The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey - Testing the gravitational instability paradigm at z ∼ 1

C. Marinoni, L. Guzzo, A. Cappi, O. Le Fèvre, A. Mazure, B. Meneux, A. Pollo, A. Iovino, H. J. McCracken, R. Scaramella, S. de la Torre, J. M. Virey, D. Bottini, B. Garilli, V. Le Brun, D. Maccagni, J.-P. Picat, M. Scodeggio, L. Tresse, G. Vettolani, A. Zanichelli, C. Adami, S. Arnouts, S. Bardelli, M. Bolzonella, S. Charlot, P. Ciliegi, T. Contini, S. Foucaud, P. Franzetti, I. Gavignaud, O. Ilbert, F. Lamareille, B. Marano, G. Mathez, R. Merighi, S. Paltani, R. Pellò, L. Pozzetti, M. Radovich, D. Vergani, G. Zamorani, E. Zucca, U. Abbas, M. Bondi, A. Bongiorno, J. Brinchmann, A. Buzzi, O. Cucciati, L. de Ravel, L. Gregorini, Y. Mellier, P. Merluzzi, E. Pérez-Montero, P. Taxil, S. Temporin, C. J. Walcher

Abstract
We have reconstructed the three-dimensional density fluctuation maps to z ∼ 1.5  using the distribution of galaxies observed in the VVDS-Deep survey. We use this  overdensity field to measure the evolution of the probability distribution function and  its lower-order moments over the redshift interval 0.7 < z < 1.5. We apply a  self-consistent reconstruction scheme which includes a complete non-linear description  of galaxy biasing and which has been thoroughly tested on realistic mock samples. We  find that the variance and skewness of the galaxy distribution evolve over this  redshift interval in a way that is remarkably consistent with predictions of first- and second-order perturbation theory. This finding confirms the standard gravitational  instability paradigm over nearly 9 Gyr of cosmic time and demonstrates the  importance of accounting for the non-linear component of galaxy biasing to  consistently reproduce the higher-order moments of the galaxy distribution and their evolution.

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume 487, Page 7
August 2008

>> ADS>> DOI