2,245 research outputs found
X-ray Observations of Distant Optically Selected Cluster
We have measured fluxes or flux limits for 31 of the 79 cluster candidates in
the Palomar Distant Cluster Survey (PDCS) using archival ROSAT/PSPC pointed
observations. Our X-ray survey reaches a flux limit of erg s cm (0.4 - 2.0 keV), which corresponds to
luminosities of erg s ( = 50 km
s Mpc, = ), if we assume the PDCS estimated
redshifts. Of the 31 cluster candidates, we detect six at a signal-to-noise
greater than three. We estimate that (90% confidence
limits) of these six detections are a result of X-ray emission from objects
unrelated to the PDCS cluster candidates. The net surface density of X-ray
emitting cluster candidates in our survey, clusters
deg, agrees with that of other, X-ray selected, surveys. It is possible,
given the large error on our contamination rate, that we have not detected
X-ray emission from any of our observed PDCS cluster candidates. We find no
statistically significant difference between the X-ray luminosities of PDCS
cluster candidates and those of Abell clusters of similar optical richness.
This suggests that the PDCS contains objects at high redshift similar to the
low redshift clusters in the Abell catalogs. We show that the PDCS cluster
candidates are not bright X-ray sources, the average luminosity of the six
detected candidates is only erg s (0.4-2.0
keV). This finding is in agreement with previous X-ray studies of high
redshift, optically selected, rich clusters of galaxies.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX with AAS Preprint Macros (v. 4), 3 embedded
postscript figures, 3 Seperate Tables using aj_pt4.sty, Accepted by the
Astronomical Journal for November 199
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
The CFH Optical PDCS survey (COP) I: The Data
This paper presents and gives the COP (COP: CFHT Optical PDCS; CFHT:
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope; PDCS: Palomar Distant Cluster Survey) survey
data. We describe our photometric and spectroscopic observations with the MOS
multi-slit spectrograph at the CFH telescope. A comparison of the photometry
from the PDCS (Postman et al. 1996) catalogs and from the new images we have
obtained at the CFH telescope shows that the different magnitude systems can be
cross-calibrated. After identification between the PDCS catalogues and our new
images, we built catalogues with redshift, coordinates and V, I and
Rmagnitudes. We have classified the galaxies along the lines of sight into
field and structure galaxies using a gap technique (Katgert et al. 1996). In
total we have observed 18 significant structures along the 10 lines of sight.Comment: 40 pages, 13 figures, accepted in A
Environmental Dependence of the Fundamental Plane of Galaxy Clusters
Galaxy clusters approximate a planar (FP) distribution in a three-dimensional
parameter space which can be characterized by optical luminosity, half-light
radius, and X-ray luminosity. Using a high-quality catalog of cluster
redshifts, we find the nearest neighbor cluster for those common to an FP study
and the cluster catalog. Examining scatter about the FP, we find 99.2%
confidence that it is dependent on nearest neighbor distance. Our study of
X-Ray clusters finds that those with high central gas densities are
systematically closer to neighbor clusters. If we combine results here with
those of Fritsch and Buchert, we find an explanation for some of our previous
conclusions: Clusters in close proximity to other clusters are more likely to
have massive cooling flows because they are more relaxed and have higher
central gas densities.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters. Moderate
revisions, including more statistical analysis and discussion. Latex, 7 page
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