42 research outputs found
Stellar populations and evolution of early-type cluster galaxies: Constraints from optical imaging and spectroscopy of z=0.5-0.9 galaxy clusters
We present an analysis of stellar populations and evolutionary history of
galaxies in three similarly rich galaxy clusters MS0451.6-0305 (z=0.54),
RXJ0152.7-1357 (z=0.83), and RXJ1226.9+3332 (z=0.89); based on high S/N
ground-based optical spectroscopy and HST imaging for 17-34 members in each
cluster. We find no indication of evolution of sizes or velocity dispersions
with redshift at a given dynamical galaxy mass. We establish the Fundamental
Plane (FP) and scaling relations between absorption line indices and velocity
dispersions. We confirm the steeper FP at z=0.86 compared to the low redshift
FP, indicating (under the assumption of passive evolution) the formation
redshift, z_form, depends on the galaxy velocity dispersion (or mass). z_form
varies from z_form=1.24+-0.05 at velocity dispersion of 125 km/s to 1.95+-0.25
at 225 km/s. The three clusters and the low redshift sample follow similar
scaling relations between absorption line indices and velocity dispersions. The
strength of the higher order Balmer lines Hdelta and Hgamma implies z_form>2.8.
From the line strengths we find that [M/H] for MS0451.6-0305 is about 0.2 dex
below that of the other clusters, and confirm our previous result that
[alpha/Fe] for RXJ0152.7-1357 is about 0.3 dex higher than that of the other
clusters. These differences between the high-redshift clusters and the low
redshift sample are inconsistent with a passive evolution scenario for
early-type cluster galaxies over the redshift interval studied. (abridged)Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomical Journal, 77 pages, uses
emulateapj.cls, 36 figures. High resolution color figures available by e-mail
request to the first autho
RXJ0848.6+4453: The Evolution of Galaxy Sizes and Stellar Populations in a z=1.27 Cluster
RXJ0848.6+4453 (Lynx W) at redshift 1.27 is part of the Lynx Supercluster of
galaxies. Our analysis of stellar populations and star formation history in the
cluster covers 24 members and is based on deep optical spectroscopy from Gemini
North and imaging data from HST. Focusing on the 13 bulge-dominated galaxies
for which we can determine central velocity dispersions, we find that these
show a smaller evolution of sizes and velocity dispersions than reported for
field galaxies and galaxies in poorer clusters. The galaxies in RXJ0848.6+4453
populate the Fundamental Plane similar to that found for lower redshift
clusters with a zero point offset corresponding to an epoch of last star
formation at z_form= 1.95+-0.2. The spectra of the galaxies in RXJ0848.6+4453
are dominated by young stellar populations at all galaxy masses and in many
cases show emission indicating low level on-going star formation. The average
age of the young stellar populations (estimated from H-zeta) is consistent with
a major star formation episode 1-2 Gyr prior, which in turn agrees with
z_form=1.95. Galaxies dominated by young stellar populations are distributed
throughout the cluster. We speculate that low level star formation has not yet
been fully quenched in the center of this cluster may be because the cluster is
significantly poorer than other clusters previously studied at similar
redshifts, which appear to have very little on-going star formation in their
centers.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomical Journal. High-resolution
figures available from the first author by reques
UCDs in the Coma Cluster
As part of the HST/ACS Coma Cluster Treasury Survey, we have undertaken a
Keck/LRIS spectroscopic campaign to determine membership for faint dwarf
galaxies. In the process, we discovered a population of Ultra Compact Dwarf
galaxies (UCDs) in the core region of the Coma cluster. At the distance of
Coma, UCDs are expected to have angular sizes 0.01 < R_e < 0.2 arcsec. With ACS
imaging, we can resolve all but the smallest ones with careful fitting.
Candidate UCDs were chosen based on magnitude, color, and degree of resolution.
