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Register a new userDynamical Evolution and Galaxy Populations in the Cluster ABCG 209 at z=0.2
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A. Mercurio
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The thesis work is focused on the analysis of the galaxy clusters ABCG 209, at z~0.2, which is characterized by a strong dynamical evolution. The data sample used is based mainly on new optical data (EMMI-NTT: B, V and R band images and MOS spectra), acquired in October 2001 at the European Southern Observatory in Chile. Archive optical data (CFHR12k: B and R images), and X-ray (Chandra) and radio (VLA) observations are also analysed. The main goal of the present analysis is the investigation of the connection between internal cluster dynamics and star formation history, aimed at understanding the complex mechanisms of cluster formation and evolution. The analysis of the internal dynamics of the cluster and the study of the galaxy luminosity function (LF) suggest an observational scenario in which ABCG 209 is undergoing a strong dynamical evolution with the merging of two or more subclumps along the SE-NW direction in a plane which is not parallel to the plane of sky. The effect of cluster environment on the global properties of the cluster galaxies is examined through the analysis of the LFs, colour-magnitude relations, and average colours.Moreover cluster dynamics and large-scale structure have a strong influence on galaxy evolution, so it is performed a detailed study of spectroscopic properties of 102 luminous member galaxies. All the results support an evolutionary scenario in which ABCG 209 is characterized by a sum of two components: an old galaxy population, formed very earlier (z >~ 3), and a younger population of infalling galaxies. Moreover this cluster may have experimented 1 or 2 Gyrs ago a merging with an infalling galaxy group, as indicated also by the previous dynamical analysis.
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We analyse the properties of galaxy populations in the rich Abell cluster ABCG 209 at redshift z~0.21, on the basis of spectral classification of 102 member galaxies. We take advantage of available structural parameters to study separately the properties of bulge-dominated and disk-dominated galaxies. The star formation histories of the cluster galaxy populations are investigated by using line strengths and the 4000 A break, through a comparison to stellar population synthesis models. The dynamical properties of different spectral classes are examined in order to infer the past merging history of ABCG 209. The cluster is characterized by the presence of two components: an old galaxy population, formed very early (z_f >~ 3.5), and a younger (z$_f >~ $ 1.2) population of infalling galaxies. We find evidence of a merger with an infalling group of galaxies occurred 3.5-4.5 Gyr ago. The correlation between the position of the young H_delta-strong galaxies and the X-ray flux shows that the hot intracluster medium triggered a starburst in this galaxy population ~ 3 Gyr ago.
We use semi-analytic models of structure formation to interpret gravitational lensing measurements of substructure in galaxy cluster cores (R<=250kpc/h) at z=0.2. The dynamic range of the lensing-based substructure fraction measurements is well matched to the theoretical predictions, both spanning f_sub~0.05-0.65. The structure formation model predicts that f_sub is correlated with cluster assembly history. We use simple fitting formulae to parameterize the predicted correlations: Delta_90 = tau_90 + alpha_90 * log(f_sub) and Delta_50 = tau_50 + alpha_50 * log(f_sub), where Delta_90 and Delta_50 are the predicted lookback times from z=0.2 to when each theoretical cluster had acquired 90% and 50% respectively of the mass it had at z=0.2. The best-fit parameter values are: alpha_90 = (-1.34+/-0.79)Gyr, tau_90 = (0.31+/-0.56)Gyr and alpha_50 = (-2.77+/-1.66)Gyr, tau_50 = (0.99+/-1.18)Gyr. Therefore (i) observed clusters with f_sub<~0.1 (e.g. A383, A1835) are interpreted, on average, to have formed at z>~0.8 and to have suffered <=10% mass growth since z~0.4, (ii) observed clusters with f_sub>~0.4 (e.g. A68, A773) are interpreted as, on average, forming since z~0.4 and suffering >10% mass growth in the ~500Myr preceding z=0.2, i.e. since z=0.25. In summary, observational measurements of f_sub can be combined with structure formation models to estimate the age and assembly history of observed clusters. The ability to ``age-date approximately clusters in this way has numerous applications to the large clusters samples that are becoming available.
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.
(abridged) We measure spectral indices for 1823 galaxies in the CNOC1 sample of fifteen X-ray luminous clusters at 0.18<z<0.55, to investigate the mechanisms responsible for differential evolution between the galaxy cluster and field environments. The radial trends of D4000, Hdelta and [OII] are all consistent with an age sequence, in the sense that the last episode of star formation occurred more recently in galaxies farthest from the cluster center. Throughout the cluster environment, galaxies show evidence for older mean stellar populations than field galaxies. From the subsample of galaxies more luminous than M_r=-18.8 + 5log h, we identify a sample of K+A galaxies, which may result from recently terminated star formation. Corrected for a systematic effect which results from the large uncertainties on individual spectral index measurements, we estimate that K+A galaxies make up only 1.5 +/- 0.8 % of the cluster sample, and 1.2 +/- 0.8 % of the field. We compare our data with spectrophotometric models and conclude that up to 1.9 +/- 0.8 % of the cluster population may have had its star formation recently truncated without a starburst. However, this is still not significantly greater than the fraction of such galaxies in the field, 3.1 +/- 1.0 %. Furthermore, we do not detect an excess of cluster galaxies that have unambiguously undergone a starburst within the last 1 Gyr. Our results imply that these cluster environments are not responsible for inducing starbursts; thus, the increase in cluster blue galaxy fraction with redshift may not be a strictly cluster--specific phenomenon. We suggest that the truncation of star formation in clusters may largely be a gradual process, perhaps due to the exhaustion of gas in the galactic disk over fairly long timescales.
We present an analysis of stellar populations in passive galaxies in seven massive X-ray clusters at z=0.19-0.89. Based on absorption line strengths measured from our high signal-to-noise spectra, the data support primarily passive evolution of the galaxies. We use the scaling relations between velocity dispersions and the absorption line strengths to determine representative mean line strengths for the clusters. From the age determinations based on the line strengths (and stellar population models), we find a formation redshift of z_form=1.96(-0.19,+0.24). Based on line strength measurements from high signal-to-noise composite spectra of our data, we establish the relations between velocity dispersion, ages, metallicities [M/H] and abundance ratios [alpha/Fe] as a function of redshift. The [M/H]-velocity dispersion and [alpha/Fe]-velocity dispersion relations are steep and tight. The age-velocity dispersion relation is flat, with zero point changes reflecting passive evolution. The scatter in all three parameters are within 0.08-0.15 dex at fixed velocity dispersions, indicating a large degree of synchronization in the evolution of the galaxies. We find indication of cluster-to-cluster differences in metallicities and abundance ratios. However, variations in stellar populations with the cluster environment can only account for a very small fraction of the intrinsic scatter in the scaling relations. Thus, within these very massive clusters the main driver of the properties of the stellar populations in passive galaxies appears to be the galaxy velocity dispersion.
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