arXiv subjects

Heidi Lietzen

Publications and source records attributed to Heidi Lietzen.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

The evolution of high-density cores of the BOSS Great Wall superclusters

High-density cores (HDCs) of galaxy superclusters that embed rich clusters and groups of galaxies are the earliest large objects to form in the cosmic web, and the largest objects that may collapse in the present or future. We study the dynamical state and possible evolution of the HDCs in the BOSS Great Wall (BGW) superclusters at redshift $z \approx 0.5$ in order to understand the growth and evolution of structures in the Universe. We derived the density contrast values for the spherical collapse model in a wide range of redshifts and used these values to study the dynamical state and possible evolution of the HDCs of the BGW superclusters. The masses of the HDCs were calculated using stellar masses of galaxies in them. We found the masses and radii of the turnaround and future collapse regions in the HDCs and compared them with those of local superclusters. We determined eight HDCs in the BGW superclusters. The masses of their turnaround regions are in the range of $M_{\mathrm{T}} \approx 0.4 - 3.3\times~10^{15}h^{-1}M_\odot,$ and radii are in the range of $R_{\mathrm{T}} \approx 3.5 - 7 h^{-1}$Mpc. The radii of their future collapse regions are in the range of $R_{\mathrm{FC}} \approx 4 - 8h^{-1}$Mpc. Distances between individual cores in superclusters are much larger: of the order of $25 - 35h^{-1}$Mpc. The richness and sizes of the HDCs are comparable with those of the HDCs of the richest superclusters in the local Universe. The BGW superclusters will probably evolve to several poorer superclusters with masses similar to those of the local superclusters. This may weaken the tension with the $Λ$CDM model, which does not predict a large number of very rich and large superclusters in our local cosmic neighbourhood, and explains why there are no superclusters as elongated as those in the BGW in the local Universe.

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arXiv2021

The Corona Borealis supercluster: connectivity, collapse, and evolution

We present a study of the Corona Borealis (CB) supercluster. We determined the high-density cores of the CB and the richest galaxy clusters in them, and studied their dynamical state and galaxy content. We determined filaments in the supercluster to analyse the connectivity of clusters. We compared the mass distribution in the CB with predictions from the spherical collapse model and analysed the acceleration field in the CB. We found that at a radius $R_{\mathrm{30}}$ around clusters in the CB (A2065, A2061, A2089, and Gr2064) (corresponding to the density contrast $Δρ\approx 30$), the galaxy distribution shows a minimum. The $R_{30}$ values for individual clusters lie in the range of $3 - 6$ $h^{-1}$ Mpc. The radii of the clusters (splashback radii) lie in the range of $R_{\mathrm{cl}} \approx 2 - 3$ $R_{\mathrm{vir}}$. The projected phase space diagrams and the comparison with the spherical collapse model suggest that $R_{\mathrm{30}}$ regions have passed turnaround and are collapsing. Galaxy content in clusters varies strongly. The cluster A2061 has the highest fraction of galaxies with old stellar populations, and A2065 has the highest fraction of galaxies with young stellar populations. The number of long filaments near clusters vary from one at A2089 to five at A2061. During the future evolution, the clusters in the main part of the CB may merge and form one of the largest bound systems in the nearby Universe. Another part of the CB, with the cluster Gr2064, will form a separate system. The structures with a current density contrast $Δρ\approx 30$ have passed turnaround and started to collapse at redshifts $z \approx 0.3 - 0.4$. The comparison of the number and properties of the most massive collapsing supercluster cores from observations and simulations may serve as a test for cosmological models.

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arXiv2020

Multiscale cosmic web detachments, connectivity, and preprocessing in the supercluster SClA2142 cocoon

We study the properties, connectivity, and galaxy content of groups and filaments in the low-density region (cocoon) around A2142 supercluster (SClA2142). We traced the SClA2142 cocoon boundaries by the lowest luminosity-density regions that separate SClA2142 from other superclusters. We determined galaxy filaments and groups in the cocoon and analysed the connectivity of groups, the high density core (HDC) of the supercluster, and the whole of the supercluster. We compared the distribution and properties of galaxies with different star-formation properties in the supercluster and in the cocoon. SClA2142 and the long filament that is connected to it forms the longest straight structure in the Universe detected so far, with a length of $75$ $h^{-1}$ Mpc. The connectivity of the supercluster is C = 6 - 7; poor groups have C = 1 - 2. Long filaments around the supercluster's main body are detached from it at the turnaround region. Galaxies with very old stellar populations lie in systems across a wide range of richness from the richest cluster to poorest groups and single galaxies. They lie even at local densities as low as $D1 < 1$ in the cocoon and up to $D1 > 800$ in the supercluster. Recently quenched galaxies lie in the cocoon mainly in one region and their properties are different in the cocoon and in the supercluster. The star-formation properties of single galaxies are similar across all environments. The collapsing main body of SClA2142 with the detached long filaments near it are evidence of an important epoch in the supercluster evolution. Further studies are needed to understand the reasons of similarity of galaxies with very old stellar populations in extremely different environments. The presence of long, straight structures in the cosmic web may serve as a test for cosmological models.

