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

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Astronomy

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Adhikari, Susmita

Contributors dc:contributor

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

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

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2017 Susmita Adhikari

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

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

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/98102