Ram Pressure Research Articles

When the well runs dry: modelling environmental quenching of high-mass satellites in massive clusters at z ≳ 1

ABSTRACT We explore models of massive (>1010 M⊙) satellite quenching in massive clusters at z ≳ 1 using an MCMC framework, focusing on two primary parameters: Rquench (the host-centric radius at which quenching begins) and τquench (the time-scale upon which a satellite quenches after crossing Rquench). Our MCMC analysis shows two local maxima in the 1D posterior probability distribution of Rquench at approximately 0.25 and 1.0 R200. Analysing four distinct solutions in the τquench–Rquench parameter space, nearly all of which yield quiescent fractions consistent with observational data from the GOGREEN survey, we investigate whether these solutions represent distinct quenching pathways and find that they can be separated between ‘starvation’ and ‘core quenching’ scenarios. The starvation pathway is characterized by quenching time-scales that are roughly consistent with the total cold gas (H2 + H i) depletion time-scale at intermediate z, while core quenching is characterized by satellites with relatively high line-of-sight velocities that quench on short time-scales (∼0.25 Gyr) after reaching the inner region of the cluster (<0.30 R200). Lastly, we break the degeneracy between these solutions by comparing the observed properties of transition galaxies from the GOGREEN survey. We conclude that only the ‘starvation’ pathway is consistent with the projected phase-space distribution and relative abundance of transition galaxies at z ∼ 1. However, we acknowledge that ram pressure might contribute as a secondary quenching mechanism.

The effect of cluster dynamical state on ram-pressure stripping

ABSTRACT Theoretical and observational studies have suggested that ram-pressure stripping (RPS) by the intracluster medium can be enhanced during cluster interactions, boosting the formation of the ‘jellyfish’ galaxies. In this work, we study the incidence of galaxies undergoing RPS in 52 clusters of different dynamical states. We use optical data from the WINGS/OmegaWINGS surveys and archival X-ray data to characterize the dynamical state of our cluster sample, applying eight different proxies. We then compute the number of RPS candidates relative to the infalling population of blue late-type galaxies within a fixed circular aperture in each cluster. We find no clear correlation between the fractions of RPS candidates and the different cluster dynamical state proxies considered. These fractions also show no apparent correlation with cluster mass. To construct a dynamical state classification closer to a merging ‘sequence’, we perform a visual classification of the dynamical states of the clusters, combining information available in optical, X-ray, and radio wavelengths. We find a mild increase in the RPS fraction in interacting clusters with respect to all other classes (including post-mergers). This mild enhancement could hint at a short-lived enhanced RPS in ongoing cluster mergers. However, our results are not statistically significant due to the low galaxy numbers. We note this is the first homogeneous attempt to quantify the effect of cluster dynamical state on RPS using a large cluster sample, but even larger (especially wider) multiwavelength surveys are needed to confirm the results.

VERTICO. VII. Environmental Quenching Caused by the Suppression of Molecular Gas Content and Star Formation Efficiency in Virgo Cluster Galaxies

We study how environment regulates the star formation cycle of 33 Virgo Cluster satellite galaxies on 720 pc scales. We present the resolved star-forming main sequence for cluster galaxies, dividing the sample based on their global H i properties and comparing to a control sample of field galaxies. H i–poor cluster galaxies have reduced star formation rate (SFR) surface densities with respect to both H i–normal cluster and field galaxies (∼0.5 dex), suggesting that mechanisms regulating the global H i content are responsible for quenching local star formation. We demonstrate that the observed quenching in H i–poor galaxies is caused by environmental processes such as ram pressure stripping (RPS), simultaneously reducing the molecular gas surface density and star formation efficiency (SFE) compared to regions in H i–normal systems (by 0.38 and 0.22 dex, respectively). We observe systematically elevated SFRs that are driven by increased molecular gas surface densities at fixed stellar mass surface density in the outskirts of early stage RPS galaxies, while SFE remains unchanged with respect to the field sample. We quantify how RPS and starvation affect the star formation cycle of inner and outer galaxy disks as they are processed by the cluster. We show both are effective quenching mechanisms, with the key difference being that RPS acts upon the galaxy outskirts while starvation regulates the star formation cycle throughout disk, including within the truncation radius. For both processes, the quenching is caused by a simultaneous reduction in the molecular gas surface densities and SFE at fixed stellar mass surface density.

