Related papers: The Shapes of Galaxy Groups
The abundance of galaxy clusters as a function of mass is determined using the 2dFGRS Percolation-Inferred Galaxy Group (2PIGG) catalogue. This is used to estimate the amplitude of the matter fluctuation spectrum, parametrised by the linear…
We present an analysis of the ellipticities of galaxy groups, derived from the spatial distribution of member galaxies, revealing a notable incongruity between the observed local galaxy groups and their counterparts in the Lambda cold dark…
Using recent dust continuum data, we generate the intrinsic ellipticity distribution of dense, starless molecular cloud cores. Under the hypothesis that the cores are all either oblate or prolate randomly-oriented spheroids, we show that a…
The one-point probability distribution function (PDF) of the matter density field in the universe is a fundamental property that plays an essential role in cosmology for estimates such as gravitational weak lensing, non-linear clustering,…
The stellar density profile a galaxy is typically summarised with two numbers: total stellar mass and half-light radius. The total mass of a galaxy, however, is not a well-defined quantity, due to the finite depth of photometric…
We study the strong gravitational lens statistics of triaxial cold dark matter (CDM) halos occupied by central early-type galaxies. We calculate the image separation distribution for double, cusp and quad configurations. The ratios of image…
In this paper we derive an exact full expression for the 2D probability distribution of the ellipticity of an object measured from data, only assuming Gaussian noise in pixel values. This is a generalisation of the probability distribution…
[Abridged] We consider how galaxy clustering data, from Mpc to Gpc scales, from upcoming large scale structure surveys, such as Euclid and DESI, can provide discriminating information about the bispectrum shape arising from a variety of…
We use SDSS-DR4 photometric and spectroscopic data out to redshift z~0.1 combined with ROSAT All Sky Survey X-ray data to produce a sample of twenty-five fossil groups (FGs), defined as bound systems dominated by a single, luminous…
We compare the apparent axial ratio distributions of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) and normal ellipticals (Es) in our sample of 75 galaxy clusters from the WINGS survey. Most BCGs in our clusters (69%) are classified as cD galaxies. The…
Cosmological simulations predict that galaxies are embedded into triaxial dark matter haloes, which appear approximately elliptical in projection. Weak gravitational lensing allows us to constrain these halo shapes and thereby test the…
We conduct gravitational microlensing experiments in a galaxy taken from a cosmological N-body simulation. Hypothetical observers measure the optical depth and event rate toward hypothetical LMCs and compare their results with model…
We report on the detection of gravitational lensing magnification by a population of galaxy groups, at a significance level of 4.9 sigma. Using X-ray selected groups in the COSMOS 1.64 deg^2 field, and high-redshift Lyman break galaxies as…
The statistics of Einstein radii for a sample of strong lenses can provide valuable constraints on the underlying mass distribution. The correct interpretation, however, relies critically on the modelling of the selection of the sample,…
We summarize a series of papers reporting studies of the ellipticities of X-ray images of five Abell clusters and two early type galaxies to learn about the shape of the gravitational potential and the underlying matter distributions. For…
Photometric data from the Xuyi Schmidt Telescope Photometric Survey of the Galactic Anticentre (XSTPS-GAC) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) are used to derive the global structure parameters of the smooth components of the Milky Way.…
We determine the underlying shapes of spiral and elliptical galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6 from the observed distribution of projected galaxy shapes, taking into account the effects of dust extinction and reddening.…
I compare various semi-analytic models for the bias of dark matter halos with halo clustering properties observed in recent numerical simulations. The best fitting model is one based on the collapse of ellipsoidal perturbations proposed by…
Several proposed models for dark matter posit the existence of self-interaction processes that can impact the shape of dark matter halos, making them more spherical than the ellipsoidal halos of collisionless dark matter. One method of…
If properly calibrated, the shapes of galaxy clusters can be used to investigate many physical processes: from feedback and quenching of star formation, to the nature of dark matter. Theorists frequently measure shapes using moments of…