THE LUMINOSITY PROFILES OF BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/195/2/15· OSTI ID:21560348

Donzelli, C J; Muriel, H ^[1]

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1. Instituto de Investigaciones en Astronomia Teorica y Experimental IATE, Observatorio Astronomico OAC, Laprida 854, X5000BGR, Cordoba (Argentina)

We have derived detailed R-band luminosity profiles and structural parameters for a total of 430 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), down to a limiting surface brightness of 24.5 mag arcsec{sup -2}. Light profiles were initially fitted with a Sersic's R {sup 1/n} model, but we found that 205 ({approx}48%) BCGs require a double component model to accurately match their light profiles. The best fit for these 205 galaxies is an inner Sersic model, with indices n {approx} 1-7, plus an outer exponential component. Thus, we establish the existence of two categories of the BCG luminosity profiles: single and double component profiles. We found that double profile BCGs are brighter ({approx}0.2 mag) than single profile BCGs. In fact, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test applied to these subsamples indicates that they have different total magnitude distributions, with mean values M{sub R} = -23.8 {+-} 0.6 mag for single profile BCGs and M{sub R} = -24.0 {+-} 0.5 mag for double profile BCGs. We find that partial luminosities for both subsamples are indistinguishable up to r = 15 kpc, while for r > 20 kpc the luminosities we obtain are on average 0.2 mag brighter for double profile BCGs. This result indicates that extra-light for double profile BCGs does not come from the inner region but from the outer regions of these galaxies. The best-fit slope of the Kormendy relation for the whole sample is a = 3.13 {+-} 0.04. However, when fitted separately, single and double profile BCGs show different slopes: a{sub single} = 3.29 {+-} 0.06 and a{sub double} = 2.79 {+-} 0.08. Also, the logarithmic slope of the metric luminosity {alpha} is higher in double profile BCGs ({alpha}{sub double} = 0.65 {+-} 0.12) than in single profile BCGs ({alpha}{sub single} = 0.59 {+-} 0.14). The mean isophote outer ellipticity (calculated at {mu} {approx} 24 mag arcsec{sup -2}) is higher in double profile BCGs (e{sub double} = 0.30 {+-} 0.10) than in single profile BCGs (e{sub single} = 0.26 {+-} 0.11). Similarly, the mean absolute value of inner minus outer ellipticity is also higher in double profile BCGs. From a subsample of 24 BCGs, we found strong evidence that extra-light at intermediate radii in double profile BCGs is related to the presence of a faint stellar envelope. Similarly, from another subsample of 12 BCGs we also found that extra-light is related to star formation. On the other hand, we did not find differences between these two BCG categories when we compared global cluster properties such as the BCG-projected position relative to the cluster X-ray center emission, X-ray luminosity, or BCG orientation with respect to the cluster position angle.

• OSTI ID: 21560348
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 195; ISSN 0067-0049; ISSN APJSA2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
BRIGHTNESS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
VISIBLE RADIATION
X RADIATION