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arXiv2020

Properties of brightest group galaxies in cosmic web filaments

Context. The cosmic web, a complex network of galaxy groups and clusters connected by filaments, is a dynamical environment in which galaxies form and evolve. However, the impact of cosmic filaments on the properties of galaxies is difficult to study because of the much more influential local (galaxy-group scale) environment. Aims. The aim of this paper is to investigate the dependence of intrinsic galaxy properties on distance to the nearest cosmic web filament, using a sample of galaxies for which the local environment is easily assessable.} Methods. Our study is based on a volume-limited galaxy sample with $M_\mathrm{r}$ $\leq -19$ mag, drawn from the SDSS DR12. We chose brightest group galaxies (BGGs) in groups with two to six members as our probes of the impact of filamentary environment because their local environment can be determined more accurately. We use the Bisous marked point process method to detect cosmic-web filaments with radii of $0.5-1.0$ Mpc and measure the perpendicular filament spine distance ($D_{\mathrm{fil}}$) for the BGGs. We limit our study to $D_{\mathrm{fil}}$ values up to 4 Mpc. We use the luminosity density field as a tracer of the local environment. To achieve uniformity of the sample and to reduce potential biases we only consider filaments longer than 5 Mpc. Our final sample contains 1427 BGGs. Results. We note slight deviations between the galaxy populations inside and outside the filament radius in terms of stellar mass, colour, the 4000AA break, specific star formation rates, and morphologies. However, all these differences remain below 95% confidence and are negligible compared to the effects arising from local environment density. Conclusions. Within a 4 Mpc radius of the filament axes, the effect of filaments on BGGs is marginal. The local environment is the main factor in determining BGG properties.

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arXiv2018

Supercluster A2142 and collapse in action - infalling and merging groups and galaxy transformations

We study the dynamical state and properties of galaxies and groups in the supercluster SClA2142 that has a collapsing core, to understand its possible formation and evolution. We find the substructure of galaxy groups using normal mixture modelling. We have used the projected phase space (PPS) diagram, spherical collapse model, clustercentric distances, and magnitude gap between the brightest galaxies in groups to study the dynamical state of groups and to analyse group and galaxy properties. We compared the alignments of groups and their brightest galaxies with the supercluster axis. The supercluster core has a radius of about $8 h^{-1}$Mpc and total mass $M_{\mathrm{tot}} \approx 2.3\times~10^{15}h^{-1}M_\odot$ and is collapsing. Galaxies in groups on the supercluster axis have older stellar populations than off-axis groups, with median stellar ages $4 - 6$ and $< 4$Gyr, correspondingly. The cluster A2142 and the group Gr8 both host galaxies with the oldest stellar populations among groups in SClA2142 having the median stellar age $t > 8$Gyr. Recently quenched galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are mostly located at virial radii or in merging regions of groups, and at clustercentric distances $D_c \approx 6 h^{-1}$ Mpc. The most elongated groups lie along the supercluster axis and are aligned with it. Magnitude gaps between the brightest galaxies of groups are less than one magnitude, suggesting that groups in SClA2142 are dynamically young. The collapsing core of the supercluster, infall of galaxies and groups, and possible merging groups, which affect galaxy properties and may trigger the activity of AGNs, show how the whole supercluster is evolving.

