Peculiar velocity measurement in a clumpy universe

In this work we address the issue of peculiar velocity measurement in a perturbed Friedmann universe using the deviations from measured luminosity distances of standard candles from background FRW universe. We want to show and quantify the statement that in intermediate redshifts ($0.5< z < 2$), deviations from the background FRW model are not uniquely governed by peculiar velocities. Luminosity distances are modified by gravitational lensing. We also want to indicate the importance of relativistic calculations for peculiar velocity measurement at all redshifts. For this task we discuss the relativistic correction on luminosity distance and redshift measurement and show the contribution of each of the corrections as lensing term, peculiar velocity of the source and Sachs-Wolfe effect. Then we use the SNe Ia sample of Union 2, to investigate the relativistic effects we consider. We show that, using the conventional peculiar velocity method, that ignores the lensing effect, will result in an overestimate of the measured peculiar velocities at intermediate redshifts. Here we quantify this effect. We show that at low redshifts the lensing effect is negligible compare to the effect of peculiar velocity. From the observational point of view, we show that the uncertainties on luminosity of the present SNe Ia data prevent us from precise measuring the peculiar velocities even at low redshifts ($z<0.2$).Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, Int. J. Mod. Phys. D 27, 1850019 (2018

The challenge of large and empty voids in the SDSS DR7 redshift survey

We present catalogues of voids for the SDSS DR7 redshift survey and for Millennium I simulation mock data. We aim to compare the observations with simulations based on a $\Lambda$CDM model and a semi-analytic galaxy formation model. We use the void statistics as a test for these models. We assembled a mock catalogue that closely resembles the SDSS DR7 catalogue and carried out a parallel statistical analysis of the observed and simulated catalogue. We find that in the observation and the simulation, voids tend to be equally spherical. The total volume occupied by the voids and their total number are slightly larger in the simulation than in the observation. We find that large voids are less abundant in the simulation and the total luminosity of the galaxies contained in a void with a given radius is higher on average than observed by SDSS DR7 survey. We expect these discrepancies to be even more significant in reality than found here since the present value of $\sigma_8$ given by WMAP7 is lower than the value of 0.9 used in the Millennium I simulation. The reason why the simulation fails to produce enough large and dark voids might be the failure of certain semi-analytic galaxy formation models to reduce the small-scale power of $\Lambda$CDM and to produce sufficient power on large scales.Comment: Kolmogrov-Smirnov test added. version to appear in A&

Unraveling the nature of Gravity through our clumpy Universe

We propose a new probe to test the nature of gravity at various redshifts through large-scale cosmological observations. We use our void catalog, extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS, DR10), to trace the distribution of matter along the lines of sight to SNe Ia that are selected from the Union 2 catalog. We study the relation between SNe Ia luminosities and convergence and also the peculiar velocities of the sources. We show that the effects, on SNe Ia luminosities, of convergence and of peculiar velocities predicted by the theory of general relativity and theories of modified gravities are different and hence provide a new probe of gravity at various redshifts. We show that the present sparse large-scale data does not allow us to determine any statistically- significant deviation from the theory of general relativity but future more comprehensive surveys should provide us with means for such an exploration.Comment: Essay received honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2014 essay competition. To appear in IJMPD. 10 pages, 2 figure

A statistical study of the luminosity gap in galaxy groups

The luminosity gap between the two brightest members of galaxy groups and clusters is thought to offer a strong test for the models of galaxy formation and evolution. This study focuses on the statistics of the luminosity gap in galaxy groups, in particular fossil groups, e.g. large luminosity gap, in an analogy with the same in a cosmological simulation. We use spectroscopic legacy data of seventh data release (DR7) of SDSS, to extract a volume limited sample of galaxy groups utilizing modified friends-of-friends (mFoF) algorithm. Attention is paid to galaxy groups with the brightest group galaxy (BGG) more luminous than \Mr = -22. An initial sample of 620 groups in which 109 optical fossil groups, where the luminosity gap exceeds 2 magnitude, were identified. We compare the statistics of the luminosity gap in galaxy groups at low mass range from the SDSS with the same in the Millennium simulations where galaxies are modeled semi-analytically. We show that the BGGs residing in galaxy groups with large luminosity gap, i.e. fossil groups, are on average brighter and live in lower mass halos with respect to their counter parts in non-fossil systems. Although low mass galaxy groups are thought to have recently formed, we show that in galaxy groups with 15 galaxies brighter than $M_r\ge -19.5$, evolutionary process are most likely to be responsible for the large luminosity gap. We also examine a new probe of finding fossil group. In addition we extend the recently introduced observational probe based on the luminosity gap, the butterfly diagram, to galaxy groups and study the probe as a function of halo mass. This probe can, in conjunction with the luminosity function, help to fine tune the semi-analytic models of galaxies employed in the cosmological simulations.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted to PASP journa

The Effects of Blade Configurations on Performance of a Tidal Vertical Axis Turbine

Hydrokinetic energy contains the major uncontrolled source of renewable marine energy. The highest level of converter technology readiness offered in the last three decades is TRL8–9, which is related to the first-generation horizontal axis converters. In low-depth calm waters, one of the best options to harvest tidal energy is vertical axis turbines. About 16% of the conceptual designs presented in the last 30 years apply this type of converter, which does not have a high level of technological readiness. In this study, a laboratory-designed vertical axis turbine has been introduced in which the effects of the number of blades, the blade profile, and attack angle on the performance of the turbine were analyzed. A 3D incompressible viscous turbulent computational finite volume approach is applied, with the spatial second-order and temporal first-order accuracies. The turbulent model k-ω SST was used to obtain the flow inside the turbine. Rotors include two, three, and six blades with three different profiles, including NACA2421, NACA16021, and NACA0020. Computational results reveal that the turbine with three blades and an angle of attack of +8 using the NACA2421 profile has a maximum generation capacity of about 4 kW, with a strength factor of 0.4 and a power factor of about 20%. The capacity, however, was lower for a higher number of blades

The Spatial Distribution Function of Galaxies at High Redshift

This is the first exploration of the galaxy distribution function at redshifts greater than about 0.1. Redshifts are based on the North and South GOODS Catalogs. In each catalog we examine clustering in the two redshift bands 0.47 < z < 0.8 and 0.9 < z < 1.5. The mean redshifts of the samples in these bands are about 0.6 and 1.1. Our main result is that at these redshifts the galaxy spatial distribution function f_V(N) has the form predicted by gravitational quasi-equilibrium dynamics for cosmological many-body systems. This constrains related processes such as galaxy merging and the role of dark matter in the range of these redshifts.Comment: Accepted ApJ, 6 pages, 5 figure