175 research outputs found
The late merging phase of a galaxy cluster : XMM EPIC Observations of A3266
We present a mosaic of five XMM-Newton observations of the nearby
() merging galaxy cluster Abell 3266. We use the spectro-imaging
capabilities of \xmm to build precise (projected) temperature, entropy,
pressure and Fe abundance maps. The temperature map exhibits a curved,
large-scale hot region, associated with elevated entropy levels, very similar
to that foreseen in numerical simulations. The pressure distribution is
disturbed in the central region but is remarkably regular on large scales. The
Fe abundance map indicates that metals are inhomogeneously distributed across
the cluster. Using simple physical calculations and comparison with numerical
simulations, we discuss in detail merging scenarios that can reconcile the
observed gas density, temperature and entropy structure, and the galaxy density
distribution
Joint signal extraction from galaxy clusters in X-ray and SZ surveys: A matched-filter approach
The hot ionized gas of the intra-cluster medium emits thermal radiation in
the X-ray band and also distorts the cosmic microwave radiation through the
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. Combining these two complementary sources of
information through innovative techniques can therefore potentially improve the
cluster detection rate when compared to using only one of the probes. Our aim
is to build such a joint X-ray-SZ analysis tool, which will allow us to detect
fainter or more distant clusters while maintaining high catalogue purity. We
present a method based on matched multifrequency filters (MMF) for extracting
cluster catalogues from SZ and X-ray surveys. We first designed an X-ray
matched-filter method, analogous to the classical MMF developed for SZ
observations. Then, we built our joint X-ray-SZ algorithm by combining our
X-ray matched filter with the classical SZ-MMF, for which we used the physical
relation between SZ and X-ray observations. We show that the proposed X-ray
matched filter provides correct photometry results, and that the joint matched
filter also provides correct photometry when the relation
of the clusters is known. Moreover, the proposed joint algorithm provides a
better signal-to-noise ratio than single-map extractions, which improves the
detection rate even if we do not exactly know the relation.
The proposed methods were tested using data from the ROSAT all-sky survey and
from the Planck survey.Comment: 22 pages (before appendices), 19 figures, 3 tables, 5 appendices.
Accepted for publication in A&
Optical and ROSAT X-ray observations of the dwarf nova OY Carinae in superoutburst and quiescence
We present ROSAT X-ray and optical light curves of the 1994 February
superoutburst of the eclipsing SU UMa dwarf nova OY Carinae. There is no
eclipse of the flux in the ROSAT HRI light curve. Contemporaneous `wide B' band
optical light curves show extensive superhump activity and dips at superhump
maximum. Eclipse mapping of these optical light curves reveals a disc with a
considerable physical flare, even three days into the superoutburst decline.
We include a later (1994 July) ROSAT PSPC observation of OY Car that allows
us to put constraints on the quiescent X-ray spectrum. We find that while there
is little to choose between OY Car and its fellow high inclination systems with
regard to the temperature of the emitting gas and the emission measure, we have
difficulties reconciling the column density found from our X-ray observation
with the column found in HST UV observations by Horne et al. (1994). The
obvious option is to invoke time variability.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The stellar mass function of galaxies in Planck-selected clusters at 0.5 < z < 0.7: new constraints on the timescale and location of satellite quenching
We study the abundance of star-forming and quiescent galaxies in a sample of
21 massive clusters at 0.5<z<0.7, detected with the Planck satellite. We
measure the cluster galaxy stellar mass function (SMF), which is a fundamental
observable to study and constrain the formation and evolution of galaxies. Our
measurements are based on homogeneous and deep multi-band photometry spanning
u- to the Ks-band for each cluster and are supported by spectroscopic data from
different programs. The galaxy population is separated between quiescent and
star-forming galaxies based on their rest-frame U-V and V-J colours. The SMF is
compared to that of field galaxies at the same redshifts, using data from the
COSMOS/UltraVISTA survey. We find that the shape of the SMF of star-forming
galaxies does not depend on environment, while the SMF of quiescent galaxies
has a significantly steeper low-mass slope in the clusters compared to the
field. We estimate the environmental quenching efficiency (f_EQ), i.e. the
probability for a galaxy that would normally be star forming in the field, to
be quenched due to its environment. The f_EQ shows no stellar-mass dependence
in any environment, but it increases from 40% in the cluster outskirts to ~90%
in the cluster centres. The radial signature of f_EQ provides constraints on
where the dominant quenching mechanism operates in these clusters and on what
timescale. Exploring these using a simple model based on galaxy orbits obtained
from an N-body simulation, we find a clear degeneracy between both parameters.
For example, the quenching process may either be triggered on a long (~3 Gyr)
time scale at large radii (r~8R_500), or happen well within 1 Gyr at r<R_500.