FAST-ASKAP Synergy: Quantifying Coexistent Tidal and Ram Pressure Strippings in the NGC 4636 Group

Combining new H i data from a synergetic survey of Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY and Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope with the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA data, we study the effect of ram pressure and tidal interactions in the NGC 4636 group. We develop two parameters to quantify and disentangle these two effects on gas stripping in H i-bearing galaxies: the strength of external forces at the optical-disk edge, and the outside-in extents of H i-disk stripping. We find that gas stripping is widespread in this group, affecting 80% of H i-detected nonmerging galaxies, and that 41% are experiencing both types of stripping. Among the galaxies experiencing both effects, the two types of strengths are independent, while two H i-stripping extents moderately anticorrelate with each other. Both strengths are correlated with H i-disk shrinkage. The tidal strength is related to a rather uniform reddening of low-mass galaxies (M * < 109 M ☉) when tidal stripping is the dominating effect. In contrast, ram pressure is not clearly linked to the color-changing patterns of galaxies in the group. Combining these two stripping extents, we estimate the total stripping extent, and put forward an empirical model that can describe the decrease of H i richness as galaxies fall toward the group center. The stripping timescale we derived decreases with distance to the center, from ∼1 Gyr beyond R 200 to ≲10 Myr near the center. Gas depletion happens ∼3 Gyr since crossing 2R 200 for H i-rich galaxies, but much quicker for H i-poor ones. Our results quantify in a physically motivated way the details and processes of environmental-effects-driven galaxy evolution, and might assist in analyzing hydrodynamic simulations in an observational way.

The Evolution of the Cold Gas Fraction in Nearby Clusters’ Ram-pressure-stripped Galaxies

Cluster galaxies are affected by the surrounding environment, which influences, in particular, their gas, stellar content, and morphology. In particular, the ram pressure exerted by the intracluster medium promotes the formation of multiphase tails of stripped gas detectable both at optical wavelengths and in the submillimeter and radio regimes, tracing the cold molecular and atomic gas components, respectively. In this work we analyze a sample of 16 galaxies belonging to clusters at redshift ∼0.05 showing evidence of an asymmetric H i morphology (based on MeerKAT observations) with and without a star-forming tail. To this sample we add three galaxies with evidence of a star-forming tail and no H i detection. Here we present the galaxies’ H2 gas content from APEX observations of the CO (2–1) emission. We find that in most galaxies with a star-forming tail the H2 global content is enhanced with respect to undisturbed field galaxies with similar stellar masses, suggesting an evolutionary path driven by the ram pressure stripping. As galaxies enter into the clusters, their H i is displaced but also partially converted into H2, so that they are H2 enriched when they pass close to the pericenter, that is, when they also develop the star-forming tails that are well visible in UV or B broad bands and in Hα emission. An inspection of the phase-space diagram for our sample suggests an anticorrelation between the H i and H2 gas phases as galaxies fall into the cluster potential. This peculiar behavior is a key signature of the ram pressure stripping in action.

Extreme Rarefaction of Solar Wind: A Study on Origin and Characteristics Using Ulysses Observations

From the Ulysses observation of the solar wind between the heliocentric distance r h of ∼1.0 and ∼5.4 au during 1990–2009, we identified 53 intervals when the solar wind exhibited extreme rarefaction, ∼2 orders of magnitude decreases in the solar wind proton density N p from their ambient values. These extremely low-density solar wind (ELDSW) events, characterized by an average (median) N p of ∼0.28 ± 0.09 (∼0.30) cm−3, ram pressure of ∼0.07 ± 0.04 (∼0.07 nPa) and mass flux of ∼166 ± 84 (∼159) 10−22 kg cm−2 s−1 all normalized to 1 au, have an average (median) duration of ∼6.0 ± 3.5 days (∼5.5 days), and radial extent of ∼1.9 ± 1.1 au (∼1.9 au). A clear hemispheric asymmetry is noted in their solar/interplanetary origin, with 70% being identified in the south hemisphere, and 30% in the north hemisphere of the heliosphere. About 23% of the events were encountered between r h of 2.25 and 4 au, and 77% at r h > 4 au, indicating that these are not intrinsic properties of the Sun/solar corona but are created by the evolution of the solar wind with increasing radial distance from the Sun. The majority (49%) of the events occurred during magnetic clouds, 34% in solar wind high-speed stream (HSS) tails, 11% during the proper HSSs, and 6% during interplanetary sheaths. The identification of ELDSWs will have important consequences for their interaction with the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.

