167 research outputs found
Halpha-Derived Star-Formation Rates For Three z ~ 0.75 EDisCS Galaxy Clusters
We present Halpha-derived star-formation rates (SFRs) for three z ~ 0.75
galaxy clusters. Our 1 sigma flux limit corresponds to a star-formation rate of
0.10-0.24 solar mass per year, and our minimum reliable Halpha + [N II]
rest-frame equivalent width is 10\AA. We show that Halpha narrowband imaging is
an efficient method for measuring star formation in distant clusters. In two
out of three clusters, we find that the fraction of star-forming galaxies
increases with projected distance from the cluster center. We also find that
the fraction of star-forming galaxies decreases with increasing local galaxy
surface density in the same two clusters. We compare the median rate of star
formation among star-forming cluster galaxies to a small sample of star-forming
field galaxies from the literature and find that the median cluster SFRs are
\~50% less than the median field SFR. We characterize cluster evolution in
terms of the mass-normalized integrated cluster SFR and find that the z ~ 0.75
clusters have more SFR per cluster mass on average than the z <= 0.4 clusters
from the literature. The interpretation of this result is complicated by the
dependence of the mass-normalized SFR on cluster mass and the lack of
sufficient overlap in the mass ranges covered by the low and high redshift
samples. We find that the fraction and luminosities of the brightest starburst
galaxies at z ~ 0.75 are consistent with their being progenitors of the
post-starburst galaxies at z ~ 0.45 if the post-starburst phase lasts several
(~5) times longer than the starburst phase.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 20 pages, 24 figure
The build-up of the colour-magnitude relation in galaxy clusters since z~0.8
Using galaxy clusters from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey, we study how the
distribution of galaxies along the colour-magnitude relation has evolved since
z~0.8. While red-sequence galaxies in all these clusters are well described by
an old, passively evolving population, we confirm our previous finding of a
significant evolution in their luminosity distribution as a function of
redshift. When compared to galaxy clusters in the local Universe, the high
redshift EDisCS clusters exhibit a significant "deficit" of faint red galaxies.
Combining clusters in three different redshift bins, and defining as `faint'
all galaxies in the range 0.4 > L/L* > 0.1, we find a clear decrease in the
luminous-to-faint ratio of red galaxies from z~0.8 to z~0.4. The amount of such
a decrease appears to be in qualitative agreement with predictions of a model
where the blue bright galaxies that populate the colour-magnitude diagram of
high redshift clusters, have their star formation suppressed by the hostile
cluster environment. Although model results need to be interpreted with
caution, our findings clearly indicate that the red-sequence population of
high-redshift clusters does not contain all progenitors of nearby red-sequence
cluster galaxies. A significant fraction of these must have moved onto the
red-sequence below z~0.8.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The relation between star formation, morphology and local density in high redshift clusters and groups
We investigate how the [OII] properties and the morphologies of galaxies in
clusters and groups at z=0.4-0.8 depend on projected local galaxy density, and
compare with the field at similar redshifts and clusters at low-z. In both
nearby and distant clusters, higher-density regions contain proportionally
fewer star-forming galaxies, and the average [OII] equivalent width of
star-forming galaxies is independent of local density. However, in distant
clusters the average current star formation rate (SFR) in star-forming galaxies
seems to peak at densities ~15-40 galaxies Mpc^{-2}. At odds with low-z
results, at high-z the relation between star-forming fraction and local density
varies from high- to low-mass clusters. Overall, our results suggest that at
high-z the current star formation (SF) activity in star-forming galaxies does
not depend strongly on global or local environment, though the possible SFR
peak seems at odds with this conclusion. We find that the cluster SFR
normalized by cluster mass anticorrelates with mass and correlates with the
star-forming fraction. These trends can be understood given a) that the average
star-forming galaxy forms about 1 Msun/yr in all clusters; b) that the total
number of galaxies scales with cluster mass and c) the dependence of
star-forming fraction on cluster mass. We present the morphology-density (MD)
relation for our z=0.4-0.8 clusters, and uncover that the decline of the spiral
fraction with density is entirely driven by galaxies of types Sc or later. For
galaxies of a given Hubble type, we see no evidence that SF properties depend
on local environment. In contrast with recent findings at low-z, in our distant
clusters the SF-density relation and the MD-relation are equivalent, suggesting
that neither of the two is more fundamental than the other.(abr.)Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Determining the halo mass scale where galaxies lose their gas
