University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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

Adhikari, Susmita

Content Files
ADHIKARI-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf

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

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
Date of Ingest
2017-09-29T16:37:46Z
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
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/98102
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2017 Susmita Adhikari

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