No Arabic abstract
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.
We present a photometric and spectroscopic study of stellar populations in the X-ray-luminous cluster of galaxies RXJ0142.0+2131 at z=0.280. This paper analyses the results of high signal-to-noise spectroscopy, as well as g-, r-, and i-band imaging, using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on Gemini North. Of 43 spectroscopic targets, we find 30 cluster members over a range in color. Central velocity dispersions and absorption-line strengths for lines in the range 3700A < lambda_rest < 5800A are derived for cluster members, and are compared with a low-redshift sample of cluster galaxies, and single stellar population (SSP) models. We use a combination of these indicators to estimate luminosity-weighted mean ages, metallicities ([M/H]), and alpha-element abundance ratios ([alpha/Fe]). RXJ0142.0+2131 is a relatively poor cluster and lacks galaxies with high central velocity dispersions. Although the red sequence and the Faber-Jackson relation are consistent with pure passive evolution of the early-type population with a formation redshift of z_form = 2, the strengths of the 4000A break and scaling relations between metal line indices and velocity dispersion reject this model with high significance. By inverting SSP models for the Hbeta_G, Mgb, and <Fe> line indices, we calculate that, at a given velocity dispersion and metallicity, galaxies in RXJ0142.0+2131 have luminosity-weighted mean ages 0.14 +- 0.07 dex older than the low-redshift sample. We also find that [alpha/Fe] in stellar populations in RXJ0142.0+2131 is 0.14 +- 0.03 greater than at low redshift. All scaling relations are consistent with these estimated offsets. (abridged)
We present a study of the galaxy population in the cluster RX J1053.7+5735, one of the most distant X-ray selected clusters of galaxies, which also shows an unusual double-lobed X-ray morphology, indicative of a possible equal-mass cluster merger. Using Keck-DEIMOS spectroscopic observations of galaxies in the 2x1.5 arcmin region surrounding RX J1053.7+5735, we secured redshifts for six galaxies in the range 1.129 < z < 1.139, with a mean redshift <z>=1.134. The mean redshift agrees well with the cluster X-ray redshift previously estimated from the cluster X-ray Fe-K line, confirming the presence of a cluster at z~1.135. Galaxies with concordant redshifts are located in both eastern and western sub-clusters of the double cluster structure, indicating that both sub-clusters are at similar redshifts. This result is also consistent with a previous claim that both eastern and western X-ray lobes have similar X-ray redshifts. Based on their separation of ~ 250 kpc/h, these results support the interpretation that RX J1053.7+5735 is an equal-mass cluster merger taken place at z ~ 1, although further direct evidence for dynamical state of the cluster is needed for a more definitive statement about the cluster merging state. The six galaxies have a line-of-sight velocity dispersion = 650 km/s. All six galaxies show clear absorption features of CaII H & K, and several Balmer lines, typical of early galaxies at the present epoch, in agreement with their I-K colors. A color-magnitude diagram, constructed from deep optical/NIR observations of the RX J1053.7+5735 field, shows a clear red color sequence. There is an indication that the red sequence in RX J1053.7+5735 lies ~ 0.3 to the blue of the Coma line, qualitatively consistent with previous studies investigating other clusters at z ~ 1.
We report the discovery of a galaxy cluster serendipitously detected as an extended X-ray source in an offset observation of the group NGC 5044. The cluster redshift, z=0.281, determined from the optical spectrum of the brightest cluster galaxy, agrees with that inferred from the X-ray spectrum using the Fe K alpha complex of the hot ICM (z=0.27 +/- 0.01). Based on the 50 ks XMM observation, we find that within a radius of 383 kpc the cluster has an unabsorbed X-ray flux, f_X (0.5-2 keV) = 3.34 (+0.08, -0.13) x 10^{-13} erg/cm^2/s, a bolometric X-ray luminosity, L_X = 2.21 (+0.34, -0.19) x 10^{44} erg/s, kT = 3.57 +/- 0.12 keV, and metallicity, 0.60 +/- 0.09 solar. The cluster obeys the scaling relations for L_X and T observed at intermediate redshift. The mass derived from an isothermal NFW model fit is, M_vir = 3.89 +/- 0.35 x 10^{14} solar masses, with a concentration parameter, c = 6.7 +/- 0.4, consistent with the range of values expected in the concordance cosmological model for relaxed clusters. The optical properties suggest this could be a ``fossil cluster.
We present the Fundamental Plane (FP) for 38 early-type galaxies in the two rich galaxy clusters RXJ0152.7-1357 (z=0.83) and RXJ1226.9+3332 (z=0.89), reaching a limiting magnitude of M_B =-19.8 mag in the rest frame of the clusters. While the zero point offset of the FP for these high redshift clusters relative to our low redshift sample is consistent with passive evolution with a formation redshift of z_form ~ 3.2, the FP for the high redshift clusters is not only shifted as expected for a mass-independent z_form, but rotated relative to the low redshift sample. Expressed as a relation between the galaxy masses and the mass-to-light ratios the FP is significantly steeper for the high redshift clusters than found at low redshift. We interpret this as a mass dependency of the star formation history, as has been suggested by other recent studies. The low mass galaxies (10^10.3 M_sun) have experienced star formation as recently as z ~ 1.35 (1.5 Gyr prior to their look back time), while galaxies with masses larger than 10^11.3 M_sun had their last major star formation episode at z > 4.5.
We present data for 16 galaxies in the overdensity JKCS 041 at $z simeq 1.80$ as part of the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) Cluster Survey (KCS). With 20-hour integrations, we have obtained deep absorption-line spectra from which we derived velocity dispersions for seven quiescent galaxies. We combined photometric parameters derived from Hubble Space Telescope images with the dispersions to construct a fundamental plane (FP) for quiescent galaxies in JKCS 041. From the zero-point evolution of the FP, we derived a formation redshift for the galaxies of $z_{form} = 3.0pm0.3$, corresponding to a mean age of $1.4pm0.2$ Gyrs. We tested the effect of structural and velocity dispersion evolution on our FP zero point and found a negligible contribution when using dynamical mass-normalized parameters ($sim 3%$), but a significant contribution from stellar-mass-normalized parameters ($sim 42 %$). From the relative velocities of the galaxies, we probed the three-dimensional structure of these 16 confirmed members of JKCS 041, and found that a group of galaxies in the south west of the overdensity had systematically higher velocities. We derived ages for the galaxies in the different groups from the FP. We found the east-extending group had typically older galaxies ($2.1substack{+0.3-0.2}$ Gyrs), than those in the south-west group ($0.3pm0.2$ Gyrs). Although based on small numbers, the overdensity dynamics, morphology, and age results could indicate that JKCS 041 is in formation and may comprise two merging groups of galaxies. The result could link large-scale structure to ages of galaxies for the first time at this redshift.