A major question in galaxy formation is how the gas supply that fuels activity in galaxies is modulated by their environment. We use spectroscopy of a set of well characterized clusters and groups at ) of these old galaxies with weak [OII] emission. We use line ratios and compare to studies of local early type galaxies to conclude that this gas is likely excited by post-AGB stars and hence represents a diffuse gas component in the galaxies. For cluster and group galaxies the fraction with EW([OII])\AA\ is and respectively. For field galaxies we find , representing a 2.8 difference between the [OII] fractions for old galaxies between the different environments. We conclude that a population of old galaxies in all environments has ionized gas that likely stems from stellar mass loss. In the field galaxies also experience gas accretion from the cosmic web and in groups and clusters these galaxies have had their gas accretion shut off by their environment. Additionally, galaxies with emission preferentially avoid the virialized region of the cluster in position-velocity space. We discuss the implications of our results, among which is that gas accretion shutoff is likely effective at group halo masses (log~\msol) and that there are likely multiple gas removal processes happening in dense environments
The build-up of the colour-magnitude relation in galaxy clusters since z⌠0.8
Using galaxy clusters from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey, we study how the distribution of galaxies along the colour-magnitude relation has evolved since z⌠0.8. While red-sequence galaxies in all these clusters are well described by an old, passively evolving population, we confirm our previous finding of a significant evolution in their luminosity distribution as a function of redshift. When compared to galaxy clusters in the local Universe, the high-redshift EDisCS clusters exhibit a significant deficit of faint red galaxies. Combining clusters in three different redshift bins, and defining as âfaint' all galaxies in the range 0.4 âłL/L*âł 0.1, we find a clear decrease in the luminous-to-faint ratio of red galaxies from z⌠0.8 to âŒ0.4. The amount of such a decrease appears to be in qualitative agreement with predictions of a model where the blue bright galaxies that populate the colour-magnitude diagram of high-redshift clusters, have their star formation suppressed by the hostile cluster environment. Although model results need to be interpreted with caution, our findings clearly indicate that the red-sequence population of high-redshift clusters does not contain all progenitors of nearby red-sequence cluster galaxies. A significant fraction of these must have moved on to the red sequence below z⌠0.
Dust-Obscured Star-Formation in Intermediate Redshift Galaxy Clusters
We present Spitzer MIPS 24-micron observations of 16 0.4<z<0.8 galaxy
clusters drawn from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS). This is the first
large 24-micron survey of clusters at intermediate redshift. The depth of our
imaging corresponds to a total IR luminosity of 8x10^10 Lsun, just below the
luminosity of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), and 6^{+1}_{-1}% of M_V < -19
cluster members show 24-micron emission at or above this level. We compare with
a large sample of coeval field galaxies and find that while the fraction of
cluster LIRGs lies significantly below that of the field, the IR luminosities
of the field and cluster galaxies are consistent. However, the stellar masses
of the EDisCS LIRGs are systematically higher than those of the field LIRGs. A
comparison with optical data reveals that ~80% of cluster LIRGs are blue and
the remaining 20% lie on the red sequence. Of LIRGs with optical spectra,
88^{+4}_{-5}% show [O II] emission with EW([O II])>5A, and ~75% exhibit optical
signatures of dusty starbursts. On average, the fraction of cluster LIRGs
increases with projected cluster-centric radius but remains systematically
lower than the field fraction over the area probed (< 1.5xR200). The amount of
obscured star formation declines significantly over the 2.4 Gyr interval
spanned by the EDisCS sample, and the rate of decline is the same for the
cluster and field populations. Our results are consistent with an exponentially
declining LIRG fraction, with the decline in the field delayed by ~1 Gyr
relative to the clusters.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure
A high-affinity, bivalent PDZ domain inhibitor complexes PICK1 to alleviate neuropathic pain
Maladaptive plasticity involving increased expression of AMPAâtype glutamate receptors is involved in several pathologies, including neuropathic pain, but direct inhibition of AMPARs is associated with side effects. As an alternative, we developed a cellâpermeable, highâaffinity (~2 nM) peptide inhibitor, TatâPâ(C5), of the PDZ domain protein PICK1 to interfere with increased AMPAR expression. The affinity is obtained partly from the Tat peptide and partly from the bivalency of the PDZ motif, engaging PDZ domains from two separate PICK1 dimers to form a tetrameric complex. Bivalent TatâPâ(C5) disrupts PICK1 interaction with membrane proteins on supported cell membrane sheets and reduce the interaction of AMPARs with PICK1 and AMPAâreceptor surface expression in vivo. Moreover, TatâPâ(C5) administration reduces spinal cord transmission and alleviates mechanical hyperalgesia in the spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain. Taken together, our data reveal TatâPâ(C5) as a novel promising lead for neuropathic pain treatment and expand the therapeutic potential of bivalent inhibitors to nonâtandem proteinâprotein interaction domains
The ESO Distant Cluster Sample: galaxy evolution and environment out to z=1
The ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS, P.I. Simon D.M. White, LP 166.A-0162)
is an ESO large programme aimed at studying clusters and cluster galaxies at
z=0.4-1. How different is the evolution of the star formation activity in
clusters, in groups and in the field? Does it depend on cluster mass and/or the
local galaxy density? How relevant are starburst and post-starburst galaxies in
the different environments? Is there an evolution in the galaxies' structures,
and if so, is this related to the changes in their star formation activity?
These are some of the main questions that have been investigated using the
EDisCS dataset.Comment: to appear in The Messenger, issue June 200
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