(Abridged) We explore the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 with
KMOS spectroscopy of Halpha and [NII] covering a region that corresponds to
about one virial radius. Using published spectroscopic redshifts of 108
galaxies in and around the cluster we computed the location of galaxies in the
projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into
a virialized region of objects accreted longer ago (roughly inside half R200)
and a region of infalling galaxies. We measured oxygen abundances for ten
cluster galaxies with detected [NII] lines in the individual galaxy spectra and
compared the MZR of the galaxies inside half R200 with the infalling galaxies
and a field sample at similar redshifts. We find that the oxygen abundances of
individual z~1.5 star-forming cluster galaxies inside half R200 are comparable,
at the respective stellar mass, to the higher local SDSS metallicity values. We
find that the [NII]/Halpha line ratios inside half R200 are higher by 0.2 dex
and that the resultant metallicities of the galaxies in the inner part of the
cluster are higher by about 0.1 dex, at a given mass, than the metallicities of
infalling galaxies and of field galaxies at z~1.5. The enhanced metallicities
of cluster galaxies at z~1.5 inside half R200 indicate that the density of the
ICM in this massive cluster becomes high enough toward the cluster center such
that the ram pressure exceeds the restoring pressure of the hot gas reservoir
of cluster galaxies. This can remove the gas reservoir initiating quenching;
although the galaxies continue to form stars, albeit at slightly lower rates,
using the available cold gas in the disk which is not stripped.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&