The radius where quenching is triggered is at least r_quench> 0.67R_500
(95%CL). The ICM density at this location suggests that ram-pressure stripping
of the cold gas is a likely cause of quenching. [Abridged]Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Star formation and UV colors of the brightest Cluster Galaxies in the representative XMM-Newton Cluster Structure Survey
We present UV broadband photometry and optical emission-line measurements for
a sample of 32 Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) in clusters of the
Representative XMM-Newton Cluster Structure Survey (REXCESS) with z =
0.06-0.18. The REXCESS clusters, chosen to study scaling relations in clusters
of galaxies, have X-ray measurements of high quality. The trends of star
formation and BCG colors with BCG and host properties can be investigated with
this sample. The UV photometry comes from the XMM Optical Monitor, supplemented
by existing archival GALEX photometry. We detected H\alpha and forbidden line
emission in 7 (22%) of these BCGs, in optical spectra. All of the emission-line
BCGs occupy clusters classified as cool cores, for an emission-line incidence
rate of 70% for BCGs in cool core clusters. Significant correlations between
the H\alpha equivalent widths, excess UV production in the BCG, and the
presence of dense, X-ray bright intracluster gas with a short cooling time are
seen, including the fact that all of the H\alpha emitters inhabit systems with
short central cooling times and high central ICM densities. Estimates of the
star formation rates based on H\alpha and UV excesses are consistent with each
other in these 7 systems, ranging from 0.1-8 solar masses per year. The
incidence of emission-line BCGs in the REXCESS sample is intermediate, somewhat
lower than in other X-ray selected samples (-35%), and somewhat higher than but
statistically consistent with optically selected, slightly lower redshift BCG
samples (-10-15%). The UV-optical colors (UVW1-R-4.7\pm0.3) of REXCESS BCGs
without strong optical emission lines are consistent with those predicted from
templates and observations of ellipticals dominated by old stellar populations.
We see no trend in UV-optical colors with optical luminosity, R-K color, X-ray
temperature, redshift, or offset between X-ray centroid and X-ray peak ().Comment: 19 pages, 18 figures, 6 tables. Submitted, with minor revisions, to
ApJ
The X-ray Properties of Optically Selected Clusters of Galaxies
We present the results of Chandra and Suzaku X-ray observations of nine
moderate-redshift (0.16 < z < 0.42) clusters discovered via the Red-sequence
Cluster Survey (RCS). Surface brightness profiles are fitted to beta models,
gas masses are determined, integrated spectra are extracted within R2500, and
X-ray temperatures and luminosities are inferred. The Lx-Tx relationship
expected from self-similar evolution is tested by comparing this sample to our
previous X-ray investigation of nine high-redshift (0.6 < z < 1.0) optically
selected clusters. We find that optically selected clusters are systematically
less luminous than X-ray selected clusters of similar X-ray temperature at both
moderate and high-z. We are unable to constrain evolution in the Lx-Tx relation
with these data, but find it consistent with no evolution, within relatively
large uncertainties. To investigate selection effects, we compare the X-ray
properties of our sample to those of clusters in the representative X-ray
selected REXCESS sample, also determined within R2500. We find that while RCS
cluster X-ray properties span the entire range of those of massive clusters
selected by other methods, their average X-ray properties are most similar to
those of dynamically disturbed X-ray selected clusters. This similarity
suggests that the true cluster distribution might contain a higher fraction of
disturbed objects than are typically detected in X-ray selected surveys.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in MNRAS. Figure
quality reduced to comply with arXiv file size requirement
CHEX-MATE: pressure profiles of 6 galaxy clusters as seen by SPT and Planck
Pressure profiles are sensitive probes of the thermodynamic conditions and
the internal structure of galaxy clusters. The intra-cluster gas resides in
hydrostatic equilibrium within the Dark Matter gravitational potential.
However, this equilibrium may be perturbed, e.g. as a consequence of thermal
energy losses, feedback and non-thermal pressure supports. Accurate measures of
the gas pressure over the cosmic times are crucial to constrain the cluster
evolution as well as the contribution of astrophysical processes. In this work
we presented a novel algorithm to derive the pressure profiles of galaxy
clusters from the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) signal measured on a combination of
Planck and South Pole Telescope (SPT) observations. The synergy of the two
instruments made it possible to track the profiles on a wide range of spatial
scales. We exploited the sensitivity to the larger scales of the Planck
High-Frequency Instrument to observe the faint peripheries, and the higher
spatial resolution of SPT to solve the innermost regions. We developed a
two-step pipeline to take advantage of the specifications of each instrument.
We first performed a component separation on the two data-sets separately to
remove the background (CMB) and foreground (galactic emission) contaminants.
Then we jointly fitted a parametric pressure profile model on a combination of
Planck and SPT data. We validated our technique on a sample of 6 CHEX-MATE
clusters detected by SPT. We compare the results of the SZ analysis with
profiles derived from X-ray observations with XMM-Newton. We find an excellent
agreement between these two independent probes of the gas pressure structure.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, submitted to A&
Are fossil groups a challenge of the Cold Dark Matter paradigm?
We study six groups and clusters of galaxies suggested in the literature to
be `fossil' systems (i.e. to have luminous diffuse X-ray emission and a
magnitude gap of at least 2 mag-R between the first and the second ranked
member within half of the virial radius), each having good quality X-ray data
and SDSS spectroscopic or photometric coverage out to the virial radius. The
poor cluster AWM4 is clearly established as a fossil system, and we confirm the
fossil nature of four other systems (RXJ1331.5+1108, RXJ1340.6+4018,
RXJ1256.0+2556 and RXJ1416.4+2315), while the cluster RXJ1552.2+2013 is
disqualified as fossil system. For all systems we present the luminosity
functions within 0.5 and 1 virial radius that are consistent, within the
uncertainties, with the universal luminosity function of clusters. For the five
bona fide fossil systems, having a mass range 2x10^13-3x10^14 M_Sun, we compute
accurate cumulative substructure distribution functions (CSDFs) and compare
them with the CSDFs of observed and simulated groups/clusters available in the
literature. We demonstrate that the CSDFs of fossil systems are consistent with
those of normal observed clusters and do not lack any substructure with respect
to simulated galaxy systems in the cosmological LambdaCDM framework. In
particular, this holds for the archetype fossil group RXJ1340.6+4018 as well,
contrary to earlier claims.Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS. Minor changes in sections 2.1 and
6. 13 pages, 4 eps figure
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