Ram Pressure Stripping in the EAGLE Simulation

Ram pressure stripping of satellite galaxies is thought to be a ubiquitous process in galaxy clusters, and a growing number of observations reveal satellites at different stages of stripping. However, in order to determine the fate of any individual galaxy, we turn to predictions from either simulations or analytic models. It is not well determined whether simulations and analytic models agree in their predictions, nor the causes of disagreement. Here we investigate ram pressure stripping in the reference EAGLE hydrodynamical cosmological simulation, and compare the results to predictions from analytic models. We track the evolution of galaxies with stellar mass M * > 109 M ⊙ and initial bound gas mass M gas > 109 M ⊙ that fall into galaxy clusters (M 200c > 1014 M ⊙) between z = 0.27 and z = 0. We divide each galaxy into its neutral gas disk and hot ionized gas halo and compare the evolution of the stripped gas fraction in the simulation to that predicted by analytic formulations for the two gas phases, as well as to a toy model that computes the motions of gas particles under the combined effects of gravity and a spatially uniform ram pressure. We find that the analytic models generally underpredict the stripping rate of neutral gas and overpredict that of ionized gas, with significant scatter between the model and simulation stripping timescales. This is due to opposing physical effects: the enhancement of ram pressure stripping by stellar feedback, and the suppression of stripping by the compaction of galactic gas.

Deciphering the radio–star formation correlation on kpc scales

The relation between the resolved star formation rate (SFR) per unit area and the nonthermal radio continuum emission is studied in 21 Virgo cluster galaxies and the two nearby spiral galaxies, NGC 6946 and M 51. For the interpretation and understanding of our results, we used a 3D model where star formation, 2D cosmic-ray (CR) propagation, and the physics of synchrotron emission are included. Based on the linear correlation between the SFR per unit area and the synchrotron emission and its scatter, radio-bright and radio-dim regions can be robustly defined for our sample of spiral galaxies. We identified CR diffusion or streaming as the physical causes of radio-bright regions of unperturbed symmetric spiral galaxies as NGC 6946. The enhanced magnetic field in the region of interstellar medium (ISM) compression via ram pressure is responsible for the southwestern radio-bright region in NGC 4501. We identified the probable causes of radio-bright regions in several galaxies as CR transport, via either gravitational tides (M 51) or galactic winds (NGC 4532) or ram pressure stripping (NGC 4330 and NGC 4522). Three galaxies are overall radio dim: NGC 4298, NGC 4535, and NGC 4567. Based on our model of synchrotron-emitting disks, we suggest that the overall radio-dim galaxies have a significantly lower magnetic field than expected by equipartition between the magnetic and turbulent energy densities. We suggest that this is linked to the difference between the timescales of the variation in the SFR and the small-scale dynamo. In NGC 4535, shear motions increase the total magnetic field strength via the induction equation, which leads to enhanced synchrotron emission with respect to the SFR in an otherwise radio-dim galactic disk. Radio-bright regions frequently coincide with asymmetric ridges of polarized radio continuum emission, and we found a clear albeit moderate correlation between the polarized radio continuum emission and the radio/SFR ratio. When compression or shear motions of the ISM are present in the galactic disk, the radio-bright regions are linked to the commonly observed asymmetric ridges of polarized radio continuum emission and represent a useful tool for the interaction diagnostics. The magnetic field is enhanced (as observed in NGC 4535 and NGC 4501) and ordered by these ISM compression and shear motions. Whereas the enhancement of the magnetic field is rather modest and does not significantly influence the radio-SFR correlation, the main effect of ISM compression and shear motions is the ordering of the magnetic field, which significantly affects the CR transport. Cosmic-ray energy losses and transport also affect the spectral index, which we measured between 4.85 and 1.4 GHz. The influence of CR losses and transport on the spectral index distribution with respect to the synchrotron/SFR ratio is discussed with the help of model calculations. Based on our results, we propose a scenario for the interplay between star formation, CR electrons, and magnetic fields in spiral galaxies.

