We show that spherical infall models (SIMs) can better describe some galaxy clusters in redshift slice space than in traditional axially-convolved projection space. This is because in SIM, the presence of transverse motion between cluster and observe
r, and/or shear flow about the cluster (such as rotation), causes the infall artifact to tilt, obscuring the characteristic two-trumpet profile; and some clusters resemble such tilted artifacts. We illustrate the disadvantages of applying SIM to convolved data and, as an alternative, introduce a method fitting a tilted 2D envelope to determine a 3D envelope. We also introduce a fitting algorithm and test it on toy SIM simulations as well as three clusters (Virgo, A1459, and A1066). We derive relations useful for using the tilt and width-to-length ratio of the fitted envelopes to analyze peculiar velocities. We apply them to our three clusters as a demonstration. We find that transverse motion between cluster and observer can be ruled out as sole cause of the observed tilts, and that a multi-cluster study could be a feasible way to find our infall toward Virgo cluster.
Using SDSS-DR7, we construct a sample of 42382 galaxies with redshifts in the region of 20 galaxy clusters. Using two successive iterative methods, the adaptive kernel method and the spherical infall model, we obtained 3396 galaxies as members belong
ing to the studied sample. The 2D projected map for the distribution of the clusters members is introduced using the 2D adaptive kernel method to get the clusters centers. The cumulative surface number density profile for each cluster is fitted well with the generalized King model. The core radii of the clusters sample are found to vary from 0.18 Mpc $mbox{h}^{-1}$ (A1459) to 0.47 Mpc $mbox{h}^{-1}$ (A2670) with mean value of 0.295 Mpc $mbox{h}^{-1}$. The infall velocity profile is determined using two different models, Yahil approximation and Praton model. Yahil approximation is matched with the distribution of galaxies only in the outskirts (infall regions) of many clusters of the sample, while it is not matched with the distribution within the inner core of the clusters. Both Yahil approximation and Praton model are matched together in the infall region for about 9 clusters in the sample but they are completely unmatched for the clusters characterized by high central density. For these cluster, Yahil approximation is not matched with the distribution of galaxies, while Praton model can describe well the infall pattern of such clusters.
