454 research outputs found
A radial mass profile analysis of the lensing cluster MS2137-23
We reanalyze the strong lens modeling of the cluster of galaxies MS2137-23
using a new data set obtained with the ESO VLT. We found the photometric
redshifts of the two main arc systems are both at z=1.6. After subtraction of
the central cD star light of the HST image we found that only one object lying
underneath has the expected properties of the fifth image associated to the
tangential arc. We improve the previous lens modelings of the central dark
matter distribution of the cluster, using an isothermal model with a core (IS)
and the NFW-like model with a cusp. Without the fifth image, the arc properties
together with the shear map profile are equally well fit by the and by an IS
and a sub-class of generalized-NFW mass profiles having inner slope power index
in the range 0.7<alpha<1.2. Adding new constrains provided by the fifth image
favors IS profiles that better predict the fifth image properties. A model
including cluster galaxy perturbations or the the stellar mass distribution
does not change our conclusions but imposes the M/L_I of the cD stellar
component is below 10 at a 99% confidence level.
Using our new detailed lensing model together with Chandra X-ray data and the
cD stellar component we finally discuss intrinsic properties of the
gravitational potential. Whereas X-ray and dark matter have a similar shape at
various radius, the cD stellar isophotes are twisted by 13 deg. The sub-
arc-second azimuthal shift we observe between the radial arc position and the
predictions of elliptical models correspond to what is expected from a mass
distribution twist. This shift may result from a projection effect of the cD
and the cluster halos, thus revealing the triaxiality of the system.Comment: Final version accepted in A&
Extensive near-infrared (H-band) photometry in Coma
We present extensive and accurate photometry in the near-infrared H band of a
complete sample of objects in an area of about 400 arcmin2 toward the Coma
cluster of galaxies. The sample, including about 300 objects, is complete down
to H~17 mag, the exact value depending on the type of magnitude (isophotal,
aperture, Kron) and the particular region studied. This is six magnitudes below
the characteristic magnitude of galaxies, well into the dwarfs' regime at the
distance of the Coma cluster. For each object (star or galaxy) we provide
aperture magnitudes computed within five different apertures, the magnitude
within the 22 mag arcsec2 isophote, the Kron magnitude and radius, magnitude
errors, as well as the coordinates, the isophotal area, and a stellarity index.
Photometric errors are 0.2 mag at the completness limit. This sample is meant
to be the zero-redshift reference for evolutionary studies of galaxies.Comment: A&AS in press, paper, with high resolution images & tables are
available at http://oacosf.na.astro.it/~andreon/listapub.htm
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&
Very High-Redshift Lensed Galaxies
We review in this paper the main results recently obtained on the
identification and study of very high-z galaxies usinglensing clusters as
natural gravitational telescopes. We present in detail our pilot survey with
ISAAC/VLT, aimed at the detection of z>7 sources. Evolutionary synthesis models
for extremely metal-poor and PopIII starbursts have been used to derive the
observational properties expected for these high-z galaxies, such as expected
magnitudes and colors, line fluxes for the main emission lines, etc. These
models have allowed to define fairly robust selection criteria to find z~7-10
galaxies based on broad-band near-IR photometry in combination with the
traditional Lyman drop-out technique. The first results issued from our
photometric and spectroscopic survey are discussed, in particular the
preliminary confirmation rate, and the global properties of our high-z
candidates, including the latest results on the possible z=10.0 candidate
A1835-1916. The search efficiency should be significantly improved by the
future near-IR multi-object ground-based and space facilities. However, strong
lensing clusters remain a factor of ~5-10 more efficient than blank fields in
this redshift domain, within the FOV of a few arcminutes around the cluster
core, for the typical depth required for this survey project.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, Proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 225: The Impact
of Gravitational Lensing on Cosmology, Y. Mellier and G. Meylan, Ed
ISAAC/VLT observations of a lensed galaxy at z=10.0
We report the first likely spectroscopic confirmation of a z 10.0 galaxy from
our ongoing search for distant galaxies with ISAAC/VLT. Galaxy candidates at z
>~ 7 are selected from ultra-deep JHKs images in the core of gravitational
lensing clusters for which deep optical imaging is also available, including
HST data. The object reported here, found behind Abell 1835, exhibits a faint
emission line detected in the J band, leading to z=10.0 when identified as
Ly-a, in excellent agreement with the photometric redshift determination.
Redshifts z < 7 are very unlikely for various reasons we discuss. The object is
located on the critical lines corresponding to z=9 to 11. The magnification
factor \mu ranges from 25 to 100. For this object we estimate SFR(Ly-a)
(0.8-2.2) Msun/yr and SFR(UV) (47-75) Msun/yr, both uncorrected for lensing.
The steep UV slope indicates a young object with negligible dust extinction.
SED fits with young low-metallicity stellar population models yield (adopting
mu=25) a lensing corrected stellar mass of M*~8.e+6 Msun, and luminosities of
2.e+10 Lsun, corresponding to a dark matter halo of a mass of typically M_tot>~
5.e+8 Msun. In general our observations show that under excellent conditions
and using strong gravitational lensing direct observations of galaxies close to
the ``dark ages'' are feasible with ground-based 8-10m class telescopes.Comment: To be published in A&A, Vol. 416, p. L35. Press release information,
additional figures and information available at http://obswww.unige.ch/sfr
and http://webast.ast.obs-mip.fr/galaxie
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