Constituent Galaxies Research Articles

Tracing the Total Stellar Mass and Star Formation of High-redshift Protoclusters

As the progenitors of present-day galaxy clusters, protoclusters are excellent laboratories to study galaxy evolution. Since existing observations of protoclusters are limited to the detected constituent galaxies at UV and/or infrared wavelengths, the details of how typical galaxies grow in these young, pre-virialized structures remain uncertain. We measure the total stellar mass and star formation within protoclusters, including the contribution from faint undetected members by performing a stacking analysis of 211 z = 2–4 protoclusters selected as Planck cold sources. We stack Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and Herschel/SPIRE images to measure the angular size and the spectral energy distribution of the integrated light from the protoclusters. The fluxes of protoclusters selected as Planck cold sources can be contaminated by line-of-sight interlopers. Using the WebSky simulation, we estimate that a single protocluster contributes 33% ± 15% of the flux of a Planck cold source on average. After this correction, we obtain a total star formation rate of 7.3 ± 3.2 × 103 M ⊙yr−1 and a total stellar mass of 4.9 ± 2.2 × 1012 M ⊙. Our results indicate that protoclusters have, on average, 2× more star formation and 4× more stellar mass than the total contribution from individually detected galaxies in spectroscopically confirmed protoclusters. This suggests that much of the total flux within z = 2–4 protoclusters comes from galaxies with luminosities lower than the detection limit of SPIRE (L IR < 3 × 1012 L ⊙). Lastly, we find that protoclusters subtend a half-light radius of 2.′8 (4.2–5.8 cMpc), which is consistent with simulations.

Implications of the Milky Way Travel Velocity for Dynamical Mass Estimates of the Local Group

The total mass of the Local Group (LG) is a fundamental quantity that enables interpreting the orbits of its constituent galaxies and placing the LG in a cosmological context. One of the few methods that allows inferring the total mass directly is the “Timing Argument,” which models the relative orbit of the Milky Way (MW) and M31 in equilibrium. The MW itself is not in equilibrium, a byproduct of its merger history and including the recent pericentric passage of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and recent work has found that the MW disk is moving with a lower bound “travel velocity” of ∼32 km s−1 with respect to the outer stellar halo. Previous Timing Argument measurements have attempted to account for this nonequilibrium state, but have been restricted to theoretical predictions for the impact of the LMC specifically. In this paper, we quantify the impact of a travel velocity on recovered LG mass estimates using several different compilations of recent kinematic measurements of M31. We find that incorporating the measured value of the travel velocity lowers the inferred LG mass by 10%–12% compared to a static MW halo. Measurements of the travel velocity with more distant tracers could yield even larger values, which would further decrease the inferred LG mass. Therefore, the newly measured travel velocity directly implies a lower LG mass than from a model with a static MW halo and must be considered in future dynamical studies of the Local Volume.

The Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey (AGES)

Context. Many galaxy properties are known to correlate with the environment in which the galaxies are embedded. Their cold, neutral gas content, which is usually assessed through 21 cm H I observations, is related to many other galaxy properties as it is the underlying fuel for star formation. With its high sensitivity and broad sky coverage the blind Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey (AGES) brings significant improvement to the census of H I properties of galaxies in a wide range of environments, from voids to the core of a massive cluster. Here we present an H I census over a volume of ∼44 000 Mpc3 towards the merging cluster Abell 1367 and extending well beyond. Aims. We measure the effects that different environments have on the H I content of their constituent galaxies. Methods. We use AGES- a deep, blind, H I survey carried out with the Arecibo radio telescope, which covers 20 square degrees on the sky centred on the merging cluster Abell 1367, mapping the large-scale structure (LSS) surrounding the cluster out to cz = 20 000 km s−1. The survey is sensitive down to a column density of NH I = 1.5 × 1017 cm−2 for emission filling the beam and a line width of 10 km s−1. As an approximate mass sensitivity limit, a member of A1367 (at a distance of 92 Mpc), containing MH I = 2.7 × 108 M⊙ distributed over a top-hat profile of 50 km s−1 width would be detected at 4σ. The results are analysed in combination with optical spectroscopy data from SDSS which we use to estimate the local galaxy density based on the Voronoi-Delaunay method. Results. We present the results of the complete AGES survey of the A1367 field. In total, we detect 457 H I sources, 213 of which are detected for the first time by the AGES survey, and 134 of which are presented in this article for the first time. Of the 457 detections, 225 are in the cluster and 232 are in the remaining volume surveyed. Here we present the full catalogue of H I detections and their basic properties, including optical ones. We concentrate on the difference between the cluster and the foreground and background LSS, revealing a continuous correlation of H I-detected fraction (and H I deficiency) with local galaxy density, independent of global environment.

