A magnified glance into the dark sector: probing cosmological models with strong lensing in A1689

In this paper we constrain four alternative models to the late cosmic acceleration in the Universe: Chevallier-Polarski-Linder (CPL), interacting dark energy (IDE), Ricci holographic dark energy (HDE), and modified polytropic Cardassian (MPC). Strong lensing (SL) images of background galaxies produced by the galaxy cluster Abell $1689$ are used to test these models. To perform this analysis we modify the LENSTOOL lens modeling code. The value added by this probe is compared with other complementary probes: Type Ia supernovae (SNIa), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), and cosmic microwave background (CMB). We found that the CPL constraints obtained of the SL data are consistent with those estimated using the other probes. The IDE constraints are consistent with the complementary bounds only if large errors in the SL measurements are considered. The Ricci HDE and MPC constraints are weak but they are similar to the BAO, SNIa and CMB estimations. We also compute the figure-of-merit as a tool to quantify the goodness of fit of the data. Our results suggest that the SL method provides statistically significant constraints on the CPL parameters but weak for those of the other models. Finally, we show that the use of the SL measurements in galaxy clusters is a promising and powerful technique to constrain cosmological models. The advantage of this method is that cosmological parameters are estimated by modelling the SL features for each underlying cosmology. These estimations could be further improved by SL constraints coming from other galaxy clusters.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Gravitational lensing and dynamics in SL2S\,J02140-0535: Probing the mass out to large radius

We aim to probe the mass of SL2S\,J02140-0535, a galaxy group at $z$ = 0.44 from the Strong Lensing Legacy Survey (SL2S). We combine strong lensing modeling and dynamical constraints. The strong lensing analysis is based on multi-band HST/ACS observations exhibiting strong lensing features that we have followed-up spectroscopically with VLT/FORS2. To constrain the scale radius of an NFW mass profile that cannot be constrained by strong lensing, we propose a new method by taking advantage of the large-scale dynamical information provided by VLT/FORS2 and KECK/LRIS spectroscopy of group members. In constrast to other authors, we show that the observed lensing features in SL2S\,J02140-0535 belong to different background sources: one at $z$ = 1.7 $\pm$ 0.1 produces three images, while the other at $z$ = 1.023 $\pm$ 0.001 has only a single image. Our unimodal NFW mass model reproduces these images very well. It is characterized by a concentration parameter $c_{200}$ = 6.0 $\pm$ 0.6, which is slightly greater than the value expected from $\Lambda$CDM simulations for a mass of M$_{200}$ $\approx$ 1 $\times$ 10$^{14}$ M_{\sun}. The spectroscopic analysis of group members also reveals a unimodal structure that exhibits no evidence of merging. We compare our dynamic mass estimate with an independent weak-lensing based mass estimate finding that both are consistent. Our combined lensing and dynamical analysis of SL2S\,J02140-0535 demonstrates the importance of spectroscopic information in reliably identifying the lensing features. Our findings argue that the system is a relaxed, massive galaxy group where mass is traced by light. This work shows a potentially useful method for constraining large-scale properties inaccessible to strong lensing, such as the scale radius of the NFW profile.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

The abundance of Bullet-groups in LCDM

We estimate the expected distribution of displacements between the two dominant dark matter (DM) peaks (DM-DM displacements) and between DM and gaseous baryon peak (DM-gas displacements) in dark matter halos with masses larger than $10^{13}$ Msun/h. We use as a benchmark the observation of SL2S J08544-0121, which is the lowest mass system ($1.0\times 10^{14}$ Msun/h) observed so far featuring a bi-modal dark matter distribution with a dislocated gas component. We find that $(50 \pm 10)$% of the dark matter halos with circular velocities in the range 300 km/s to 700 km/s (groups) show DM-DM displacements equal or larger than $186 \pm 30$ kpc/h as observed in SL2S J08544-0121. For dark matter halos with circular velocities larger than 700 km/s (clusters) this fraction rises to 70 $\pm$ 10%. Using the same simulation we estimate the DM-gas displacements and find that 0.1 to 1.0% of the groups should present separations equal or larger than $87\pm 14$kpc/h corresponding to our observational benchmark; for clusters this fraction rises to (7 $\pm$ 3)%, consistent with previous studies of dark matter to baryon separations. Considering both constraints on the DM-DM and DM-gas displacements we find that the number density of groups similar to SL2S J08544-0121 is $\sim 6.0\times 10^{-7}$ Mpc$^{-3}$, three times larger than the estimated value for clusters. These results open up the possibility for a new statistical test of LCDM by looking for DM-gas displacements in low mass clusters and groups.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

