Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2000-12-19
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters; 11 pages, uses aastex.cls (not included)
Scientific paper
10.1086/319113
We present the first dynamical analysis of a galaxy cluster to include a large fraction of dwarf galaxies. Our sample of 108 Fornax Cluster members measured with the UK Schmidt Telescope FLAIR-II spectrograph contains 55 dwarf galaxies (15.5>bj>18.0 or -16>Mb>-13.5). Halpha emission shows that 36+/-8 per cent of the dwarfs are star-forming, twice the fraction implied by morphological classifications. The total sample has a mean velocity of 1493+/-36 km/s and a velocity dispersion of 374+/-26 km/s. The dwarf galaxies form a distinct population: their velocity dispersion (429+/-41 km/s) is larger than that of the giants (308+/-30 km/s) at the 98 per cent confidence level. This suggests that the dwarf population is dominated by infalling objects whereas the giants are virialized. The Fornax system has two components; the main Fornax Cluster centered on NGC 1399 with mean velocity 1478 km/s and velocity dispersion 370 km/s, and a subcluster centered 3 degrees to the south-west including NGC 1316 with mean velocity 1583 km/s and velocity dispersion 377 km/s. This partition is preferred over a single cluster at the 99 per cent confidence level. The subcluster, a site of intense star formation, is bound to Fornax and probably infalling towards the cluster core for the first time. We discuss the implications of this substructure for distance estimates of the Fornax Cluster.
Colless Matthew
Drinkwater Michael. J.
Gregg Michael D.
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