An important step in understanding the vast structure of the Universe. What did new research find?
An international team of researchers has taken an important step in understanding the vast structure of the Universe by identifying key gravitational regions known as ‘basins of attraction’.
The research was conducted by Dr. Valade during his doctoral work under the supervision of Prof. Yehuda Hoffman of Hebrew University and Prof. Noam Libeskind of AIP Potsdam. The work also involved contributions from Dr. Pomarede of the University of Paris-Saclay, Dr. Pfeifer of AIP Potsdam, and Prof. Tully and Dr. Kourkchi of the University of Hawaii.
The study is based on the widely accepted Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) standard model of cosmology, which suggests that the structure arose from quantum fluctuations during the early stages of cosmic inflation.
These small fluctuations in density evolved over time, forming the galaxies and clusters we see today. As these density perturbations grew, they attracted the surrounding matter, creating regions where gravitational potential minima or “pools of attraction” formed.
Using the latest data from the Cosmicflows-4 (CF4) compilation, the team used a Hamiltonian Monte Carlo algorithm to reconstruct the large-scale structure of the Universe to a distance corresponding to about a billion light-years, they write.
Key gravity regions
This method allowed the researchers to provide a probabilistic assessment of the gravitational fields of the Universe, identifying the most significant basins of attraction that govern the motion of galaxies.
Previous catalogs suggested that the Milky Way galaxy was part of a region called the Laniakea supercluster. However, the new CF4 data offer a slightly different perspective, indicating that Laniakea may be part of the much larger Shapley Basin, which includes a local.
Among the newly identified regions, the Sloan Great Wall stands out as the largest basin of attraction, with a volume of about half a billion cubic light-years, more than double the Shapley Basin, which was previously thought to be the largest .
These findings provide unprecedented insight into the gravitational landscape of the local Universe, providing new insights into how galaxies and cosmic structures evolve and interact over time.
A Leap Forward in Cosmological Research
This research provides a deeper understanding of the complex gravitational dynamics of the Universe and the forces that have shaped its structure. The identification of these basins of attraction represents a significant advance in cosmology, potentially reshaping our understanding of cosmic flows and large-scale structures.
This research is important because it deepens our understanding of the large-scale structure of the Universe and the gravitational forces that shape it. By mapping basins of attraction – regions where gravity pulls galaxies and matter – the study reveals how massive cosmic structures influence the motion and formation of galaxies over time.
Understanding these dynamics not only helps us better understand the Universe’s past and its ongoing evolution, but also provides valuable information about fundamental cosmological questions, such as the distribution of dark matter and the forces driving the cosmic expansion. This knowledge has the potential to refine and guide future astronomical research.
