731 research outputs found
The use of Minimal Spanning Tree to characterize the 2D cluster galaxy distribution
We use the Minimal Spanning Tree to characterize the aggregation level of
given sets of points. We test 3 distances based on the histogram of the MST
edges to discriminate between the distributions. We calibrate the method by
using artificial sets following Poisson, King or NFW distributions. The
distance using the mean, the dispersion and the skewness of the histogram of
MST edges provides the more efficient results. We apply this distance to a
subsample of the ENACS clusters and we show that the bright galaxies are
significantly more aggregated than the faint ones. The contamination provided
by uniformly distributed field galaxies is neglectible. On the other hand, we
show that the presence of clustered groups on the same cluster line of sight
masked the variation of the distance with the considered magnitude.Comment: 9 pages, 7 postscript figures, LateX A\{&}A, accepted in A\{&}
Group analysis in the SSRS2 catalog
We present an automated method to detect populations of groups in galaxy
redshift catalogs. This method uses both analysis of the redshift distribution
along lines of sight in fixed cells to detect elementary structures and a
friend-of-friend algorithm to merge these elementary structures into physical
structures. We apply this method to the SSRS2 galaxy redshift catalog. The
groups detected with our method are similar to group catalogs detected with
pure friend-of-friend algorithms. They have similar mass distribution, similar
abundance versus redshift, similar 2-point correlation function and the same
redshift completeness limit, close to 5000 km/s. If instead of SSRS2, we use
catalogs of new generation, it would lead to a completeness limit of
z0.7. We model the luminosity function for nearby galaxy groups by a
Schechter function with parameters M*=(-19.99+/-0.36)+5logh and alpha=-1.46 +/-
0.17 to compute the mass to light ratio. The median value of the mass to light
ratio is 360 h M/L and we deduce a relation between mass to light ratio and
velocity dispersion sigma (M/L=3.79 +/- 0.64)sigma -(294 +/- 570)). The more
massive the group, the higher the mass to light ratio, and therefore, the
larger the amount of dark matter inside the group. Another explanation is a
significant stripping of the gas of the galaxies in massive groups as opposed
to low mass groups. This extends to groups of galaxies the mild tendency
already detected for rich clusters of galaxies. Finally, we detect a barely
significant fundamental plane for these groups but much less narrow than for
clusters of galaxies.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted in A&A, shortened abstrac
Cluster luminosity function and n^th ranked magnitude as a distance indicator
We define here a standard candle to determine the distance of clusters of
galaxies and to investigate their peculiar velocities by using the n^{th} rank
galaxy (magnitude m). We address the question of the universality of the
luminosity function for a sample of 28 rich clusters of galaxies () in order to model the influence on of cluster richness. This
luminosity function is found to be universal and the fit of a Schechter profile
gives and in the range
[-21,-17]. The uncorrected distance indicator is more efficient for the
first ranks n. With n=5, we have a dispersion of 0.61 magnitude for the
(m,5log(cz)) relation. When we correct for the richness effect and subtract
the background galaxies we reduce the uncertainty to 0.21 magnitude with n=15.
