The structure and evolution of dark matter halos and their implications for cosmology

Adhikari, Susmita

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/98102 Copy

Description

Title

The structure and evolution of dark matter halos and their implications for cosmology

Author(s)

Adhikari, Susmita

Issue Date

2017-05-25

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Dalal, Neal

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Dalal, Neal

Committee Member(s)

• Ricker, Paul
• Fields, Brian
• Vieira, Joaquin

Department of Study

Astronomy

Discipline

Astronomy

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Halos
• Splashback
• Cluster
• Dark Energy Survey (DES)
• Cosmology
• Spherical collapse
• Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)

Abstract

This is a study of how the properties of dark matter halos can be used to probe fundamental questions in cosmology. Similar to the inner regions of a halo the outer density profiles of the dark matter halo carry a wealth of information regarding its formation epoch, accretion history and environment. I study how the splashback feature, which is a steepening of the slope of the density profile in a narrow, localized region near the outskirts of the halo, is in reality a powerful physical length scale within the halo that naturally demarcates the actual boundary of its virialized region. This feature can also be used to probe cosmology and fundamental physical processes like dynamical friction. Apart from the density profile I also study the shapes of halos and how to measure them using three-point galaxy statistics and finally I study the evolution of substructure in dark matter halos and its implication for galaxy evolution in clustered environments.

Graduation Semester

2017-08

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/98102

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2017 Susmita Adhikari

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