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Title: JELLYFISH: EVIDENCE OF EXTREME RAM-PRESSURE STRIPPING IN MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS

Abstract

Ram-pressure stripping by the gaseous intracluster medium has been proposed as the dominant physical mechanism driving the rapid evolution of galaxies in dense environments. Detailed studies of this process have, however, largely been limited to relatively modest examples affecting only the outermost gas layers of galaxies in nearby and/or low-mass galaxy clusters. We here present results from our search for extreme cases of gas-galaxy interactions in much more massive, X-ray selected clusters at z > 0.3. Using Hubble Space Telescope snapshots in the F606W and F814W passbands, we have discovered dramatic evidence of ram-pressure stripping in which copious amounts of gas are first shock compressed and then removed from galaxies falling into the cluster. Vigorous starbursts triggered by this process across the galaxy-gas interface and in the debris trail cause these galaxies to temporarily become some of the brightest cluster members in the F606W passband, capable of outshining even the Brightest Cluster Galaxy. Based on the spatial distribution and orientation of systems viewed nearly edge-on in our survey, we speculate that infall at large impact parameter gives rise to particularly long-lasting stripping events. Our sample of six spectacular examples identified in clusters from the Massive Cluster Survey, all featuring Mmore » {sub F606W} < –21 mag, doubles the number of such systems presently known at z > 0.2 and facilitates detailed quantitative studies of the most violent galaxy evolution in clusters.« less

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
  2. Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22364004
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 781; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; GALACTIC EVOLUTION; GALAXIES; GALAXY CLUSTERS; IMPACT PARAMETER; INTERFACES; LAYERS; MASS; ORIENTATION; SPACE; SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION; STRIPPING; TELESCOPES; X RADIATION

Citation Formats

Ebeling, H., Stephenson, L. N., and Edge, A. C. JELLYFISH: EVIDENCE OF EXTREME RAM-PRESSURE STRIPPING IN MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/781/2/L40.
Ebeling, H., Stephenson, L. N., & Edge, A. C. JELLYFISH: EVIDENCE OF EXTREME RAM-PRESSURE STRIPPING IN MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/781/2/L40
Ebeling, H., Stephenson, L. N., and Edge, A. C. 2014. "JELLYFISH: EVIDENCE OF EXTREME RAM-PRESSURE STRIPPING IN MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/781/2/L40.
@article{osti_22364004,
title = {JELLYFISH: EVIDENCE OF EXTREME RAM-PRESSURE STRIPPING IN MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS},
author = {Ebeling, H. and Stephenson, L. N. and Edge, A. C.},
abstractNote = {Ram-pressure stripping by the gaseous intracluster medium has been proposed as the dominant physical mechanism driving the rapid evolution of galaxies in dense environments. Detailed studies of this process have, however, largely been limited to relatively modest examples affecting only the outermost gas layers of galaxies in nearby and/or low-mass galaxy clusters. We here present results from our search for extreme cases of gas-galaxy interactions in much more massive, X-ray selected clusters at z > 0.3. Using Hubble Space Telescope snapshots in the F606W and F814W passbands, we have discovered dramatic evidence of ram-pressure stripping in which copious amounts of gas are first shock compressed and then removed from galaxies falling into the cluster. Vigorous starbursts triggered by this process across the galaxy-gas interface and in the debris trail cause these galaxies to temporarily become some of the brightest cluster members in the F606W passband, capable of outshining even the Brightest Cluster Galaxy. Based on the spatial distribution and orientation of systems viewed nearly edge-on in our survey, we speculate that infall at large impact parameter gives rise to particularly long-lasting stripping events. Our sample of six spectacular examples identified in clusters from the Massive Cluster Survey, all featuring M {sub F606W} < –21 mag, doubles the number of such systems presently known at z > 0.2 and facilitates detailed quantitative studies of the most violent galaxy evolution in clusters.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/781/2/L40},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22364004}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal Letters},
issn = {2041-8205},
number = 2,
volume = 781,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}