The morphological transformation of ram pressure stripped galaxies: a pathway from late to early galaxy types

ABSTRACT We investigate how the ageing of stellar populations can drive a morphological transformation in galaxies whose star formation (SF) activity has been quenched on short time-scales, like in cluster galaxies subject to ram pressure stripping from the intracluster medium. For this purpose, we use a sample of 91 galaxies with MUSE data from the GAs Stripping Phenomena in galaxies with MUSE (GASP) programme and of their spatially resolved SF history derived with the spectral modelling software sinopsis. We simulate the future continuation of the SF activities by exploring two quenching scenarios: an instantaneous truncation of the SF across the whole disc, and an outside-in quenching with typical stripping time-scales of $0.5\,$ and $1\, {\rm Gyr}$. For each scenario, we produce mock MUSE spectroscopic data cubes and optical images for our galaxies during their evolution, and classify their morphology using a new diagnostic tool, calibrated on cluster galaxies from the OmegaWINGS Survey. We find that, in all scenarios considered, the initial galaxy population dominated by blue-cloud spirals ($\sim 90~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) evolves into a mixed population mostly composed by red-sequence spirals ($50\!-\!55~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) and lenticulars ($\sim 40~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$). The morphology transformation is completed after just 1.5–3.5 Gyr, proceeding faster in more efficient quenching scenarios. Our results indicate that, even without accounting for dynamical processes, SF quenching caused by the harsh environment of a cluster can significantly affect the morphology of the infalling galaxy population on timescales of a few Gyr.

A Gradual Decline of Star Formation since Cluster Infall: New Kinematic Insights into Environmental Quenching at 0.3 < z < 1.1

The environments where galaxies reside crucially shape their star formation histories. We investigate a large sample of 1626 cluster galaxies located within 105 galaxy clusters spanning a large range in redshift (0.26 < z < 1.13). The galaxy clusters are massive (M 500 ≳ 2 × 1014 M ⊙) and uniformly selected from the SPT and ACT Sunyaev–Zel’dovich surveys. With spectra in hand for thousands of cluster members, we use the galaxies’ position in projected phase space as a proxy for their infall times, which provides a more robust measurement of environment than quantities such as projected clustercentric radius. We find clear evidence for a gradual age increase of the galaxy’s mean stellar populations (∼0.71 ± 0.4 Gyr based on a 4000 Å break, Dn4000) with the time spent in the cluster environment. This environmental quenching effect is found regardless of galaxy luminosity (faint or bright) and redshift (low or high-z), although the exact stellar age of galaxies depends on both parameters at fixed environmental effects. Such a systematic increase of Dn4000 with infall proxy would suggest that galaxies that were accreted into hosts earlier were quenched earlier due to longer exposure to environmental effects such as ram pressure stripping and starvation. Compared to the typical dynamical timescales of 1–3 Gyr of cluster galaxies, the relatively small age increase (∼0.71 ± 0.4 Gyr) found in our sample galaxies seems to suggest that a slow environmental process such as starvation is the dominant quenching pathway. Our results provide new insights into environmental quenching effects spanning a large range in cosmic time (∼5.2 Gyr, z = 0.26–1.13) and demonstrate the power of using a kinematically derived infall time proxy.

On the accretion of a new group of galaxies onto Virgo – III. The stellar population radial gradients of dEs

