What is it about?
This paper explores the largest structures in the universe: galaxy superclusters and how they group into even larger complexes. These huge formations shape the cosmic web, influencing how galaxies evolve over time. The paper also raises a big question: can our current cosmological model, ΛCDM, fully explain these massive, somewhat ordered structures?
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Why is it important?
It's a detailed overview of galaxy superclusters — their discovery, characteristics, and large-scale patterns they form in the universe. It describes in detail history of the supercluster studies from the discovery of the cosmic web and how superclusters delineate it in the largest scales, and provides state-of-the art supercluster determinations and catalogues, and many aspects of supercluster studies. The paper gives a well-organized overview of how these giant structures were discovered and defined, making it both a useful reference and a springboard for new research. The paper highlights that we don’t yet fully know whether such structures can be explained by standard model of cosmology.
Perspectives
The study of superclusters would either reinforce the standard cosmological model by demonstrating its compatibility with extreme-scale structure or motivate new theoretical developments to explain these huge cosmic structures. Moreover, superclusters represent unique high-density environments. Studying how galaxies evolve differently here compared to low-density regions could offer clues about dark matter behavior, star formation, and galactic dynamics.
Dr Maret Einasto
Tartu Observatory
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Galaxy Superclusters and Their Complexes in the Cosmic Web, Universe, May 2025, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/universe11060167.
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