Comprehensive Gas Characterization of a z = 2.5 Protocluster: A Cluster Core Caught in the Beginning of Virialization?

Abstract In order to connect galaxy clusters to their progenitor protoclusters, we must constrain the star formation histories within their member galaxies and the timescale of virial collapse. In this paper we characterize the complex star-forming properties of a z = 2.5 protocluster in the COSMOS field using ALMA dust continuum and new Very Large Array CO (1–0) observations of two filaments associated with the structure, sometimes referred to as the “Hyperion” protocluster. We focus in particular on the protocluster “core,” which has previously been suggested as the highest-redshift bona fide galaxy cluster traced by extended X-ray emission in a stacked Chandra/XMM image. We reanalyze these data and refute these claims, finding that at least 40% ± 17% of extended X-ray sources of similar luminosity and size at this redshift arise instead from inverse Compton scattering off recently extinguished radio galaxies rather than intracluster medium. Using ancillary COSMOS data, we also constrain the spectral energy distributions of the two filaments’ eight constituent galaxies from the rest-frame UV to radio. We do not find evidence for enhanced star formation efficiency in the core and conclude that the constituent galaxies are already massive (M ⋆ ≈ 1011 M ⊙), with molecular gas reservoirs &gt;1010 M ⊙ that will be depleted within 200–400 Myr. Finally, we calculate the halo mass of the nested core at z = 2.5 and conclude that it will collapse into a cluster of (2–9) × 1014 M ⊙, comparable to the size of the Coma Cluster at z = 0 and accounting for at least 50% of the total estimated halo mass of the extended “Hyperion” structure.

Quantified diffuse light in compact groups of galaxies

ABSTRACT The vast majority of stars in galaxy groups are contained within their constituent galaxies. Some small fraction of stars is expected, however, to follow the global dark matter (DM) potential of the group. In compact groups, interactions between the galaxies should be frequent. This leads to a more intensive material stripping from the group members, which finally forms an intra-group light component (IGL). Therefore, the distribution of the IGL should be related to the distribution of the total mass in the compact group and its dynamical status. In this study, we consider the distribution and fraction of the IGL in a sample of 36 Hickson compact groups (HCGs). We use deep observations of these compact groups (down to surface brightness ∼28 mag arcsec−2 in the r band) obtained with the WISE 28-in. telescope. For five HCGs with a bright symmetric IGL component, we carry out multicomponent photometric decomposition to simultaneously fit the galaxy profiles and the IGL. For the remaining groups, we only fit the profiles of their constituent galaxies. We find that the mean surface brightness of the IGL correlates with the mean morphology of the group: it becomes brighter in the groups with a larger fraction of early-type galaxies. On the other hand, the IGL brightness depends on the total luminosity of the group. The IGL profile tends to have a Sérsic index n ∼ 0.5−1, which is generally consistent with the mass density profile of DM haloes in compact groups obtained from cosmological simulations.

Intracluster light: a luminous tracer for dark matter in clusters of galaxies

The bulk of stars in galaxy clusters are confined within their constituent galaxies. Those stars do not trace the extended distribution of dark matter well as they are located in the central regions of the cluster's dark matter sub-halos. A small fraction of stars is expected, however, to follow the global dark matter shape of the cluster. These are the stars whose extended spatial distribution results from the merging activity of galaxies and form the intracluster light (ICL). In this work, we compare the bi-dimensional distribution of dark matter in massive galaxy clusters (as traced by gravitational lensing models) with the distribution of the ICL. To do that, we use the superb data from the Hubble Frontier Fields Initiative. Using the Modified Hausdorff distance (MHD) as a way of quantifying the similarities between the mass and ICL distributions, we find an excellent agreement (MHD~25 kpc) between the two components. This result shows that the ICL exquisitely follows the global dark matter distribution, providing an accurate luminous tracer of dark matter. This finding opens up the possibility of exploring the distribution of dark matter in galaxy clusters in detail using only deep imaging observations.