SARCS strong lensing galaxy groups: I - optical, weak lensing, and scaling laws

We present the weak lensing and optical analysis of the SL2S-ARCS (SARCS) sample of strong lens candidates. The sample is based on the Strong Lensing Legacy Survey (SL2S), a systematic search of strong lensing systems in the photometric Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey (CFHTLS). The SARCS sample focuses on arc-like features and is designed to contain mostly galaxy groups. We briefly present the weak lensing methodology that we use to estimate the mass of the SARCS objects. Among 126 candidates, we obtain a weak lensing detection for 89 objects with velocity dispersions of the Singular Isothermal Sphere mass model ranging from 350 to 1000 km/s with an average value of 600km/s, corresponding to a rich galaxy group (or poor cluster). From the galaxies belonging to the bright end of the group's red sequence (M_i<-21), we derive the optical properties of the SARCS candidates. We obtain typical richnesses of N=5-15 galaxies and optical luminosities of L=0.5-1.5e+12 Lsol (within a radius of 0.5 Mpc). We use these galaxies to compute luminosity density maps, from which a morphological classification reveals that a large fraction of the sample are groups with a complex light distribution, either elliptical or multimodal, suggesting that these objects are dynamically young structures. We finally combine the lensing and optical analyses to draw a sample of 80 most secure group candidates, i.e. weak lensing detection and over-density at the lens position in the luminosity map, to remove false detections and galaxy-scale systems from the initial sample. We use this reduced sample to probe the optical scaling relations in combination with a sample of massive galaxy clusters. We detect the expected correlations over the probed range in mass with a typical scatter of 25% in the SIS velocity dispersion at a given richness or luminosity, making these scaling laws interesting mass proxie

Kinematics of disk galaxies in (proto-)clusters at z=1.5

We observed star-forming galaxies at z~1.5 selected from the HyperSuprimeCam Subaru Strategic Program. The galaxies are part of two significant overdensities of [OII] emitters identified via narrow-band imaging and photometric redshifts from grizy photometry. We used VLT/KMOS to carry out Halpha integral field spectroscopy of 46 galaxies in total. Ionized gas maps, star formation rates and velocity fields were derived from the Halpha emission line. We quantified morphological and kinematical asymmetries to test for potential gravitational (e.g. galaxy-galaxy) or hydrodynamical (e.g. ram-pressure) interactions. Halpha emission was detected in 36 targets. 34 of the galaxies are members of two (proto-)clusters at z=1.47, confirming our selection strategy to be highly efficient. By fitting model velocity fields to the observed ones, we determined the intrinsic maximum rotation velocity Vmax of 14 galaxies. Utilizing the luminosity-velocity (Tully-Fisher) relation, we find that these galaxies are more luminous than their local counterparts of similar mass by up to ~4 mag in the rest-frame B-band. In contrast to field galaxies at z<1, the offsets of the z~1.5 (proto-)cluster galaxies from the local Tully-Fisher relation are not correlated with their star formation rates but with the ratio between Vmax and gas velocity dispersion sigma_g. This probably reflects that, as is observed in the field at similar redshifts, fewer disks have settled to purely rotational kinematics and high Vmax/sigma_g ratios. Due to relatively low galaxy velocity dispersions (sigma_v < 400 km/s) of the (proto-)clusters, gravitational interactions likely are more efficient, resulting in higher kinematical asymmetries, than in present-day clusters. (abbr.)Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 11 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

