Planetary Nebulae and their parent stellar populations. Tracing the mass assembly of M87 and Intracluster light in the Virgo cluster core

AbstractThe diffuse extended outer regions of galaxies are hard to study because they are faint, with typical surface brightness of 1% of the dark night sky. We can tackle this problem by using resolved star tracers which remain visible at large distances from the galaxy centers. This article describes the use of Planetary Nebulae as tracers and the calibration of their properties as indicators of the star formation history, mean age and metallicity of the parent stars in the Milky Way and Local Group galaxies. We then report on the results from a deep, extended, planetary nebulae survey in a 0.5 deg2region centered on the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4486 (M87) in the Virgo cluster core, carried out with SuprimeCam@Subaru and FLAMES-GIRAFFE@VLT. Two planetary nebulae populations are identified out to 150 kpc distance from the center of M87. One population is associated with the M87 halo and the second one with the intracluster light in the Virgo cluster core. They have different line-of-sight velocity and spatial distributions, as well as different planetary nebulae specific frequencies and luminosity functions. The intracluster planetary nebulae in the surveyed region correspond to a luminosity of four times the luminosity of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The M87 halo planetary nebulae trace an older, more metal-rich, parent stellar population. A substructure detected in the projected phase-space of the line-of-sight velocity vs. major axis distance for the M87 halo planetary nebulae provides evidence for the recent accretion event of a satellite galaxy with luminosity twice that of M33. The satellite stars were tidally stripped about 1 Gyr ago, and reached apocenter at a major axis distance of 60–90 kpc from the center of M87. The M87 halo is still growing significantly at the distances where the substructure is detected.

Download Full-text

The Line-of-Sight Velocity Distributions of Intracluster Planetary Nebulae in the Virgo Cluster Core

The Astrophysical Journal ◽

10.1086/425417 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 614 (1) ◽

pp. L33-L36 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Magda Arnaboldi ◽

Ortwin Gerhard ◽

J. Alfonso L. Aguerri ◽

Kenneth C. Freeman ◽

Nicola R. Napolitano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Planetary Nebulae ◽

Virgo Cluster ◽

Cluster Core ◽

Line Of Sight

Download Full-text

Intracluster Planetary Nebulae

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900209832 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 209 ◽

pp. 597-604 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

John J. Feldmeier

Keyword(s):

Velocity Field ◽

Stellar Population ◽

Planetary Nebulae ◽

Line Of Sight ◽

Galaxy Groups ◽

The Past ◽

Star Production ◽

Intracluster Light ◽

Lower Luminosity

We review the progress of research on intracluster planetary nebulae (IPN). In the past five years, hundreds of IPN candidates have been detected in the Virgo and Fornax galaxy clusters and searches are also underway in poorer galaxy groups. From the observations to date, and applying the known properties of extragalactic planetary nebulae, the intracluster light in Virgo and Fornax: 1) is significant, at least 20% of the total cluster stellar luminosity, 2) is elongated in Virgo along our line of sight, and 3) may derive from lower-luminosity galaxies, consistent with some models of intracluster star production. A fraction of IPN candidates are not true IPN, but emission-line sources of very large observed equivalent width (≥ 200 Å). The most likely source for these contaminating objects are Lyman-α galaxies at z ≈ 3.1. Follow-up spectroscopy of the IPN candidates will be crucial to discriminate against high red-shift galaxies and to derive the velocity field of the intracluster stellar population.

Download Full-text

The halo of M49 and its environment as traced by planetary nebulae

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921317000709 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (S323) ◽

pp. 293-297

Author(s):

Johanna Hartke ◽

Magda Arnaboldi ◽

Alessia Longobardi ◽

Ortwin Gerhard ◽

Ken Freeman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Variation ◽

Luminosity Function ◽

Narrow Band ◽

Planetary Nebulae ◽

Stellar Populations ◽

Virgo Cluster ◽

Cluster Galaxy ◽

Outer Component ◽

Stellar Halo ◽

Galaxy Halo

AbstractWe investigate the stellar halo of the nearby elliptical Virgo-cluster galaxy M49 using Planetary Nebulae (PNe). M49 is the second-brightest galaxy of the Virgo cluster and is at the center of the Virgo subcluster B. We present an extended catalogue extracted from a narrow-band survey carried out with Subaru’s Suprime Cam, consisting of 735 PNe down to a limiting magnitude of m5007 = 29.3. This PNe population traces the halo out to 155 kpc from the galaxy’s center, which provides accurate measurement of the luminosity-specific PN-number (α-parameter) in the inner and outer regions of M49’s halo. We are also able to determine the morphological variation of the planetary nebulae luminosity function (PNLF), that may trace different parent stellar populations. This enables us to identify the transition from the PN-scarce, possibly metal-rich, galaxy halo to the PN-rich, metal-poor, outer component.