Linear Tidal Vestige Found in the WM Sheet

Abstract We present a vestige of the linear tidal influence on the spin orientations of the constituent galaxies of the WM sheet discovered in the vicinity of the Virgo Cluster and the Local Void. The WM sheet is chosen as an optimal target since it has a rectangular parallelepiped-like shape whose three sides are in parallel with the supergalactic Cartesian axes. Determining three probability density functions of the absolute values of the supergalactic Cartesian components of the spin vectors of the WM sheet galaxies, we investigate their alignments with the principal directions of the surrounding large-scale tidal field. When the WM sheet galaxies located in the central region within the distance of 2 h −1 Mpc are excluded, the spin vectors of the remaining WM sheet galaxies are found to be weakly aligned, strongly aligned, and strongly anti-aligned with the minor, intermediate, and major principal directions of the surrounding large-scale tidal field, respectively. To examine whether or not the origin of the observed alignment tendency from the WM sheet is the linear tidal effect, we infer the eigenvalues of the linear tidal tensor from the axial ratios of the WM sheet with the help of the Zeldovich approximation and conduct a full analytic evaluation of the prediction of the linear tidal torque model for the three probability density functions. A detailed comparison between the analytical and the observational results reveals a good quantitative agreement not only in the behaviors but also in the amplitudes of the three probability density functions.

The clustering and bias of radio-selected AGN and star-forming galaxies in the COSMOS field

Dark matter haloes in which galaxies reside are likely to have a significant impact on their evolution. We investigate the link between dark matter haloes and their constituent galaxies by measuring the angular two-point correlation function of radio sources, using recently released 3 GHz imaging over $\sim 2 \ \mathrm{deg}^2$ of the COSMOS field. We split the radio source population into Star Forming Galaxies (SFGs) and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), and further separate the AGN into radiatively efficient and inefficient accreters. Restricting our analysis to $z<1$, we find SFGs have a bias, $b = 1.5 ^{+0.1}_{-0.2}$, at a median redshift of $z=0.62$. On the other hand, AGN are significantly more strongly clustered with $b = 2.1\pm 0.2$ at a median redshift of 0.7. This supports the idea that AGN are hosted by more massive haloes than SFGs. We also find low-accretion rate AGN are more clustered ($b = 2.9 \pm 0.3$) than high-accretion rate AGN ($b = 1.8^{+0.4}_{-0.5}$) at the same redshift ($z \sim 0.7$), suggesting that low-accretion rate AGN reside in higher mass haloes. This supports previous evidence that the relatively hot gas that inhabits the most massive haloes is unable to be easily accreted by the central AGN, causing them to be inefficient. We also find evidence that low-accretion rate AGN appear to reside in halo masses of $M_{h} \sim 3-4 \times 10^{13}h^{-1}$M$_{\odot}$ at all redshifts. On the other hand, the efficient accreters reside in haloes of $M_{h} \sim 1-2 \times 10^{13}h^{-1}$M$_{\odot}$ at low redshift but can reside in relatively lower mass haloes at higher redshifts. This could be due to the increased prevalence of cold gas in lower mass haloes at $z \ge 1$ compared to $z<1$.

From voids to filaments: environmental transformations of galaxies in the SDSS

We investigate the impact of filament and void environments on galaxies, looking for residual effects beyond the known relations with environment density. We quantified the host environment of galaxies as the distance to the spine of the nearest filament, and compared various galaxy properties within 12 bins of this distance. We considered galaxies up to 10 $h^{-1}$Mpc from filaments, i.e. deep inside voids. The filaments were defined by a point process (the Bisous model) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 10. In order to remove the dependence of galaxy properties on the environment density and redshift, we applied weighting to normalise the corresponding distributions of galaxy populations in each bin. After the normalisation with respect to environment density and redshift, several residual dependencies of galaxy properties still remain. Most notable is the trend of morphology transformations, resulting in a higher elliptical-to-spiral ratio while moving from voids towards filament spines, bringing along a corresponding increase in the $g-i$ colour index and a decrease in star formation rate. After separating elliptical and spiral subsamples, some of the colour index and star formation rate evolution still remains. The mentioned trends are characteristic only for galaxies brighter than about $M_{r} = -20$ mag. Unlike some other recent studies, we do not witness an increase in the galaxy stellar mass while approaching filaments. The detected transformations can be explained by an increase in the galaxy-galaxy merger rate and/or the cut-off of extragalactic gas supplies (starvation) near and inside filaments. Unlike voids, large-scale galaxy filaments are not a mere density enhancement, but have their own specific impact on the constituent galaxies, reducing the star formation rate and raising the chances of elliptical morphology also at a fixed environment density level.