ABSTRACT Using MUSE data, we investigate the radial gradients of stellar population properties (namely age, [M/H], and the abundance ratio of α elements [α/Fe]) for a sample of nine dwarf early-type (dE) galaxies with log(M⋆/M⊙) ∼ 9.0 and an infall time onto the Virgo cluster of 2–3 Gyr ago. We followed a similar approach as in Bidaran et al. to derive their stellar population properties and star formation histories (SFHs) through fitting observed spectral indices and full spectral fitting, respectively. We find that these nine dE galaxies have truncated [Mg/Fe] versus [Fe/H] profiles than equally massive Virgo dE galaxies with longer past infall times. Short profiles of three dE galaxies are the result of their intense star formation which has been quenched long before their accretion onto the Virgo cluster, possibly as a result of their group environment. In the remaining six dE galaxies, profiles mainly trace a recent episode of star burst within 0.4Re which results in higher light-weighted [α/Fe] values. The latter SFH peak can be due to ram pressure exerted by the Virgo cluster at the time of the accretion of the dE galaxies. Also, we show that younger, more metal-rich, and less α-enhanced stellar populations dominate their inner regions (i.e. &amp;lt; 0.4Re) resulting in mainly flat ∇age, negative ∇[M/H], and positive ∇[α/Fe]. We find that with increasing log(σRe) of dE galaxies, ∇age and ∇[α/Fe] flatten, and the latter correlation persists even after including early-type galaxies up to log(σRe ∼ 2.5), possibly due to the more extended star formation activity in the inner regions of dEs, as opposed to more massive early-type galaxies.

A jolt to the system: ram pressure on low-mass galaxies in simulations of the Local Group

ABSTRACT Low-mass galaxies are highly susceptible to environmental effects that can efficiently quench star formation. We explore the role of ram pressure in quenching low-mass galaxies ($M_{*}\sim 10^{5}{-}10^{9}\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$) within 2 Mpc of Milky Way (MW) hosts using the FIRE-2 simulations. Ram pressure is highly variable across different environments, within individual MW haloes, and for individual low-mass galaxies over time. The impulsiveness of ram pressure – the maximum ram pressure scaled to the integrated ram pressure prior to quenching – correlates with whether a galaxy is quiescent or star forming. The time-scale between maximum ram pressure and quenching is anticorrelated with impulsiveness, such that high impulsiveness corresponds to quenching time-scales &amp;lt;1 Gyr. Galaxies in low-mass groups ($M_\mathrm{*,host}10^{7}{-}10^{9}\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$) outside of MW haloes experience typical ram pressure only slightly lower than ram pressure on MW satellites, helping to explain effective quenching via group preprocessing. Ram pressure on MW satellites rises sharply with decreasing distance to the host, and, at a fixed physical distance, more recent pericentre passages are typically associated with higher ram pressure because of greater gas density in the inner host halo at late times. Furthermore, the ram pressure and gas density in the inner regions of Local Group-like paired host haloes are higher at small angles off the host galaxy disc compared to isolated hosts. The quiescent fraction of satellites within these low-latitude regions is also elevated in the simulations and observations, signaling possible anisotropic quenching via ram pressure around MW-mass hosts.

Jellyfish galaxies with the IllustrisTNG simulations - No enhanced population-wide star formation according to TNG50

ABSTRACT Due to ram-pressure stripping (RPS), jellyfish galaxies are thought to lose large amounts, if not all, of their interstellar medium. Nevertheless, some, but not all, observations suggest that jellyfish galaxies exhibit enhanced star formation compared to control samples, even in their ram pressure-stripped tails. We use the TNG50 cosmological gravity + magnetohydrodynamical simulation, with an average spatial resolution of 50–200 pc in the star-forming regions of galaxies, to quantify the star formation activity and star formation rates (SFRs) of more than 700 jellyfish galaxies at z = 0–1 with stellar masses $10^{8.3-10.8} \ {\rm M}_\odot$ in hosts with mass $10^{10.5-14.3} \ {\rm M}_\odot$. We extract their global SFRs, the SFRs within their main stellar body versus within the tails, and we follow the evolution of the star formation along their individual evolutionary tracks. We compare the findings for jellyfish galaxies to those of diversely constructed control samples, including against satellite and field galaxies with matched redshift, stellar mass, gas fraction, and host halo mass. According to TNG50, star formation and RPS can indeed occur simultaneously within any given galaxy, and frequently do so. Moreover, star formation can also take place within the ram pressure-stripped tails, even though the latter is typically subdominant. However, TNG50 does not predict elevated population-wide SFRs in jellyfish compared to analogue satellite galaxies with the same stellar mass or gas fraction. Simulated jellyfish galaxies do undergo bursts of elevated star formation along their history but, at least according to TNG50, these do not translate into a population-wide enhancement at any given epoch.

