Intergalactic baryon-rich regions at high redshift

Understand

Using a high resolution cosmological simulation of reionization we have examined the differing structures formed by gas and dark matter at a redshift of 5.1.

• Baryon-rich regions form a small number of filaments, which connect the largest galaxies in the simulation.
• More detailed examination of the ten largest galaxies reveals long, slender gaseous filaments about 5 proper kpc in width radiating from the galaxy centers.
• Extending out from each filament are a few smooth, thin, nearly planar gaseous sheets.