Open AccessThe clustering of Lyman‐break galaxies
Author(s) -
Coles Peter,
Lucchin Francesco,
Matarrese Sabino,
Moscardini Lauro
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01876.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , halo , dark matter , galaxy , cold dark matter , dark matter halo , galaxy formation and evolution , cosmology , structure formation , astronomy
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 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. would therefore be considerably clarified by a direct determination of the relevant halo properties. For a typical halo mass around 10 11 h −1 M⊙ the observations do not discriminate strongly between cosmological models, but if the appropriate mass is larger, say 10 12 h −1 M⊙ (which seems likely on theoretical grounds), then the data strongly favour models with a low matter density.