A detached double X-ray tail in the merging galaxy cluster Z8338 with a large double tail

ABSTRACT When subhaloes infall into galaxy clusters, their gas content is ram pressure stripped by the intracluster medium (ICM) and may turn into cometary tails. We report the discovery of two spectacular X-ray double tails in a single galaxy cluster, Z8338, revealed by 70 ks Chandra observations. The brighter one, with an X-ray bolometric luminosity of 3.9 × 1042 erg s−1, is a detached tail stripped from the host halo and extended at least 250 kpc in projection. The head of the detached tail is a cool core with the front tip of the cold front ∼30 kpc away from the nucleus of its former host galaxy. The cooling time of the detached cool core is ∼0.3 Gyr. For the detached gas, the gravity of the once-associated dark matter halo further enhances the Rayleigh–Taylor instability. From its survival, we find that a magnetic field of a few μG is required to suppress the hydrodynamic instability. The X-ray temperature in the tail increases from 0.9 keV at the front tip to 1.6 keV in the wake region, which suggests the turbulent mixing with the hotter ICM. The fainter double X-ray tail, with a total X-ray luminosity of 2.7 × 1042 erg s−1, appears to stem from the cool core of a subcluster in Z8338, and likely was formed during the ongoing merger. This example suggests that X-ray cool cores can be displaced and eventually destroyed by mergers, while the displaced cool cores can survive for some extended period of time.

ViCTORIA project: MeerKAT H I observations of the ram pressure stripped galaxy NGC 4523

We present the first results of a 21 cm H I line pilot observation carried out with the MeerKAT radio telescope in preparation for the ViCTORIA (Virgo Cluster multi Telescope Observations in Radio of Interacting galaxies and AGN) project, an untargeted survey of the Virgo galaxy cluster. The extraordinary quality of the data in terms of sensitivity and angular resolution (rms ∼ 0.65 mJy beam−1 at ∼27″ × 39″ and 11 km s−1 resolution) allowed us to detect an extended (∼10 kpc projected length) low column density (N(HI)≲2.5 × 1020 cm−2) H I gas tail associated with the dwarf (Mstar = 1.6 × 109 M⊙) irregular galaxy NGC 4523 at the northern edge of the cluster. The morphology of the tail and of the stellar disc suggest that the galaxy is suffering a hydrodynamic interaction with the surrounding hot intracluster medium (ICM; ram pressure stripping). The orientation of the trailing tail, the gradient in the H I gas column density at the interface between the cold interstellar medium (ISM) and the hot ICM, the velocity of the galaxy with respect to that of the cluster, and its position indicate that NGC 4523 is infalling for the first time into Virgo from the north-north-west background of the cluster. Using a grid of hydrodynamic simulations, we derive the impact parameters with the surrounding ICM, and estimate that the galaxy will be at pericentre (D ∼ 500–600 kpc) in ∼1 Gyr, where ram pressure stripping will be able to remove most, if not all, of its gas. The galaxy is located on the star formation main sequence when its star formation rate is derived using Hα narrow-band images obtained during the VESTIGE survey, suggesting that NGC 4523 is only at the beginning of its interaction with the surrounding environment. A few H II regions are detected in the deep Hα narrow-band images within the H I gas tail outside the stellar disc. Their ages, derived by comparing their Hα, far-ultraviolet (ASTROSAT/UVIT), near-ultraviolet (GALEX/GUViCS), and optical (NGVS) colours with the predictions of spectral energy distribution fitting models, are ≲30 Myr, and suggest that these H II regions have formed within the stripped gas.

