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Session 52 - Source Surveys and CMB Radiation.
Display session, Wednesday, June 10
Atlas Ballroom,

[52.10] A Pointwise Dimension Analysis of the ACO Catalog

J. Best (Shepherd College)

The aim of this paper is to explore the use of a statistical technique known as the pointwise dimension in the description of large-scale structure. The pointwise dimension, or PD, has its basis in the field of fractal geometry, and has already been particularly illuminating for the study of correlations between galactic morphology and environment (Best, Charlton, Mayer-Kress, 1996, ApJ, 456, 55).

The catalog subject to examination is the ACO cluster catalog (Abell, Corwin, Olowin, 1989, ApJS, 70, 1). I have found that 2D angular and projected separation analyses show that the clustering of the ACO catalog is not similar to that of a random catalog even on very large scales. KS tests show a statistical difference between the catalogs, and histograms bear out a difference in appearance. 3D studies of the ACO catalog show that the lack of statistical difference between a random catalog and the ACO catalog does not occur until scales of roughly 200 Mpc. This value would fall in between claims for the value of the onset of homogeneity on scales under 100 Mpc and claims that homogeneity does not exist even on scales of 1000 Mpc.


Program listing for Wednesday