art@ACC.ARPA (01/07/86)
I read an interesting article in our local newspaper and was wondering if anyone has a pointer to the original scientific paper. A recent 3-D map of the distribution of the galaxies in the universe has given evidence that the mass is distibuted roughly on the surface of large bubble shaped regions of space. The interiors of these regions are largely devoid of galaxies. The effect is a "Soapsuds" distribution of galaxies. This all seems to indicate that some very explosive events and the resultant shock waves very early in the history of the universe had a profound effect on the evolution of the galaxies. It will be interesting to see what the Hubble Space Telescope turns up. <Art@ACC.ARPA> ------
wyatt@cfa.UUCP (Bill Wyatt) (01/08/86)
> > I read an interesting article in our local newspaper and was wondering > if anyone has a pointer to the original scientific paper. > > A recent 3-D map of the distribution of the galaxies in the universe > has given evidence that the mass is distibuted roughly on the surface > of large bubble shaped regions of space. The interiors of these regions > are largely devoid of galaxies. The effect is a "Soapsuds" distribution > of galaxies. This all seems to indicate that some very explosive events > and the resultant shock waves very early in the history of the universe > had a profound effect on the evolution of the galaxies. > ... > <Art@ACC.ARPA> The article you want hasn't been published yet, but will be in the Astrophysical Journal Letters to the Editor (abbreviated Ap.J.Let. I think). The authors are Huchra, Geller, and De L'Apparent, all here at the Center for Astrophysics. These results were just presented to the scientific community at large at the Winter Meeting of the AAS (American Astronomical Society) this morning in Houston (Tues., Jan 7th). They were supposed to not be made public until then, but the N.Y. Times and, I think, the A.P., picked it up. As usual, the article (at least in the NYT) had a few distortions and confusions, but was basically pretty good. I've seen the 3D galaxy plots, in the form of a computer-generated film rotating the map through all sorts of orientations, and they really do strongly suggest bubbles. While this is very important stuff, I think we were a little suprised at the level of media interest. If you *ABSOLUTELY* need a preprint or something, e-mail me, and I'll tell you who you need to write to get a copy. -- Bill UUCP: {harvard,genrad,allegra,ihnp4}!wjh12!cfa!wyatt Wyatt ARPA: wyatt%cfa.UUCP@harvard.ARPA