would therefore be considerably clarified by a direct determination of the relevant halo properties. For a typical halo mass around 1011 h-1 M_\odot the observations do not discriminate strongly between cosmological models, but if the appropriate mass is larger, say 1012 ~h-1 M_\odot (which seems likely on theoretical grounds), then the data strongly favour models with a low matter-density.