Probing evolutionary mechanisms in galaxy clusters: H I in Abell 1367

Abstract

AbstractWe are carrying out a programme of CO and interferometric H I observations in the nearby galaxy cluster Abell 1367. The aim is to better understand the processes driving the evolution of the ISM in late‐type galaxies in the cluster environment. Abell 1367 is a dynamically young cluster. We have determined the H I content and g – i colour from AGES (Cortese 2008) and SDSS, respectively, of its bright late‐type galaxies (spirals) in a volume centred on the NW subcluster. We use a combination of these characteristics, both of which are indicative of evolutionary history, to classify each spiral into one of four evolutionary states. This analysis revealed the cluster contains spirals in a wide range of evolutionary states. VLA D‐array imaging centred on the NW subcluster indicates most galaxies in that field have their H I intensity maximum offset relative to its optical counterpart, implying a recent and strong disturbance. The direction of this offset is not always consistent with a simple scenario of ram pressure stripping by the cluster's high density intra‐cluster medium (ICM) (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)