Universal void density profiles from simulation and SDSS

Understand

We discuss the universality and self-similarity of void density profiles, for voids in realistic mock luminous red galaxy (LRG) catalogues from the Jubilee simulation, as well as in void catalogues constructed from the SDSS LRG and Main Galaxy samples.

• Voids are identified using a modified version of the ZOBOV watershed transform algorithm, with additional selection cuts.
• We find that voids in simulation are self-similar, meaning that their average rescaled profile does not depend on the void size, or -- within the range of the simulated catalogue -- on the redshift.
• Comparison of the profiles obtained from simulated and real voids shows an excellent match.