Download Full-text

The VIRGO PN population and the mass assembly in M87

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921317001946 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (S323) ◽

pp. 288-292

Author(s):

Alessia Longobardi ◽

Magda Arnaboldi ◽

Ortwin Gerhard

Keyword(s):

Galaxy Formation ◽

Virgo Cluster ◽

Galaxy Halos ◽

Galaxy Formation And Evolution ◽

Low Surface Brightness ◽

The Galaxy ◽

Galaxy Halo ◽

Formation And Evolution ◽

Mass Assembly ◽

Intracluster Light

AbstractCosmological simulations allow us to study in detail the evolution of galaxy halos in cluster environments, but the extremely low surface brightness of such components makes it difficult to gather observational constraints. Planetary nebulas (PNs) offer a unique tool to investigate these environments owing to their strong [OIII] emission line. We study the light and kinematics of the Virgo cluster and its central galaxy, M87, prime targets to address the topic of galaxy formation and evolution in dense environments. We make use of a deep and extended PN sample (~300 objects) that extends out to 150 kpc in radius from M87’s centre. We show that at all distance the galaxy halo overlaps with the Virgo intracluster light (ICL). Halo and ICL are dynamically distinct components with different parent stellar populations, consistent with the halo of M87 being redder and more metal rich than the ICL. The synergy between PN kinematic information and deep V/B-band photometry made it possible to unravel an ongoing accretion process in the outskirt of M87. This accretion event represents a non-negligible perturbation of the halo light, showing that this galaxy is still growing by accretion of smaller systems.

Download Full-text

OPTICAL COLORS OF INTRACLUSTER LIGHT IN THE VIRGO CLUSTER CORE

The Astrophysical Journal ◽

10.1088/0004-637x/720/1/569 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 720 (1) ◽

pp. 569-580 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Craig S. Rudick ◽

J. Christopher Mihos ◽

Paul Harding ◽

John J. Feldmeier ◽

Steven Janowiecki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virgo Cluster ◽

Cluster Core ◽

Intracluster Light

Download Full-text

Sloshing in its cD halo: MUSE kinematics of the central galaxy NGC 3311 in the Hydra I cluster

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201731834 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 609 ◽

pp. A78 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

C. E. Barbosa ◽

M. Arnaboldi ◽

L. Coccato ◽

O. Gerhard ◽

C. Mendes de Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Velocity Dispersion ◽

Mixture Distribution ◽

Major Axis ◽

Finite Mixture ◽

Cluster Core ◽

Cluster Center ◽

Line Of Sight ◽

Mean Velocity ◽

Central Galaxy ◽

Small Constant

Context. Early-type galaxies (ETGs) show a strong size evolution with redshift. This evolution is explained by fast “in-situ” star formation at high-z followed by a late mass assembly mostly driven by minor mergers that deposit stars primarily in the outer halo. Aims. We aim to identify the main structural components of the Hydra I cD galaxy NGC 3311 to investigate the connection between the central galaxy and the surrounding stellar halo. Methods. We produce maps of the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) moments from a mosaic of MUSE pointings covering NGC 3311 out to 25 kpc. Combining deep photometric and spectroscopic data, we model the LOSVD maps using a finite mixture distribution, including four non-concentric components that are nearly isothermal spheroids, with different line-of-sight systemic velocities V, velocity dispersions σ, and small (constant) values of the higher order Gauss-Hermite moments h3 and h4. Results. The kinemetry analysis indicates that NGC 3311 is classified as a slow rotator, although the galaxy shows a line-of-sight velocity gradient along the photometric major axis. The comparison of the correlations between h3 and h4 with V/σ with simulated galaxies indicates that NGC 3311 assembled mainly through dry mergers. The σ profile rises to ≃ 400 km s-1 at 20 kpc, a significant fraction (0.55) of the Hydra I cluster velocity dispersion, indicating that stars there were stripped from progenitors orbiting in the cluster core. The finite mixture distribution modeling supports three inner components related to the central galaxy and a fourth component with large effective radius (51 kpc) and velocity dispersion (327 km s-1) consistent with a cD envelope. We find that the cD envelope is offset from the center of NGC 3311 both spatially (8.6 kpc) and in velocity (ΔV = 204 km s-1), but coincides with the cluster core X-ray isophotes and the mean velocity of core galaxies. Also, the envelope contributes to the broad wings of the LOSVD measured by large h4 values within 10 kpc. Conclusions. The cD envelope of NGC 3311 is dynamically associated with the cluster core, which in Hydra I is in addition displaced from the cluster center, presumably due to a recent subcluster merger.

