The morphological and dynamical evolution of simulated galaxy clusters

We explore the morphological and dynamical evolution of galaxy clusters in simulations using scalar and vector-valued Minkowski valuations and the con cept of fundamental plane relations. In this context, three questions are o f fundamental interest: 1. How does the average cluster morphology depend o n the cosmological background model? 2. Is it possible to discriminate betw een different cosmological models using cluster substructure in a statistic ally significant way? 3. How is the dynamical state of a cluster, especiall y its distance from a virial equilibrium, correlated to its visual substruc ture? To answer these questions, we quantify cluster substructure using a s et of morphological order parameters constructed on the basis of the Minkow ski valuations (MVs). The dynamical state of a cluster is described using g lobal cluster parameters: in certain spaces of such parameters fundamental band-like structures are forming indicating the emergence of a virial equil ibrium. We find that the average distances from these fundamental structure s are correlated to the average amount of cluster substructure for our clus ter samples during the time evolution. Furthermore, significant differences show up between the high- and the low-Omega (m) models. We pay special att ention to the redshift evolution of morphological characteristics and find large differences between the cosmological models even for higher redshifts .