The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in a constrained hydrodynamical simulation: morphological evolution

We study the two main constituent galaxies of a constrained simulation of the Local Group as candidates for the Milky Way (MW) and Andromeda (M31). We focus on the formation of the stellar discs and its relation to the formation of the group as a rich system with two massive galaxies, and investigate the effects of mergers and accretion as drivers of morphological transformations. We use a state-of-the-art hydrodynamical code which includes star formation, feedback and chemical enrichment to carry out our study. We run two simulations, where we include or neglect the effects of radiation pressure from stars, to investigate the impact of this process on the morphologies and star formation rates of the simulated galaxies. We find that the simulated M31 and MW have different formation histories, even though both inhabit, at z=0, the same environment. These differences directly translate into and explain variations in their star formation rates, in-situ fractions and final morphologies. The M31 candidate has an active merger history, as a result of which its stellar disc is unable to survive unaffected until the present time. In contrast, the MW candidate has a smoother history with no major mergers at late times, and forms a disc that grows steadily; at z=0 the simulated MW has an extended, rotationally-supported disc which is dominant over the bulge. Our two feedback implementations predict similar evolution of the galaxies and their discs, although some variations are detected, the most important of which is the formation time of the discs: in the model with weaker/stronger feedback the discs form earlier/later. In summary, by comparing the formation histories of the two galaxies, we conclude that the particular merger/accretion history of a galaxy rather than its environment at the LG-scales is the main driver of the formation and subsequent growth or destruction of galaxy discs.

Star formation in the massive cluster merger Abell 2744

We present a comprehensive study of star-forming (SF) galaxies in the HST Frontier Field recent cluster merger A2744 (z=0.308). Wide-field, ultraviolet-infrared (UV-IR) imaging enables a direct constraint of the total star formation rate (SFR) for 53 cluster galaxies, with SFR{UV+IR}=343+/-10 Msun/yr. Within the central 4 arcmin (1.1 Mpc) radius, the integrated SFR is complete, yielding a total SFR{UV+IR}=201+/-9 Msun/yr. Focussing on obscured star formation, this core region exhibits a total SFR{IR}=138+/-8 Msun/yr, a mass-normalised SFR{IR} of Sigma{SFR}=11.2+/-0.7 Msun/yr per 10^14 Msun and a fraction of IR-detected SF galaxies f{SF}=0.080(+0.010,-0.037). Overall, the cluster population at z~0.3 exhibits significant intrinsic scatter in IR properties (total SFR{IR}, Tdust distribution) apparently unrelated to the dynamical state: A2744 is noticeably different to the merging Bullet cluster, but similar to several relaxed clusters. However, in A2744 we identify a trail of SF sources including jellyfish galaxies with substantial unobscured SF due to extreme stripping (SFR{UV}/SFR{IR} up to 3.3). The orientation of the trail, and of material stripped from constituent galaxies, indicates that the passing shock front of the cluster merger was the trigger. Constraints on star formation from both IR and UV are crucial for understanding galaxy evolution within the densest environments.

