Searching for Intracluster Planetary Nebulae in the Dorado group

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

A key problem in extragalactic astronomy is how galaxy clusters and groups dynamically evolve. Although the properties of these systems depend sensitively on the rates of galactic cannibalism, outside accretion, and tidal-stripping, the relative importance of these mechanisms is unknown. The one property we can observe, the fraction of light removed from galaxies via tidal-stripping, is difficult to detect, and until recently, had only been observed in a few very rich galaxy clusters. Over the past few years, we have successfully detected intracluster planetary nebulae (IPN) in large numbers in both the Virgo and Fornax clusters. However, the amount of intracluster starlight in poorer clusters and groups is still mostly unknown. This is unfortunate because theoretical scenarios of intracluster star production make strong predictions on the amount of intracluster starlight as a function of cluster richness. If the intracluster stars are primarily produced by collisions with other galaxies, the fraction of intracluster starlight should correlate strongly with cluster richness. We propose to use the CTIO 4-meter, and the MOSAIC II imager to search the Dorado galaxy group for intracluster PN. Dorado is intermediate in richness to the clusters already studied, and has evidence for tidal interaction. We also plan to study the PN population around two early-type galaxies in the cluster core that are strongly interacting, using the PN as dynamical test particles.

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