Study Finds Milky Way a Possible Cause of Rare Spiral Galaxy Formation
By Chen Juncun
A recent study conducted by Durham University in the United Kingdom has shed light on the mystery of why spiral galaxies are rare in the vicinity of the Milky Way. The study suggests that the Milky Way’s location within the Supergalactic Plane, a massive flat structure containing several galaxy clusters and thousands of galaxies, may play a role in shaping the distribution of galaxies in the universe.
Using supercomputers to simulate the evolution of the universe over the past 13.8 billion years, researchers found that galaxies within dense clusters in the supergalactic plane are more likely to experience interactions and mergers, leading to the transformation of spiral galaxies into smooth elliptical galaxies. In contrast, galaxies located further away from the plane are able to evolve independently, preserving their original spiral structures.
Carlos Frenk, a professor at Durham University and one of the authors of the study, noted that while the distribution of galaxies in the supergalactic plane is unusual, it is not entirely abnormal. The research findings have been published in the journal Nature Astronomy, providing valuable insights into the formation and evolution of galaxies in the universe.