VICTORIA project: The LOFAR HBA Virgo Cluster Survey

Context. The Virgo cluster is the nearest (d = 16.5 Mpc) massive (M ≥ 1014 M⊙) galaxy cluster and is therefore a prime target for studying astrophysical processes in dense large-scale environments. In the radio band, we can probe the nonthermal components of the interstellar medium, the intracluster medium (ICM), and of active galactic nuclei (AGN). This allows an investigation of the impact of the environment on the evolution of galaxies and the contribution of AGN to ICM heating. With the ViCTORIA (VIrgo Cluster multi-Telescope Observations in Radio of Interacting galaxies and AGN) project, we are carrying out multiple wide-field surveys of the Virgo cluster at different frequencies. Aims. We aim to investigate the impact of the environment on the evolution of galaxies and the contribution of AGN to ICM heating – from the inner cluster regions out to beyond the virial radius. Methods. We performed a survey of the cluster at 120–168 MHz using the LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR). We imaged a 132 deg2 region of the cluster, reaching an order-of-magnitude greater sensitivity than existing wide-field radio surveys of this field at three times higher spatial resolution compared to other low-frequency observations. We developed a tailored data processing strategy to subtract the bright central radio galaxy M 87 from the data. This allowed us to correct for systematic effects due to ionospheric variation as a function of time and direction. Results. In the final mosaic, which has a resolution of 9″ × 5″, we reach a median noise level of 140 μJy beam−1 inside the virial radius and 280 μJy beam−1 for the full area. We detect 112 Virgo member galaxies and 114 background galaxies. In at least 18 cases, the radio morphology of the cluster member galaxies shows clear signs of ram-pressure stripping. This includes three previously unreported candidates. In addition, we reveal previously undiscovered tails of 150 kpc in length from a previous epoch of AGN activity for NGC 4472 (M 49). While no cluster-scale diffuse radio sources are discovered, we find the presence of an extended radio signature of the W′ group. This feature is coincident with an X-ray filament detected with SRG/eROSITA in the outskirts of the cluster. We speculate that this emission is synchrotron radiation, which could be related to shocks or turbulence from accretion processes. Conclusions. The data published in this paper serve as a valuable resource for future studies. In the follow-up work of the ViCTORIA project, we will use these data for an analysis of environmental effects on the radio properties of star-forming galaxies in Virgo.

Backsplash galaxies and their impact on galaxy evolution: a three-stage, four-type perspective

ABSTRACT We study the population of backsplash galaxies at z = 0 in the outskirts of massive, isolated clusters of galaxies taken from the mdpl2-sag semi-analytical catalogue. We consider four types of backsplash galaxies according to whether they are forming stars or passive at three stages in their lifetimes: before entering the cluster, during their first incursion through the cluster, and after they exit the cluster. We analyse several geometric, dynamic, and astrophysical aspects of the four types at the three stages. Galaxies that form stars at all stages account for the majority of the backsplash population (58 per cent) and have stellar masses typically below $M_\star \sim 3\times 10^{10} \ h^{-1}\, {\rm {M_\odot }}$ that avoid the innermost cluster’s regions and are only mildly affected by it. In a similar mass range, galaxies that become passive after exiting the cluster (26 per cent) follow orbits characterized by small pericentric distance and a strong deflection by the cluster potential well while suffering a strong loss of both dark matter and gas content. Only a small fraction of our sample (4 per cent) becomes passive while orbiting inside the cluster. These galaxies have experienced heavy pre-processing and the cluster’s tidal stripping and ram pressure provide the final blow to their star formation. Finally, galaxies that are passive before entering the cluster for the first time (12 per cent) are typically massive and are not affected significantly by the cluster. Using the bulge/total mass ratio as a proxy for morphology, we find that a single incursion through a cluster does not result in significant morphological changes in all four types.

Jellyfish galaxies with the IllustrisTNG simulations – when, where, and for how long does ram pressure stripping of cold gas occur?

