N-body simulations for structure formation from random initial conditions

We present the results of an extensive series of high-performance simulations of the evolution of self-gravitating systems with periodic boundary conditions. The main aim of the project is to investigate the role of gravitation and of initial conditions and boundary conditions into the following evolution toward a metastable equilibrium, in a way such to distinguish the role of the various ingredients in the overall dynamics. In particular, we compare the evolution of spatially infinite self-gravitating systems embedded in an expanding universe with that of systems in a static frame. We discuss the differences and the similarities in several statistical quantities, as the density profiles of clusters and the two point autocorrelation function.