HERSCHEL-ATLAS: A BINARY HyLIRG PINPOINTING A CLUSTER OF STARBURSTING PROTOELLIPTICALS

Panchromatic observations of the best candidate HyLIRG from the widest Herschel extragalactic imaging survey have led to the discovery of at least four intrinsically luminous z=2.41 galaxies across a ~100-kpc region - a cluster of starbursting proto-ellipticals. Via sub-arcsecond interferometric imaging we have measured accurate gas and star-formation surface densities. The two brightest galaxies span ~3 kpc FWHM in submm/radio continuum and CO J=4-3, and double that in CO J=1-0. The broad CO line is due partly to the multitude of constituent galaxies and partly to large rotational velocities in two counter-rotating gas disks -- a scenario predicted to lead to the most intense starbursts, which will therefore come in pairs. The disks have M(dyn) of several x 10^11 Msun, and gas fractions of ~40%. Velocity dispersions are modest so the disks are unstable, potentially on scales commensurate with their radii: these galaxies are undergoing extreme bursts of star formation, not confined to their nuclei, at close to the Eddington limit. Their specific star-formation rates place them ~>5x above the main sequence, which supposedly comprises large gas disks like these. Their high star-formation efficiencies are difficult to reconcile with a simple volumetric star-formation law. N-body and dark matter simulations suggest this system is the progenitor of a B(inary)-type ~10^14.6-Msun cluster.

Properties of Molecular Gas in Galaxies in Early and Mid Stages of the Interaction. I. Distribution of Molecular Gas

Abstract We present the results of $ ^{12}$ CO (J$ =$ 1–0) mapping observations toward four interacting galaxies in early and mid stages of the interaction in order to understand the behavior of molecular gas in galaxy–galaxy interactions. The observations were carried out using the 45-m telescope at Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO). We compared our CO total flux to those previously obtained with single-dish observations, and found that there is no discrepancy between them. By applying a typical CO–H$ _{2}$ conversion factor, it was found that all constituent galaxies have molecular gas mass of more than 10$ ^{9}$ . Comparisons to H I, K$ _{\rm s}$, and tracers of star formation, such as H$ \alpha$ , FUV, 8 $ \mu$ m, and 24 $ \mu$ m, revealed that the distribution of molecular gas in interacting galaxies in the early stage of the interaction differs from atomic gas, stars, and star-forming regions. These differences can not be explained without the result of the interaction. The central concentration of molecular gas of interacting galaxies in the early stage of the interaction is lower than that of isolated galaxies, which suggests that molecular gas is distributed off-centre, and/or extends in the beginning of the interaction.

The cluster of galaxies LCDCS-S001 - II. r′ and i′ photometry, morphological analysis and improved kinematic parameters

We present photometric parameters of the galaxies in the direction of the galaxy cluster LCDCS-S001 and improved kinematic parameters from new spectroscopic observations. From GMOS multi-object spectroscopy, we have been able to confirm a new set of 10 cluster members, resulting in a total 22 objects from previous observations. With these data, a dispersion velocity of σ= 887 ± 249 km s−1, a virial radius R200= 0.98 ± 0.22 Mpc and a mass of M200= (5.4 ± 2.8) × 1014 M⊙ have been derived. From GMOS i′ and r′ images, we have extracted the individual sources and derived their magnitudes, relative positions and the bulge+disc brightness profile decomposition. We show that the cluster has an elongated morphology along the north–south direction, with ellipticity ɛ= 0.49 ± 0.14, well represented by a King model with a core radius RC= 283 ± 66 kpc, above the typical core radii of regular clusters. It shows at least one local overdensity, north-west from the cluster centre, very compact and with a very high central density. The i′ luminosity function of LCDCS-S001 has an almost flat faint-end, α=−1.16 ± 0.18. As for the constituent galaxies, we have found that a large fraction of the cluster galaxies are late-type systems. Extensive simulations were made in order to verify the validity of our conclusions. We discuss the implication of these results for the evolutionary status of LCDCS-S001 and conclude that this cluster is still dynamically young.