ABSTRACT Jellyfish galaxies are prototypical examples of satellite galaxies undergoing strong ram pressure stripping (RPS). We analyse the evolution of 512 unique, first-infalling jellyfish galaxies from the TNG50 cosmological simulation. These have been visually inspected to be undergoing RPS sometime in the past 5 Byr (since z = 0.5), have satellite stellar masses $M_\star ^{\rm sat}\sim 10^{8\!-\!10.5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$, and live in hosts with $M_{\rm 200c}\sim 10^{12\!-\!14.3}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ at z = 0. We quantify the cold gas (T ≤ 104.5 K) removal using the tracer particles, confirming that for these jellyfish, RPS is the dominant driver of cold gas loss after infall. Half of these jellyfish are completely gas-less by z = 0, and these galaxies have earlier infall times and smaller satellite-to-host mass ratios than their gaseous counterparts. RPS can act on jellyfish galaxies over long time-scales of ≈1.5–8 Gyr. Jellyfish in more massive hosts are impacted by RPS for a shorter time span and, at a fixed host mass, jellyfish with less cold gas at infall and lower stellar masses at z = 0 have shorter RPS time spans. While RPS may act for long periods of time, the peak RPS period – where at least 50 per cent of the total RPS occurs – begins within ≈1 Gyr of infall and lasts ≲2 Gyr. During this period, the jellyfish are at host-centric distances ∼0.2–2R200c, illustrating that much of RPS occurs at large distances from the host galaxy. Interestingly, jellyfish continue forming stars until they have lost ≈98 per cent of their cold gas. For groups and clusters in TNG50 $(M_{\rm 200c}^{\rm host}\sim 10^{13\!-\!14.3}\, {\rm M}_\odot)$, jellyfish galaxies deposit more cold gas ($\sim 10^{11\!-\!12}\, {\rm M}_\odot$) into haloes than what exists in them at z = 0, demonstrating that jellyfish, and in general satellite galaxies, are a significant source of cold gas accretion.

Ageing and quenching through the Ageing Diagram – II. Physical characterization of galaxies

ABSTRACT The connection between quenching mechanisms, which rapidly turn star-forming systems into quiescent, and the properties of the galaxy population remains difficult to discern. In this work we investigate the physical properties of MaNGA and SAMI galaxies at different stages of their star formation history. Specifically, we compare galaxies with signatures of recent quenching (Quenched) – $\rm H \, \alpha$ in absorption and low Dn(4000) – with the rest of the low star-forming and active population (Retired and Ageing, respectively). The analysis is performed in terms of characteristics such as the total stellar mass, half-light radius, velocity-to-dispersion ratio, metallicity, and environment. We find that the Ageing population comprises a heterogeneous mixture of galaxies, preferentially late-type systems, with diverse physical properties. Retired galaxies, formerly Ageing or Quenched systems, are dominated by early-type high-mass galaxies found both at low and dense environments. Most importantly, we find that recently quenched galaxies are consistent with a population of compact low-mass satellite systems, with higher metallicities than their Ageing analogues. We argue that this is compatible with being quenched after undergoing a star-burst phase induced by environmental processes (e.g. ram pressure). However, we also detect a non-negligible fraction of field central galaxies likely quenched by internal processes. This study highlights that, in order to constrain the mechanisms driving galaxy evolution, it is crucial to distinguish between old (Retired) and recently quenched galaxies, thus requiring at least two estimates of the specific star formation rate over different time-scales.

Radio continuum tails in ram pressure-stripped spiral galaxies: Experimenting with a semi-empirical model in Abell 2255

Context. Wide-field radio continuum observations of galaxy clusters are revealing an increasing number of spiral galaxies hosting tens of kiloparsec-length radio tails produced by the displacement of nonthermal interstellar medium (ISM) by ram pressure. Aims. We present a semi-empirical model for the multifrequency radio continuum emission from ram-pressure-stripped tails based on the pure synchrotron cooling of a radio plasma moving along the stripping direction with a uniform velocity. Methods. We combine LOFAR and uGMRT observations at 144 and 400 MHz to study the flux density and spectral index profiles of the radio tails of seven galaxies in Abell 2255, and use the model to reproduce the flux density and spectral index profiles, and infer the stripped radio plasma velocity. Results. For five out of these seven galaxies, we observe a monotonic decrease in both flux density and spectral index up to 30 kpc from their stellar disk. Our model reproduces the observed trends with a projected radio plasma bulk velocity of between 160 and 430 km s−1. This result represents the first indirect measurement of the stripped, nonthermal ISM velocity. The observed spectral index trends indicate that the synchrotron cooling is faster than the adiabatic expansion losses, suggesting that the stripped radio plasma can survive for a few tens of million years outside of the stellar disk. This provides a lower limit on the lifetime of the stripped ISM outside of the disk. As a proof of concept, we use the best-fit velocities to constrain the 3D velocity of the galaxies in the cluster to be in the range of 300−1300 km s−1. We estimate the ram pressure affecting these galaxies to be between 0.1 and 2.9 × 10−11 erg cm−3, and measure the inclination between their stellar disk and the ram pressure wind.