Download Full-text

Intracluster Planetary Nebulae in the Virgo Cluster. III. Luminosity of the Intracluster Light and Tests of the Spatial Distribution

The Astrophysical Journal ◽

10.1086/424372 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 615 (1) ◽

pp. 196-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

John J. Feldmeier ◽

Robin Ciardullo ◽

George H. Jacoby ◽

Patrick R. Durrell

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Planetary Nebulae ◽

Virgo Cluster ◽

Intracluster Light

Download Full-text

The growth of brightest cluster galaxies and intracluster light over the past 10 billion years

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/stz3236 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 491 (3) ◽

pp. 3751-3759 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tahlia DeMaio ◽

Anthony H Gonzalez ◽

Ann Zabludoff ◽

Dennis Zaritsky ◽

Greg Aldering ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Redshift ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Stellar Mass ◽

Cluster Galaxy ◽

Mass Growth ◽

Cluster Galaxies ◽

The Past ◽

Physical Mass ◽

Mass Assembly ◽

Intracluster Light

ABSTRACT We constrain the evolution of the brightest cluster galaxy plus intracluster light (BCG + ICL) using an ensemble of 42 galaxy groups and clusters that span redshifts of z = 0.05−1.75 and masses of M500,c= 2 × 1013−1015 M⊙. Specifically, we measure the relationship between the BCG + ICL stellar mass M⋆ and M500,c at projected radii 10 < r < 100 kpc for three different epochs. At intermediate redshift ($\bar{z}=0.40$), where we have the best data, we find M⋆ ∝ M500,c0.48 ± 0.06. Fixing the exponent of this power law for all redshifts, we constrain the normalization of this relation to be 2.08 ± 0.21 times higher at $\bar{z}=0.40$ than at high redshift ($\bar{z}=1.55$). We find no change in the relation from intermediate to low redshift ($\bar{z}=0.10$). In other words, for fixed M500,c, M⋆ at 10 < r < 100 kpc increases from $\bar{z}=1.55$ to $\bar{z}=0.40$ and not significantly thereafter. Theoretical models predict that the physical mass growth of the cluster from z = 1.5 to z = 0 within r500,c is 1.4×, excluding evolution due to definition of r500,c. We find that M⋆ within the central 100 kpc increases by ∼3.8× over the same period. Thus, the growth of M⋆ in this central region is more than a factor of 2 greater than the physical mass growth of the cluster as a whole. Furthermore, the concentration of the BCG + ICL stellar mass, defined by the ratio of stellar mass within 10 kpc to the total stellar mass within 100 kpc, decreases with increasing M500,c at all z. We interpret this result as evidence for inside–out growth of the BCG + ICL over the past 10 Gyr, with stellar mass assembly occurring at larger radii at later times.

Download Full-text

Massive star population of the Virgo Cluster galaxy NGC4535

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201833290 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 618 ◽

pp. A185 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Z. T. Spetsieri ◽

A. Z. Bonanos ◽

M. Kourniotis ◽

M. Yang ◽

S. Lianou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Massive Star ◽

Absolute Magnitude ◽

Virgo Cluster ◽

Star Formation History ◽

Wide Field ◽

Absolute Deviation ◽

Cluster Galaxy ◽

Solar Metallicity ◽

Red Supergiants ◽

Candidate Variable

We analyzed the massive star population of the Virgo Cluster galaxy NGC 4535 using archival Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images in filters F555W and F814W, equivalent to Johnson V and Kron-Cousins I. We performed high precision point spread function fitting photometry of 24353 sources including 3762 candidate blue supergiants, 841 candidate yellow supergiants, and 370 candidate red supergiants. We estimated the ratio of blue to red supergiants as a decreasing function of galactocentric radius. Using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) isochrones at solar metallicity, we defined the luminosity function and estimated the star formation history of the galaxy over the last 60 Myr. We conducted a variability search in the V and I filters using three variability indexes: the median absolute deviation, the interquartile range, and the inverse von-Neumann ratio. This analysis yielded 120 new variable candidates with absolute magnitudes ranging from MV = −4 to −11 mag. We used the MESA evolutionary tracks at solar metallicity to classify the variables based on their absolute magnitude and their position on the color-magnitude diagram. Among the new candidate variable sources are eight candidate variable red supergiants, three candidate variable yellow supergiants and one candidate luminous blue variable, which we suggest for follow-up observations.

Download Full-text