EXAMINING THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENT IN A COMPREHENSIVE SAMPLE OF COMPACT GROUPS

(Abridged) Compact groups, with their high number densities, small velocity dispersions, and an interstellar medium that has not been fully processed, provide a local analog to conditions of galaxy interactions in the earlier universe. The frequent and prolonged gravitational encounters that occur in compact groups affect the evolution of the constituent galaxies in a myriad of ways, for example gas processing and star formation. Recently, a statistically significant "gap" has been discovered mid-infrared IRAC colorspace of compact group galaxies. This gap is not seen in field samples and is a new example of how the compact group environment may affect the evolution of member galaxies. In order to investigate the origin and nature of this gap, we have compiled a sample of 49 compact groups. We find that a statistically significant deficit of galaxies in this gap region of IRAC colorspace is persistant in this sample, lending support to the hypothesis that the compact group environment inhibits moderate SSFRs. We note a curvature in the colorspace distribution, which is fully consistent with increasing dust temperature as the activity in a galaxy increases. This full sample of 49 compact groups allows us to subdivide the data according to physical properties of the groups. An analysis of these subsamples indicates that neither projected physical diameter nor density show a trend in colorspace within the values represented by this sample. We hypothesize that the apparent lack of a trend is due to the relatively small range of properties in this sample. Thus, the relative influence of stochastic effects becomes dominant. We analyze spectral energy distributions of member galaxies as a function of their location in colorspace and find that galaxies in different regions of MIR colorspace contain dust with varying temperatures and/or PAH emission.

THE EVOLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTS OF X-RAY EMITTING ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN HIGH-REDSHIFT LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURES

We use deep Chandra imaging and an extensive optical spectroscopy campaign on the Keck 10-m telescopes to study the properties of X-ray point sources in five large-scale structures at redshifts of z ~ 0.7-0.9. We first study X-ray point sources using the statistical measure of cumulative source counts, finding that the measured overdensities are consistent with previous results, but we recommend caution in overestimating the precision of the technique. Optical spectroscopy of objects matched to X-ray point sources confirms a total of 27 AGN within the five structures, and we find that their host galaxies tend to be located away from dense cluster cores. More than 36% of host galaxies are located in the `green valley', which suggests they are a transitional population. Based on analysis of OII and Hd line strengths, the average spectral properties of the AGN host galaxies in all structures indicate either on-going star formation or a starburst within ~ 1 Gyr, and the host galaxies are younger than the average galaxy in the parent population. These results indicate a clear connection between starburst and nuclear activity. We use composite spectra of the spectroscopically confirmed members in each structure to separate them based on a measure of the overall evolutionary state of their constituent galaxies. We define structures as having more evolved populations if their average galaxy has lower EW(OII) and EW(Hd). The AGN in the more evolved structures have lower rest-frame 0.5-8 keV X-ray luminosities (all below 10^43.3 erg s^-1) and longer times since a starburst than those in the less evolved structures, suggesting that the peak of both star formation and AGN activity has occurred at earlier times. With the wide range of evolutionary states and timeframes in the structures, we use our results to analyze the evolution of X-ray AGN and evaluate potential triggering mechanisms.

THE MERGER HISTORY, ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS, AND DWARF GALAXIES OF HICKSON COMPACT GROUP 59

Compact group galaxies often appear unaffected by their unusually dense environment. Closer examination can, however, reveal the subtle, cumulative effects of multiple galaxy interactions. Hickson Compact Group (HCG) 59 is an excellent example of this situation. We present a photometric study of this group in the optical (HST), infrared (Spitzer) and X-ray (Chandra) regimes aimed at characterizing the star formation and nuclear activity in its constituent galaxies and intra-group medium. We associate five dwarf galaxies with the group and update the velocity dispersion, leading to an increase in the dynamical mass of the group of up to a factor of 10 (to 2.8e13 Msun), and a subsequent revision of its evolutionary stage. Star formation is proceeding at a level consistent with the morphological types of the four main galaxies, of which two are star-forming and the other two quiescent. Unlike in some other compact groups, star-forming complexes across HCG 59 closely follow mass-radius scaling relations typical of nearby galaxies. In contrast, the ancient globular cluster populations in galaxies HCG 59A and B show intriguing irregularities, and two extragalactic HII regions are found just west of B. We age-date a faint stellar stream in the intra-group medium at ~1 Gyr to examine recent interactions. We detect a likely low-luminosity AGN in HCG 59A by its ~10e40 erg/s X-ray emission; the active nucleus rather than star formation can account for the UV+IR SED. We discuss the implications of our findings in the context of galaxy evolution in dense environments.

