The goals of the research to be carried out under this award are (1) to map the velocity field of galaxies within a distance of approximately 100 megaparsecs, and (2) to attempt to understand this velocity field in terms of a model in which galaxies are accelerated by a gravitational field related to all of galaxies in this volume. In order to carry out this mapping a set of 68 clusters of galaxies will be used. The relative distances of these clusters and their mean redshifts will be measured. A comparison of the observed and predicted velocity fields will enable the investigators to learn about the mass distribution in this volume of space and the background density on which the visible galaxy clusters and voids are superposed. The Principle Investigator is recognized to be an expert in this particular area of research.
