Scientists have long been trying to understand the large-scale structures of universe and for that no doubt massive galaxy clusters and the massive galaxies needs to be studied. That was what the scientists were doing up to recently, but intermediate-scale structures like the galaxy groups have now been the center of gravitational lensing studies in order to better understand the evolution of the structures in the Universe.
The new discovery of gravitational arcs in the center of galaxy groups is an important step that will allow a better understanding of the distribution of the dark matter and the formation mechanisms of the groups of galaxies, structures intermediate in mass between galaxies and clusters of galaxies.
And this all is possible only because of a careful inspection aimed at detecting gravitational arcs in one fourth of the CFHTLS (Canada-France-Hawaii Legacy Survey), the team has been able to detect for the first time numerous arcs around galaxy groups. This surprising discovery provides for the first time direct information on the structure of galaxy groups that are key environments in the formation of structures in the Universe. Now the scientists will be able to understand the role of dark matter in the evolution of these groups and of the mass concentrations that make the large structures of the Universe.
Via: Physorg
