Reconstructing the gravitational field of the local Universe. Issue 3 (25th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Desmond, Harry; Ferreira, Pedro G; Lavaux, Guilhem; Jasche, Jens
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 474:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 3152
• Page End: 3161
• Publication Date: 2017-11-25
• Subjects: gravitation -- galaxies: fundamental parameters -- galaxies: kinematics and dynamics -- galaxies: statistics; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx3062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

Abstract: Tests of gravity at the galaxy scale are in their infancy. As a first step to systematically uncovering the gravitational significance of galaxies, we map three fundamental gravitational variables – the Newtonian potential, acceleration and curvature – over the galaxy environments of the local Universe to a distance of approximately 200 Mpc. Our method combines the contributions from galaxies in an all-sky redshift survey, haloes from an N -body simulation hosting low-luminosity objects, and linear and quasi-linear modes of the density field. We use the ranges of these variables to determine the extent to which galaxies expand the scope of generic tests of gravity and are capable of constraining specific classes of model for which they have special significance. Finally, we investigate the improvements afforded by upcoming galaxy surveys.