Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxy Structural Parameters in the Last ~6 Gyr: Feedback Processes Versus Merger Events

Ascaso, B.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Varela, J.; Cava, A.; Bettoni, D.; Moles, M.; D'Onofrio, M.
Bibliographical reference

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 726, Issue 2, article id. 69 (2011).

Advertised on:
1
2011
Number of authors
7
IAC number of authors
3
Citations
50
Refereed citations
47
Description
We present results on the evolution of the structural parameters of two samples of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in the last 6 Gyr. The nearby sample of BCGs consists of 69 galaxies from the WINGS survey spanning a redshift range of 0.04 < z < 0.07. The intermediate-redshift (0.3 < z < 0.6) sample is formed by 20 BCGs extracted from the Hubble Space Telescope archive. Both samples have similar spatial resolution and their host clusters have similar X-ray luminosities. We report an increase in the size of the BCGs from intermediate to local redshift. However, we do not detect any variation in the Sérsic shape parameter in both samples. These results prove to be robust since the observed tendencies are model independent. We also obtain significant correlations between some of the BCG parameters and the main properties of the host clusters. More luminous, larger, and centrally located BCGs are located in more massive and dominant galaxy clusters. These facts indicate that the host galaxy cluster has played an important role in the formation of their BCGs. We discuss the possible mechanisms that can explain the observed evolution of the structural parameters of the BCGs. We conclude that the main mechanisms that can explain the increase in size and the non-evolution in the Sérsic shape parameter of the BCGs in the last 6 Gyr are feedback processes. This result disagrees with semi-analytical simulation results supporting the idea that merging processes are the main mechanism responsible for the evolution of the BCGs up until the present epoch.
Related projects
Project Image
Formation and Evolution of Galaxies: Observations in Infrared and other Wavelengths

This IAC research group carries out several extragalactic projects in different spectral ranges, using space as well as ground-based telescopes, to study the cosmological evolution of galaxies and the origin of nuclear activity in active galaxies. The group is a member of the international consortium which built the SPIRE instrument for the

Ismael
Pérez Fournon
Abell 370 is located approximately 4 billion light-years away in the constellation Cetus, the Sea Monster
Galaxy Evolution in Clusters of Galaxies

Galaxies in the universe can be located in different environments, some of them are isolated or in low density regions and they are usually called field galaxies. The others can be located in galaxy associations, going from loose groups to clusters or even superclusters of galaxies. One of the foremost challenges of the modern Astrophysics is to

Jairo
Méndez Abreu