Tracing the mass profiles of galaxy clusters with member galaxies

The mass distribution of galaxy clusters can be determined from the study of the projected phase-space distribution of cluster galaxies. The main advantage of this method as compared to others, is that it allows determination of cluster mass profiles out to very large radii. Here I review recent analyses and results on this topic. In particular, I briefly describe the Jeans and Caustic methods, and the problems one has to face in applying these methods to galaxy systems. Then, I summarize the most recent and important results on the mass distributions of galaxy groups, clusters, and superclusters. Additional covered topics are the relative distributions of the dark and baryonic components, and the orbits of galaxies in clusters.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, invited review at the XXIst IAP Colloquium "Mass Profiles and Shapes of Cosmological Structures", Paris 4-9 July 2005, Editors: G. Mamon, F. Combes, C. Deffayet, B. Fort, EDP Sciences, in pres

Galaxies in Present-day Clusters: Evolutionary Constraints from Their Distributions and Kinematics

We discuss evidence in local, present-day clusters of galaxies (from the ENACS survey) about the way in which those clusters have evolved and about the evolutionary relationships between the galaxies of different morphological types in them. This evidence is complementary to that obtained from the study of clusters at intermediate and high redshifts. We argue that the spatial distribution and the kinematics of the various types of galaxies in and outside substructures support the following picture. The ELLIPTICAL AND S0 GALAXIES have been around for a long time and have obtained an isotropic velocity distribution. The spatial distribution and kinematics of the EARLY SPIRALS are consistent with the idea that many of their kind have transformed into an S0, but that they have survived, most likely because of their velocities. The distribution and kinematics of the LATE SPIRALS are consistent with a picture in which they have been accreted fairly recently. They have mildly radial orbits and hardly populate the central regions, most likely because they suffer tidal disruption. Finally, the distribution and kinematics of the GALAXIES IN SUBSTRUCTURES, when taken at face value, imply tangential velocity anisotropy for these galaxies, but this result may be (partly) due to the procedure by which these galaxies are selected. A first attempt to take the effects of selection into account shows that isotropic (or even mildly radial) orbits of subcluster galaxies cannot be excluded.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the IAU colloquium No. 195: "Outskirts of Galaxy Clusters: intense life in the suburbs", A. Diaferio ed. (invited contribution

Mass, velocity anisotropy, and pseudo phase-space density profiles of Abell 2142

Aim: We aim to compute the mass and velocity anisotropy profiles of Abell 2142 and, from there, the pseudo phase--space density profile $Q(r)$ and the density slope - velocity anisotropy $\beta - \gamma$ relation, and then to compare them with theoretical expectations. Methods: The mass profiles were obtained by using three techniques based on member galaxy kinematics, namely the caustic method, the method of Dispersion - Kurtosis, and MAMPOSSt. Through the inversion of the Jeans equation, it was possible to compute the velocity anisotropy profiles. Results: The mass profiles, as well as the virial values of mass and radius, computed with the different techniques agree with one another and with the estimates coming from X-ray and weak lensing studies. A concordance mass profile is obtained by averaging the lensing, X-ray, and kinematics determinations. The cluster mass profile is well fitted by an NFW profile with $c=4.0 \pm 0.5$. The population of red and blue galaxies appear to have a different velocity anisotropy configuration, since red galaxies are almost isotropic, while blue galaxies are radially anisotropic, with a weak dependence on radius. The $Q(r)$ profile for the red galaxy population agrees with the theoretical results found in cosmological simulations, suggesting that any bias, relative to the dark matter particles, in velocity dispersion of the red component is independent of radius. The $\beta - \gamma$ relation for red galaxies matches the theoretical relation only in the inner region. The deviations might be due to the use of galaxies as tracers of the gravitational potential, unlike the non--collisional tracer used in the theoretical relation.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures. Consolidated version including the Corrigendum published on A&

The ESO Nearby Abell Cluster Survey. XIII. The orbits of the different types of galaxies in rich clusters

