Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

A cosmic book of phenomena

Nature volume 346, pages 233–239 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

A comparison of the merits of five general theories for the origin of galaxies and large-scale structure in the Universe with 38 observational constraints from extragalactic astronomy produces no clear winner. Two theories, cold dark matter in an inflationary cosmology and baryonic dark matter in a low-density Universe, emerge slightly ahead of the pack.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Peebles, P. J. E. & Silk, J. Nature 335, 601–606 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Peebles, P. J. E. Nature 321, 1–6 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Yang, J., Turner, M. S., Steigman, G., Schramm, D. N. & Olive, K. A. Astrophys. J. 281, 493–511 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Frenk, C. S., White, S. D. M., Davis, M. & Efstathiou, G. Astrophys. J. 327, 507–525 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Frank, C. S., White, S. D. M., Efstathiou, G. & Davis, M. Astrophys. J. 351, 10–21 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Zel'dovich, Ya. B., Einasto, J. & Shandarin, S. F. Nature 300, 407–423 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bennett, D. B. & Bouchet, F. R. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 2776–2779 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Weinberg, D. H., Ostriker, J. P. & Dekel, A. Astrophys. J. 336, 9–45 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Peebles, P. J. E. Nature 327, 210–211 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Turok, N. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 2625–2628 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Koo, D. C. in The Epoch of Galaxy Formation (eds Frenk, C. S. et al.) 71–83 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Peebles, P. J. E., Daly, R. A. & Juszkiewicz, R. Astrophys. J. 347, 563–576 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rubin, V. C. & Coyne, G. V. Large-Scale Motions in the Universe (Princeton Univ. Press, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Primack, J., Seckel, D., & Sadoulet, B. A. Rev. Nucl. Part. Phys. 38, 751–799 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Tamanaha, F., Silk, J., Wood, M. A. & Winget, D. E. Astrophys. J. (in the press).

  16. Wilkinson, D. T. in Inner Space/Outer Space (eds Kolb, E. W. et al.) 126–132 (Univ. Chicago Press, 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Silk, J. in Proc. 14th Texas Symp. Relativistic Astrophysics (N.Y. Acad. Sci., in the press).

  18. Mather, J. C. et al. COBE preprint 90–01 (1990).

  19. Schneider, D. P., Schmidt, M. & Gunn, J. E. Astr. J. 98, 1507–1522 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Efstathiou, G. & Rees, M. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 230, 5P–11P (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Silk, J. & Szalay, A. Astrophys. J. 323, L107–L112 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Loh, E. D. Astrophys. J. 329, 24–37 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Giovanelli, R., Haynes, M. P., Rubin, V. C. & Kent, W. F. Astrophys. J. 301, L7–L11 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Silk, J. Astrophys. J. 211, 638–648 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Rees, M. J. & Ostriker, J. P. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 179, 541–559 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Warren, S. J. & Hewett, P. C. Sep. Prog. Phys. (in the press).

  27. Wolfe, A. M., Turnshek, D. A., Smith, H. E. & Cohen, R. D. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 61, 249–304 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Impey, C. & Bothun, G. Astrophys. J. 341, 89–104 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Spinrad, H. in The Epoch of Galaxy Formation (eds Frenk, C.S. et al.) 39–56 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. Chambers, K. C. & Chariot, S. Astrophys. J. 348, L1–L4 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Lilly, S. J. in The Epoch of Galaxy Formation (eds Frenk, C. S. et al.) 63–69 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  32. DeYoung, D. Astrophys. J. 342, L59–L62 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Rees, M. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 239, 1P–4P (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Daly, R. A. Astrophys. J. 355, 416–426 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kunth, D. & Sargent, W. L. W. Astrophys. J. 300, 496–499 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Haynes, M. P. & Giovanelli, R. Astrophys. J. 306, L55–L59 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Geller, M. J. & Huchra, J. P. Science 246, 897–903 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Silk, J. Astrophys, J. 345, L1–L4 (1989).

  39. Park, C. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 242, 59P–61P (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Hauser, M. G. & Peebles, P. J. E. Astrophys. J. 185, 757–785 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. Bahcall, N. A. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 26, 631–686 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lahav, O., Edge, A. C., Fabian, A. C. & Putney, A. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 238, 881–885 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Hughes, J. P. Astrophys. J. 337, 21–33 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Groth, E. J. & Peebles, P. J. E. Astrophys. J. 310, 507–517 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Maddox, S. J., Efstathiou, G., Sutherland, W. J. & Loveday, J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 242, 43P–47P (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Peebles, P. J. E. Astrophys. J. 297, 350–360 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. White, S. D. M., Frenk, C. S., Davis, M. & Efstathiou, G. Astrophys. J. 313, 505–516 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Tully, R. B. & Fisher, J. R. Nearby Galaxies Atlas (Cambridge University Press, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  49. Sandage, A. & Bedke, J. Atlas of Galaxies, plate 11 (NASA, Washington, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  50. Giovanelli, R. & Haynes, M. P. Astrophys. J. 346, L5–L7 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Bothun, G., Impey, C. D., Malin, D. F. & Mould, J. R. Astr. J. 94, 23–29 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Carignan, C. & Freeman, K. C. Astrophys. J. 332, L33–L36 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Bahcall, J. N. & Casertano, S. Astrophys. J. 293, L7–L10 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Silk, J. & Norman, C. A. Astrophys. J. 247, 59–76 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA

    P. J. E. Peebles

  2. the Departments of Astronomy and Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA

    Joseph Silk

Authors
  1. P. J. E. Peebles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joseph Silk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peebles, P., Silk, J. A cosmic book of phenomena. Nature 346, 233–239 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/346233a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/346233a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing