Does Gravitational Clustering Stabilize On Small Scales?

The stable clustering hypothesis is a key analytical anchor on the nonlinear dynamics of gravitational clustering in cosmology. It states that on sufficiently small scales the mean pair velocity approaches zero, or equivalently, that the mean number of neighbours of a particle remains constant in time at a given physical separation. In this paper we use N-body simulations of scale free spectra P(k) \propto k^n with -2 \leq n \leq 0 and of the CDM spectrum to test for stable clustering using the time evolution and shape of the correlation function \xi(x,t), and the mean pair velocity on small scales. For all spectra the results are consistent with the stable clustering predictions on the smallest scales probed, x < 0.07 x_{nl}(t), where x_{nl}(t) is the correlation length. The measured stable clustering regime corresponds to a typical range of 200 \lsim \xi \lsim 2000, though spectra with more small scale power approach the stable clustering asymptote at larger values of \xi. We test the amplitude of \xi predicted by the analytical model of Sheth \& Jain (1996), and find agreement to within 20\% in the stable clustering regime for nearly all spectra. For the CDM spectrum the nonlinear \xi is accurately approximated by this model with n \simeq -2 on physical scales \lsim 100-300 h^{-1} kpc for \sigma_8 = 0.5-1, and on smaller scales at earlier times. The growth of \xi for CDM-like models is discussed in the context of a power law parameterization often used to describe galaxy clustering at high redshifts. The growth parameter \epsilon is computed as a function of time and length scale, and found to be larger than 1 in the moderately nonlinear regime -- thus the growth of \xi is much faster on scales of interest than is commonly assumed.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures included; submitted to MNRA

Three-Point Correlations in f(R) Models of Gravity

Modifications of general relativity provide an alternative explanation to dark energy for the observed acceleration of the universe. We calculate quasilinear effects in the growth of structure in f(R) models of gravity using perturbation theory. We find significant deviations in the bispectrum that depend on cosmic time, length scale and triangle shape. However the deviations in the reduced bispectrum Q for f(R) models are at the percent level, much smaller than the deviations in the bispectrum itself. This implies that three-point correlations can be predicted to a good approximation simply by using the modified linear growth factor in the standard gravity formalism. Our results suggest that gravitational clustering in the weakly nonlinear regime is not fundamentally altered, at least for a class of gravity theories that are well described in the Newtonian regime by the parameters G_eff and Phi/Psi. This approximate universality was also seen in the N-body simulation measurements of the power spectrum by Stabenau and Jain (2006), and in other recent studies based on simulations. Thus predictions for such modified gravity models in the regime relevant to large-scale structure observations may be less daunting than expected on first principles. We discuss the caveats that apply to such predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, Submitted to PR

The non-linear correlation function and the shapes of virialized halos

The correlation function xi(r) of matter in the non-linear regime is assumed to be determined by the density profiles rho(r) and the mass distribution n(M) of virialized halos. The Press--Schechter approach is used to compute n(M), and the stable clustering hypothesis is used to determine the density profiles of these Press--Schechter halos. Thus, the shape and amplitude of xi(r) on small scales is related to the initial power spectrum of density fluctuations. The case of clustering from scale-free initial conditions is treated in detail. If n is the slope of the initial power spectrum of density fluctuations, then stable clustering requires that xi(r)\propto r^{-gamma}, where gamma is a known function of n. If halo--halo correlations can be neglected, then rho(r)\propto r^{-epsilon}, where epsilon = (gamma+3)/2 = 3(4+n)/(5+n). For all values of n of current interest, this slope is steeper than the value 3(3+n)/(4+n) that was obtained by Hoffman & Shaham in their treatment of the shapes of the outer regions of collapsed halos. Our main result is a prediction for the amplitude of the non-linear correlation function. The predicted amplitude and its dependence on n are in good quantitative agreement with N-body simulations of self-similar clustering. If stable clustering is a good approximation only inside the half-mass radii of Press--Schechter halos, then the density contrast required for the onset of stable clustering can be estimated. This density contrast is in the range ~300-600 and increases with the initial slope n, in agreement with estimates from N-body simulations.Comment: 8 pages, uuencoded, gzipped, postscript, submitted to M