We study the orbits of the various types of galaxies observed in the ESO Nearby Abell Cluster Survey. Galaxies within and outside substructures are considered separately. We use the mass profile we determined from the distribution and kinematics of the early-type galaxies (i.e. ellipticals, excluding the brightest ones, and S0s) outside substructures; the latter were assumed to be on isotropic orbits, which is supported by the shape of their velocity distribution. The projected distribution and kinematics of the galaxies of other types are used to search for equilibrium solutions in the gravitational potential derived from the early-type galaxies, using the method described by Binney and Mamon as implemented by Solanes and Salvador-Sole'. For the brightest ellipticals we are not able to construct equilibrium solutions. This is most likely the result of the formation history and the special location of these galaxies at the centres of their clusters. The data for the early spirals allow equilibrium solutions and are consistent with isotropic orbits, although there is an apparent radial anisotropy at about 0.45 r200. For the late spirals an equilibrium solution with isotropic orbits is rejected by the data. The orbits are nearly isotropic within about 0.7 r200, but then become increasingly radial outwards. Finally, the data for the galaxies in substructures indicate that isotropic solutions are not acceptable, and tangential orbits are indicated. We briefly discuss the possible implications of these velocity-anisotropy profiles for current ideas of the evolution and transformation of galaxies in clusters. (Abridged)Comment: A&A, accepted. 13 pages, 10 figure

RASS-SDSS Galaxy Cluster Survey. VII. On the Cluster Mass to Light ratio and the Halo Occupation Distribution

We explore the mass-to-light ratio in galaxy clusters and its relation to the cluster mass. We study the relations among the optical luminosity ($L_{op}$), the cluster mass ($M_{200}$) and the number of cluster galaxies within $r_{200}$ ($N_{gal}$) in a sample of 217 galaxy clusters with confirmed 3D overdensity. We correct for projection effects, by determining the galaxy surface number density profile in our cluster sample. This is best fitted by a cored King profile in low and intermediate mass systems. The core radius decreases with cluster mass, and, for the highest mass clusters, the profile is better represented by a generalized King profile or a cuspy Navarro, Frenk & White profile. We find a very tight proportionality between $L_{op}$ and $N_{gal}$, which, in turn, links the cluster mass-to-light ratio to the Halo Occupation Distribution $N_{gal}$ vs. $M_{200}$. After correcting for projection effects, the slope of the $L_{op}-M_{200}$ and $N_{gal}-M_{200}$ relations is found to be $0.92\pm0.03$, close, but still significantly less than unity. We show that the non-linearity of these relations cannot be explained by variations of the galaxy luminosity distributions and of the galaxy M/L with the cluster mass. We suggest that the nonlinear relation between number of galaxies and cluster mass reflects an underlying nonlinear relation between number of subhaloes and halo mass.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The AGN fraction - velocity dispersion relation in clusters of galaxies

Some previous investigations have found that the fraction (f_AGN) of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is lower in clusters than in the field. This can result from the suppression of galaxy-galaxy mergers in high-velocity dispersion (sigma_v) clusters, if the formation and/or fueling of AGNs is directly related to the merging process. We investigate the existence of a relation between f_AGN and sigma_v in galaxy clusters in order to shed light on the formation and evolution processes of AGNs and cluster galaxies. Using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey we determine f_AGN and sigma_v for the clusters in two samples, extracted from the catalogs of Popesso et al. (2006a) and Miller et al. (2005), and excluding clusters with significant evidence for substructures. We find a significant f_AGN-sigma_v anti-correlation. Clusters with sigma_v lower and, respectively, higher than 500 km/s have AGN fractions of $0.21 \pm 0.01$ and $0.15 \pm 0.01$, on average. The f_AGN-sigma_v relation can be described by a model that assumes f_AGN is proportional to the galaxies merging rate, plus a constant. Since f_AGN increases with decreasing sigma_v, AGNs are likely to have played a significant role in heating the intra-cluster medium and driving galaxy evolution in cluster precursors and groups.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, A&A Letter accepted for publicatio