Simulations show that a large part of this dispersion originates from the
intrinsic scatter of the standard candle itself. These provide upper bounds on
the amplitude of cluster radial peculiar motions. At a confidence
level of 90%, the dispersion is 0.13 magnitude and is limited to
1200 km/s for our sample of clusters.Comment: 9 pages, 7 postscript figures, LateX A&A, accepted in A&
Coma cluster object populations down to M_R~-9.5
This study follows a recent analysis of the galaxy luminosity functions and
colour-magnitude red sequences in the Coma cluster (Adami et al. 2007). We
analyze here the distribution of very faint galaxies and globular clusters in
an east-west strip of arcmin crossing the Coma cluster
center (hereafter the CS strip) down to the unprecedented faint absolute
magnitude of M. This work is based on deep images obtained at the
CFHT with the CFH12K camera in the B, R, and I bands. The analysis shows that
the observed properties strongly depend on the environment, and thus on the
cluster history. When the CS is divided into four regions, the westernmost
region appears poorly populated, while the regions around the brightest
galaxies NGC 4874 and NGC 4889 (NGC 4874 and NGC 4889 being masked) are
dominated by faint blue galaxies. They show a faint luminosity function slope
of -2, very significantly different from the field estimates. Results are
discussed in the framework of galaxy destruction (which can explain part of the
very faint galaxy population) and of structures infalling on to Coma.Comment: To be published in A&
Unveiling hidden structures in the Coma cluster
We have assembled a large data-set of 613 galaxy redshifts in the Coma
cluster, the largest presently available for a cluster of galaxies. We have
defined a sample of cluster members complete to b, using a
membership criterion based on the galaxy velocity, when available, or on the
galaxy magnitude and colour, otherwise. Such a data set allows us to define
nearly complete samples within a region of 1~\Mpc\ radius, with a sufficient
number of galaxies per sample to make statistical analyses possible. Using this
sample and the {\em ROSAT} PSPC X--ray image of the cluster, we have
re-analyzed the structure and kinematics of Coma, by applying the wavelet and
adaptive kernel techniques. A striking coincidence of features is found in the
distributions of galaxies and hot intracluster gas. The two central dominant
galaxies, NGC4874 and NGC4889, are surrounded by two galaxy groups, mostly
populated with galaxies brighter than b and well separated in
velocity space. On the contrary, the fainter galaxies tend to form a single
smooth structure with a central peak coinciding in position with a secondary
peak detected in X--rays, and located between the two dominant galaxies; we
suggest to identify this structure with the main body of the Coma cluster. A
continuous velocity gradient is found in the central distribution of these
faint galaxies, a probable signature of tidal interactions rather than
rotation. There is evidence for a bound population of bright galaxies around
other brightest cluster members. Altogether, the Coma cluster structure seems
to be better traced by the faint galaxy population, the bright galaxies being
located in subclusters. We discuss this evidence in terms of an ongoing
accretion of groups onto the cluster.Comment: to appear in A&A, 19 pages, uuencoded gzipped postscript fil
A Turn-over in the Galaxy Luminosity Function of the Coma Cluster Core?
Our previous study of the faint end (R21.5) of the galaxy luminosity
function (GLF) was based on spectroscopic data in a small region near the Coma
cluster center. In this previous study Adami et al. (1998) suggested, with
moderate statistical significance, that the number of galaxies actually
belonging to the cluster was much smaller than expected. This led us to
increase our spectroscopic sample. Here, we have improved the statistical
significance of the results of the Coma GLF faint end study (R22.5) by
using a sample of 85 redshifts. This includes both new spectroscopic data and a
literature compilation. The relatively small number of faint galaxies belonging
to Coma that was suggested by Adami et al. (1998) and Secker et al. (1998) has
been confirmed with these new observations. We also confirm that the
color-magnitude relation is not well suited for finding the galaxies inside the
Coma cluster core, close to the center at magnitudes fainter than R19. We
show that there is an enhancement in the Coma line of sight of field galaxies
compared to classical field counts. This can be explained by the contribution
of groups and of a distant cluster along the line of sight. The
result is that the Coma GLF appears to turn-over or at least to become flat for
the faint galaxies. We suggest that this is due to environmental effects.Comment: 8 pages, 6 postscript figures, accepted in A&A, new table 1, updated
figure
On the galaxy luminosity function in the central regions of the Coma cluster
We have obtained new redshifts for 265 objects in the central
48~~25~arcmin region of the Coma cluster. When supplemented with
literature data, our redshift sample is 95~\% complete up to a magnitude
b=18.0 (the magnitudes are taken from the photometric sample of Godwin
et al. 1983). Using redshift-confirmed membership for 205 galaxies, and the
location in the colour-magnitude diagram for another 91 galaxies, we have built
a sample of cluster members which is complete up to b=20.0. We show
that the Coma cluster luminosity function cannot be adequately fitted by a
single Schechter (1976) function, because of a dip in the magnitude
distribution at b17. The superposition of an Erlang (or a Gauss)
and a Schechter function provides a significantly better fit. We compare the
luminosity function of Coma to those of other clusters, and of the field.
Luminosity functions for rich clusters look similar, with a maximum at , while the Virgo and the field luminosity
functions show a nearly monotonic behaviour. These differences may be produced
by physical processes related to the environment which affect the luminosities
of a certain class of cluster galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, uuencoded postscript file (figures included) Accepted for
publication on A&
- âŠ