Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

Physics & Astronomy

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy

Hecs-Sz: The Hectospec Survey Of Sunyaev-Zeldovich-Selected Clusters, Kenneth J. Rines, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Ho Seong Hwang Mar 2016

Hecs-Sz: The Hectospec Survey Of Sunyaev-Zeldovich-Selected Clusters, Kenneth J. Rines, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Ho Seong Hwang

Physics & Astronomy

We estimate cluster masses and velocity dispersions for 123 clusters from optical spectroscopy to compare the Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) mass proxy and dynamical masses. Our new survey, HeCS-SZ (Hectospec Cluster Survey of SZ-selected clusters), includes 7721 new or remeasured redshifts from MMT/Hectospec observations of 21 SZ-selected clusters at redshifts z = 0.05–0.20. We supplement the Hectospec data with spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and cluster data from the Cluster Infall Regions in SDSS project and the Hectospec Cluster Survey, our Hectospec survey of clusters selected by X-ray flux. We measure the scaling relation between velocity dispersion and SZ …


Comparing Dense Galaxy Cluster Redshift Surveys With Weak-Lensing Maps, Ho Seong Hwang, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Kenneth J. Rines, J. Jabran Zahid Dec 2014

Comparing Dense Galaxy Cluster Redshift Surveys With Weak-Lensing Maps, Ho Seong Hwang, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Kenneth J. Rines, J. Jabran Zahid

Physics & Astronomy

We use dense redshift surveys of nine galaxy clusters at z ~ 0.2 to compare the galaxy distribution in each system with the projected matter distribution from weak lensing. By combining 2087 new MMT/Hectospec redshifts and the data in the literature, we construct spectroscopic samples within the region of weak-lensing maps of high (70%-89%) and uniform completeness. With these dense redshift surveys, we construct galaxy number density maps using several galaxy subsamples. The shape of the main cluster concentration in the weak-lensing maps is similar to the global morphology of the number density maps based on cluster members alone, mainly …


A Redshift Survey Of The Strong-Lensing Cluster Abell 383, Margaret J. Geller, Ho Seong Hwang, Antonaldo Diaferio, Michael J. Kurtz, Dan Coe, Kenneth J. Rines Feb 2014

A Redshift Survey Of The Strong-Lensing Cluster Abell 383, Margaret J. Geller, Ho Seong Hwang, Antonaldo Diaferio, Michael J. Kurtz, Dan Coe, Kenneth J. Rines

Physics & Astronomy

Abell 383 is a famous rich cluster (z = 0.1887) imaged extensively as a basis for intensive strong- and weak-lensing studies. Nonetheless, there are few spectroscopic observations. We enable dynamical analyses by measuring 2360 new redshifts for galaxies with r Petro ≤ 20.5 and within 50' of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG; R.A.2000 = 42014125, decl.2000 = –03529228). We apply the caustic technique to identify 275 cluster members within 7 h –1 Mpc of the hierarchical cluster center. The BCG lies within –11 ± 110 km s–1 and 21 ± 56 h –1 kpc of the …


Measuring The Ultimate Halo Mass Of Galaxy Clusters: Redshifts And Mass Profiles From The Hectospec Cluster Survey (Hecs), Kenneth J. Rines Apr 2013

Measuring The Ultimate Halo Mass Of Galaxy Clusters: Redshifts And Mass Profiles From The Hectospec Cluster Survey (Hecs), Kenneth J. Rines

Physics & Astronomy

The infall regions of galaxy clusters represent the largest gravitationally bound structures in a LambdaCDM universe. Measuring cluster mass profiles into the infall regions provides an estimate of the ultimate mass of these halos. We use the caustic technique to measure cluster mass profiles from galaxy redshifts obtained with the Hectospec Cluster Survey (HeCS), an extensive spectroscopic survey of galaxy clusters with MMT/Hectospec. We survey 58 clusters selected by X-ray flux at 0.1 < z < 0.3. The survey includes 22,680 unique MMT/Hectospec redshifts for individual galaxies; 10,145 of these galaxies are cluster members. For each cluster, we acquired high signal-to-noise spectra for ~200 cluster members and a comparable number of foreground/background galaxies. The cluster members trace out infall patterns around the clusters. The members define a very narrow red sequence. We demonstrate that the determination of velocity dispersion is insensitive to the inclusion of bluer members (a small fraction of the cluster population). We apply the caustic technique to define membership and estimate the mass profiles to large radii. The ultimate halo mass of clusters (the mass that remains bound in the far future of a LambdaCDM universe) is on average (1.99 ± 0.11)M 200, a new observational cosmological test in essential agreement with simulations. Summed profiles binned in M 200 and in LX demonstrate that the predicted Navarro-Frenk-White …


Measuring The Mass Distribution In Galaxy Clusters, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Kenneth J. Rines, Ana Laura Serra Feb 2013

Measuring The Mass Distribution In Galaxy Clusters, Margaret J. Geller, Antonaldo Diaferio, Kenneth J. Rines, Ana Laura Serra

Physics & Astronomy

Cluster mass profiles are tests of models of structure formation. Only two current observational methods of determining the mass profile, gravitational lensing, and the caustic technique are independent of the assumption of dynamical equilibrium. Both techniques enable the determination of the extended mass profile at radii beyond the virial radius. For 19 clusters, we compare the mass profile based on the caustic technique with weak lensing measurements taken from the literature. This comparison offers a test of systematic issues in both techniques. Around the virial radius, the two methods of mass estimation agree to within ~30%, consistent with the expected …