The stellar mass function and evolution of the density profile of galaxy clusters from the Hydrangea simulations at 0 < z < 1.5

Abstract

ABSTRACT Galaxy clusters are excellent probes to study the effect of environment on galaxy formation and evolution. Along with high-quality observational data, accurate cosmological simulations are required to improve our understanding of galaxy evolution in these systems. In this work, we compare state-of-the-art observational data of massive galaxy clusters ($\gt 10^{14}\, \textrm {M}_{\odot }$) at different redshifts (0 < z < 1.5) with predictions from the Hydrangea suite of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations of 24 massive galaxy clusters ($\gt 10^{14}\, \textrm {M}_{\odot }$ at z = 0). We compare three fundamental observables of galaxy clusters: the total stellar mass-to-halo mass ratio, the stellar mass function, and the radial mass density profile of the cluster galaxies. In the first two of these, the simulations agree well with the observations, albeit with a slightly too high abundance of $M_\star \lesssim 10^{10} \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ galaxies at z ≳ 1. The Navarro–Frenk–White concentrations of cluster galaxies increase with redshift, in contrast to the decreasing dark matter (DM) halo concentrations. This previously observed behaviour is therefore due to a qualitatively different assembly of the smooth DM halo compared to the satellite population. Quantitatively, we, however, find a discrepancy in that the simulations predict higher stellar concentrations than observed at lower redshifts (z < 0.3), by a factor of ≈2. This may be due to selection bias in the simulations, or stem from shortcomings in the build-up and stripping of their inner satellite halo.