We spectroscopically confirm 27 objects as bona fide UCD members of the Coma
cluster, a 60% success rate for objects targeted with M_R < -12. We attribute
the high success rate in part to the high resolution of HST data and to an
apparent large population of UCDs in Coma. We find that the UCDs tend to be
strongly clustered around giant galaxies, at least in the core region of the
cluster, and have a distribution and colors that are similar to globular
clusters. These findings suggest that UCDs are not independent galaxies, but
rather have a star cluster origin. This current study provides the dense
environment datapoint necessary for understanding the UCD population.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, to appear in the conference proceedings of "A
Universe of Dwarf Galaxies" (Lyon, June 14-18, 2010
Photometry Results for the Globular Clusters M10 and M12: Extinction Maps, Color-Magnitude Diagrams, and Variable Star Candidates
We report on photometry results of the equatorial globular clusters (GCs) M10
and M12. These two clusters are part of our sample of GCs which we are probing
for the existence of photometrically varying eclipsing binary stars. During the
search for binaries in M10 and M12, we discovered the signature of differential
reddening across the fields of the clusters. The effect is stronger for M10
than for M12. Using our previously described dereddening technique, we create
differential extinction maps for the clusters which dramatically improve the
appearance of the color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). Comparison of our maps with
the dust emissivity maps of Schlegel, Finkbeiner, & Davis (SFD) shows good
agreement in terms of spatial extinction features. Several methods of adding an
E_{V-I} zero point to our differential maps are presented of which isochrone
fitting proved to be the most successful. Our E_{V-I} values fall within the
range of widely varying literature values. More specifically, our reddening
zero point estimate for M12 agrees well with the SFD estimate, whereas the one
for M10 falls below the SFD value. Our search for variable stars in the
clusters produced a total of five variables: three in M10 and two in M12. The
M10 variables include a binary system of the W Ursa Majoris (W UMa) type, a
background RR Lyrae star, and an SX Phoenicis pulsator, none of which is
physically associated with M10. M12's variables are two W UMa binaries, one of
which is most likely a member of the cluster. We present the phased photometry
lightcurves for the variable stars, estimate their distances, and show their
locations in the fields and the CMDs of the GCs.Comment: 22 pages, 21 figures, to be published in AJ October 2002. For a
higher-resolution version of this paper, please visit
http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/~kaspar/M10_M12_photometry.ps.gz (gzipped
postscript) or http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/~kaspar/M10_M12_photometry.pdf
(pdf file
The Fundamental Plane in RX J0142.0+2131: a galaxy cluster merger at z=0.28
We present the Fundamental Plane (FP) in the z = 0.28 cluster of galaxies RX
J0142.0+2131. There is no evidence for a difference in the slope of the FP when
compared with the Coma cluster, although the internal scatter is larger. On
average, stellar populations in RX J0142.0+2131 have rest-frame V-band
mass-to-light ratios (M/L_V) 0.29+-0.03 dex lower than in Coma. This is
significantly lower than expected for a passively-evolving cluster formed at
z_f=2. Lenticular galaxies have lower average M/L_V and a distribution of M/L_V
with larger scatter than ellipticals. Lower mass-to-light ratios are not due to
recent star formation: our previous spectroscopic observations of RX
J0142.0+2131 E/S0 galaxies showed no evidence for significant star-formation
within the past ~4 Gyr. However, cluster members have enhanced alpha-element
abundance ratios, which may act to decrease M/L_V. The increased scatter in the
RX J0142.0+2131 FP reflects a large scatter in M/L_V implying that galaxies
have undergone bursts of star formation over a range of epochs. The seven
easternmost cluster galaxies, including the second brightest member, have M/L_V
consistent with passive evolution and z_f = 2. We speculate that RX
J0142.0+2131 is a cluster-cluster merger where the galaxies to the east are yet
to fall into the main cluster body or have not experienced star formation as a
result of the merger.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
The Luminosity Function of Nearby Galaxy Clusters II: Redshifts and Luminosity Function for Galaxies in the Region of the Centaurus Cluster
We acquired spectra for a random sample of galaxies within a 0.83 square
degree region centered on the core of the Centaurus cluster. Radial velocities
were obtained for 225 galaxies to limiting magnitudes of V < 19.5. Of the
galaxies for which velocities were obtained, we find 35% to be member galaxies.
Of the 78 member galaxies, magnitudes range from 11.8 < V < 18.5 (-21.6 < M_{V}
< -14.9 for H_o = 70 km s^-1 Mpc^-1) with a limiting central surface brightness
of \mu_o < 22.5 mag arcsec^-2. We constructed the cluster galaxy luminosity
function by using these spectroscopic results to calculate the expected
fraction of cluster members in each magnitude bin. The faint-end slope of the
luminosity function using this method is shallower than the one obtained using
a statistical method to correct for background galaxy contamination. We also
use the spectroscopy results to define surface brightness criteria to establish
membership for the full sample. Using these criteria, we find a luminosity
function very similar to the one constructed with the statistical background
correction. For both, we find a faint-end slope alpha ~ -1.4. Adjusting the
surface brightness membership criteria we find that the data are consistent
with a faint-end slope as shallow as -1.22 or as steep as -1.50. We describe in
this paper some of the limitations of using these methods for constructing the
galaxy luminosity function.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, accepted by A