DISCOVERY AND COSMOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SPT-CL J2106-5844, THE MOST MASSIVE KNOWN CLUSTER AT z&gt;1

ABSTRACT Using the South Pole Telescope (SPT), we have discovered the most massive known galaxy cluster at z&gt;1, SPT-CL J2106-5844. In addition to producing a strong Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signal, this system is a luminous X-ray source and its numerous constituent galaxies display spatial and color clustering, all indicating the presence of a massive galaxy cluster. Very Large Telescope and Magellan spectroscopy of 18 member galaxies shows that the cluster is at z = 1.132+0.002 −0.003. Chandra observations obtained through a combined HRC-ACIS GTO program reveal an X-ray spectrum with an Fe K line redshifted by z = 1.18 ± 0.03. These redshifts are consistent with the galaxy colors found in optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared imaging. SPT-CL J2106-5844 displays extreme X-ray properties for a cluster having a core-excluded temperature of TX = 11.0+2.6 −1.9 keV and a luminosity (within r 500) of LX (0.5–2.0 keV) = (13.9 ± 1.0) × 1044 erg s−1. The combined mass estimate from measurements of the SZ effect and X-ray data is M 200 = (1.27 ± 0.21) × 1015 h −1 70 M ☉. The discovery of such a massive gravitationally collapsed system at high redshift provides an interesting laboratory for galaxy formation and evolution, and is a probe of extreme perturbations of the primordial matter density field. We discuss the latter, determining that, under the assumption of ΛCDM cosmology with only Gaussian perturbations, there is only a 7% chance of finding a galaxy cluster similar to SPT-CL J2106-5844 in the 2500 deg2 SPT survey region and that only one such galaxy cluster is expected in the entire sky.

Galaxy Zoo: the fraction of merging galaxies in the SDSS and their morphologies

We present the largest, most homogeneous catalogue of merging galaxies in the nearby Universe obtained through the Galaxy Zoo project – an interface on the World Wide Web enabling large-scale morphological classification of galaxies through visual inspection of images from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The method converts a set of visually inspected classifications for each galaxy into a single parameter (the ‘weighted-merger-vote fraction,’fm) which describes our confidence that the system is part of an ongoing merger. We describe how fm is used to create a catalogue of 3003 visually selected pairs of merging galaxies from the SDSS in the redshift range 0.005 < z < 0.1. We use our merger sample and values of fm applied to the SDSS Main Galaxy Spectral sample to estimate that the fraction of volume-limited (Mr < −20.55) major mergers (1/3 < M*1/M*2 < 3) in the nearby Universe is 1–3 ×C per cent, where C∼ 1.5 is a correction factor for spectroscopic incompleteness. Having visually classified the morphologies of the constituent galaxies in our mergers, we find that the spiral-to-elliptical ratio of galaxies in mergers is higher by a factor of ∼2 relative to the global population. In a companion paper, we examine the internal properties of these merging galaxies and conclude that this high spiral-to-elliptical ratio in mergers is due to a longer time-scale over which mergers with spirals are detectable compared to mergers with ellipticals.

WINGS-SPE Spectroscopy in the WIde-field Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey

Aims. We present the results from a comprehensive spectroscopic survey of the WINGS (WIde-field Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey) clusters, a program called WINGS-SPE. The WINGS-SPE sample consists of 48 clusters, 22 of which are in the southern sky and 26 in the north. The main goals of this spectroscopic survey are: (1) to study the dynamics and kinematics of the WINGS clusters and their constituent galaxies, (2) to explore the link between the spectral properties and the morphological evolution in different density environments and across a wide range in cluster X-ray luminosities and optical properties. Methods. Using multi object fiber fed spectrographs, we observed our sample of WINGS cluster galaxies at an intermediate resolu- tion of 6-9 A and, using a cross-correlation technique, we measured redshifts with a mean accuracy of about 45 km/s. Results. We present redshift measurements for 6137 galaxies and their first analyses. Details of the spectroscopic observations are reported. The WINGS-SPE has about 30% overlap with previously published data sets, allowing us to do both a complete comparison with the literature and to extend the catalogs. Conclusions. Using our redshifts, we calculate the velocity dispersion for all the clusters in the WINGS-SPE sample. We almost trip- licate the number of member galaxies known in each cluster with respect to previous works. We also investigate the X-ray luminosity vs. velocity dispersion relation for our WINGS-SPE clusters, and find it to be consistent with the form Lx proportional to sigma^4.