The density of the universe from the deceleration of nearby galaxies

A local cosmological test is described which can determine the world model by relating the Virgo supercluster's density excess to the peculiar velocity field which has been generated, over the age of the universe, by the gravitational deceleration resulting from this density perturbation. Estimates of the peculiar velocity of the local group, relative to the center of Virgo, range from 200 to 500 km/sec, and the mean relative density excess factor in a sphere centered on Virgo, with the local group as its perimeter, is estimated at between 2.0 and 3.0. The disagreement among results can be reconciled if the recession velocity of the Virgo cluster relative to the local group is larger than the mean velocity of the galaxies within 6 deg of its center. This is especially true if the giant elliptical galaxy M87 is at rest at the center of the cluster, in which case the cosmological density factor is in the 0.1-0.2 range, and the universe is open