An Observational Limit on the Dwarf Galaxy Population of the Local Group

We present the results of an all-sky, deep optical survey for faint Local Group dwarf galaxies. Candidate objects were selected from the second Palomar survey (POSS-II) and ESO/SRC survey plates and follow-up observations performed to determine whether they were indeed overlooked members of the Local Group. Only two galaxies (Antlia and Cetus) were discovered this way out of 206 candidates. Based on internal and external comparisons, we estimate that our visual survey is more than 77% complete for objects larger than one arc minute in size and with a surface brightness greater than an extremely faint limit over the 72% of the sky not obstructed by the Milky Way. Our limit of sensitivity cannot be calculated exactly, but is certainly fainter than 25 magnitudes per square arc second in R, probably 25.5 and possibly approaching 26. We conclude that there are at most one or two Local Group dwarf galaxies fitting our observational criteria still undiscovered in the clear part of the sky, and a roughly a dozen hidden behind the Milky Way. Our work places the "missing satellite problem" on a firm quantitative observational basis. We present detailed data on all our candidates, including surface brightness measurements.Comment: 58 pages in AJ manuscript format; some figures at slightly reduced quality; accepted by the Astronomical Journa

Multiwavelength Study of NGC 281 Region

We present a multiwavelength study of the NGC 281 complex which contains the young cluster IC 1590 at the center, using deep wide-field optical UBVI_c photometry, slitless spectroscopy along with archival data sets in the near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray. The extent of IC 1590 is estimated to be ~6.5 pc. The cluster region shows a relatively small amount of differential reddening. The majority of the identified young stellar objects (YSOs) are low mass PMS stars having age <1-2 Myr and mass 0.5-3.5 M_\odot. The slope (\Gamma) of the mass function for IC 1590, in the mass range 2 < M/M_\odot \le 54, is found to be -1.11+-0.15. The slope of the K-band luminosity function (0.37+-0.07) is similar to the average value (~0.4) reported for young clusters. The distribution of gas and dust obtained from the IRAS, CO and radio maps indicates clumpy structures around the central cluster. The radial distribution of the young stellar objects, their ages, \Delta(H-K) NIR-excess, and the fraction of classical T Tauri stars suggest triggered star formation at the periphery of the cluster region. However, deeper optical, NIR and MIR observations are needed to have a conclusive view of star formation scenario in the region. The properties of the Class 0/I and Class II sources detected by using the Spitzer mid-infrared observations indicate that a majority of the Class II sources are X-ray emitting stars, whereas X-ray emission is absent from the Class 0/I sources. The spatial distribution of Class 0/I and Class II sources reveals the presence of three sub-clusters in the NGC 281 West region.Comment: 29 pages, 21 figures and 11 tables, Accepted for the publication in PAS

Internal kinematics of spiral galaxies in distant clusters III. Velocity fields from FORS2/MXU spectroscopy

(Abridged) We study the impact of cluster environment on the evolution of spiral galaxies by examining their structure and kinematics. Rather than two-dimensional rotation curves, we observe complete velocity fields by placing three adjacent and parallel FORS2 MXU slits on each object, yielding several emission and absorption lines. The gas velocity fields are reconstructed and decomposed into circular rotation and irregular motions using kinemetry. To quantify irregularities in the gas kinematics, we define three parameters: sigma_{PA} (standard deviation of the kinematic position angle), Delta phi (the average misalignment between kinematic and photometric position angles) and k_{3,5} (squared sum of the higher order Fourier terms). Using local, undistorted galaxies from SINGS, these can be used to establish the regularity of the gas velocity fields. Here we present the analysis of 22 distant galaxies in the MS0451.6-0305 field with 11 members at z=0.54. In this sample we find both field (4 out of 8) and cluster (3 out of 4) galaxies with velocity fields that are both irregular and asymmetric. We show that these fractions are underestimates of the actual number of galaxies with irregular velocity fields. The values of the (ir)regularity parameters for cluster galaxies are not very different from those of the field galaxies, implying that there are isolated field galaxies that are as distorted as the cluster members. None of the deviations in our small sample correlate with photometric/structural properties like luminosity or disk scale length in a significant way. Our 3D-spectroscopic method successfully maps the velocity field of distant galaxies, enabling the importance and efficiency of cluster specific interactions to be assessed quantitatively.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A, high resolution version available at http://www.astro.rug.nl/~kutdemir/papers