M. Einasto, E. Tago, J. Jaaniste, J. Einasto and H. Andernach
We investigate the distribution of superclusters and voids using a new catalogue of superclusters of rich clusters of galaxies which extends up to a redshift of z = 0.12. The new catalogue contains 220 superclusters of rich clusters, of which 90 superclusters have been determined for the first time. Two thirds of superclusters with eight or more member clusters are concentrated to a Dominant Supercluster Plane almost perpendicular to the plane of the Local Supercluster. Several independent methods indicate consistently the presence of a quite regular supercluster-void network with scale of approx. 120 Mpc. We determine the selection function of the sample of clusters and suggest that the mean true space density of Abell clusters is 2.6 x 10-5 h3 Mpc-3, or twice the conventionally used value.
This Figure shows the distribution of rich superclusters (with at least eight member clusters) in the 300 Mpc slice (supergalactic X coordinate -100 < X < 200 Mpc). For a number of superclusters identifications are given. The Draco, the Bootes A, the Leo-Virgo and the Caelum superclusters have been determined for the first time. Only part of the richest known supercluster, the Shapley supercluster, is seen. From the superclusters seen in the Figure only the Draco, the Ursa Majoris, the Vela, and the Shapley superclusters do not belong to the Dominant Supercluster Plane.
The complete paper (postscript version) is available at ftp. aai.ee and babbage.sissa.it.