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arXiv2017

Infalling groups and galaxy transformations in the cluster A2142

We study galaxy populations and search for possible merging substructures in the rich galaxy cluster A2142. Normal mixture modelling revealed in A2142 several infalling galaxy groups and subclusters. The projected phase space diagram was used to analyse the dynamics of the cluster and study the distribution of various galaxy populations in the cluster and subclusters. The cluster, supercluster, BCGs, and one infalling subcluster are aligned. Their orientation is correlated with the alignment of the radio and X-ray haloes of the cluster. Galaxies in the centre of the main cluster at the clustercentric distances $0.5~h^{-1}Mpc$ have older stellar populations (with the median age of $10 - 11$~Gyrs) than galaxies at larger clustercentric distances. Star-forming and recently quenched galaxies are located mostly in the infall region at the clustercentric distances $D_{\mathrm{c}} \approx 1.8~h^{-1}Mpc$, where the median age of stellar populations of galaxies is about $2$~Gyrs. Galaxies in A2142 have higher stellar masses, lower star formation rates, and redder colours than galaxies in other rich groups. The total mass in infalling groups and subclusters is $M \approx 6\times10^{14}h^{-1}M_\odot$, approximately half of the mass of the cluster, sufficient for the mass growth of the cluster from redshift $z = 0.5$ (half-mass epoch) to the present. The cluster A2142 may have formed as a result of past and present mergers and infallen groups, predominantly along the supercluster axis. Mergers cause complex radio and X-ray structure of the cluster and affect the properties of galaxies in the cluster, especially in the infall region. Explaining the differences between galaxy populations, mass, and richness of A2142, and other groups and clusters may lead to better insight about the formation and evolution of rich galaxy clusters.

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arXiv2017

Large-scale environments of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies

Studying large-scale environments of narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies gives a new perspective on their properties, particularly their radio loudness. The large-scale environment is believed to have an impact on the evolution and intrinsic properties of galaxies, however, NLS1 sources have not been studied in this context before. We have a large and diverse sample of 1341 NLS1 galaxies and three separate environment data sets constructed using Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We use various statistical methods to investigate how the properties of NLS1 galaxies are connected to the large-scale environment, and compare the large-scale environments of NLS1 galaxies with other active galacic nuclei (AGN) classes, for example, other jetted AGN and broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLS1) galaxies, to study how they are related. NLS1 galaxies reside in less dense environments than any of the comparison samples, thus confirming their young age. The average large-scale environment density and environmental distribution of NLS1 sources is clearly different compared to BLS1 galaxies, thus it is improbable that they could be the parent population of NLS1 galaxies and unified by orientation. Within the NLS1 class there is a trend of increasing radio loudness with increasing large-scale environment density, indicating that the large-scale environment affects their intrinsic properties. Our results suggest that the NLS1 class of sources is not homogeneous, and furthermore, a considerable fraction of them are misclassified. We further support a published proposal to replace the traditional classification to radio-loud, and radio-quiet or radio-silent sources with a division to jetted and non-jetted sources.

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arXiv2017

BOSS Great Wall: morphology, luminosity, and mass

We study the morphology, luminosity and mass of the superclusters from the BOSS Great Wall (BGW), a recently discovered very rich supercluster complex at the redshift $z = 0.47$. We have employed the Minkowski functionals to quantify supercluster morphology. We calculate supercluster luminosities and masses using two methods. Firstly, we used data about the luminosities and stellar masses of high stellar mass galaxies with $\log(M_*/h^{-1}M_\odot) \geq 11.3$. Secondly, we applied a scaling relation that combines morphological and physical parameters of superclusters to obtain supercluster luminosities, and obtained supercluster masses using the mass-to-light ratios found for local rich superclusters. We find that the BGW superclusters are very elongated systems, with shape parameter values of less than $0.2$. This value is lower than that found for the most elongated local superclusters. The values of the fourth Minkowski functional $V_3$ for the richer BGW superclusters ($V_3 = 7$ and $10$) show that they have a complicated and rich inner structure. We identify two Planck SZ clusters in the BGW superclusters, one in the richest BGW supercluster, and another in one of the poor BGW superclusters. The luminosities of the BGW superclusters are in the range of $1 - 8\times~10^{13}h^{-2}L_\odot$, and masses in the range of $0.4 - 2.1\times~10^{16}h^{-1}M_\odot$. Supercluster luminosities and masses obtained with two methods agree well. We conclude that the BGW is a complex of massive, luminous and large superclusters with very elongated shape. The search and detailed study, including the morphology analysis of the richest superclusters and their complexes from observations and simulations can help us to understand formation and evolution of the cosmic web.

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arXiv2016

The effect of cosmic web filaments on the properties of groups and their central galaxies

The nature versus nurture scenario in galaxy and group evolution is a long-standing problem not yet fully understood on cosmological scales. We study the properties of groups and their central galaxies in different large-scale environments defined by the luminosity density field and the cosmic web filaments. We use the luminosity density field constructed using 8 Mpc/h smoothing to characterize the large-scale environments and the Bisous model to extract the filamentary structures in different large-scale environments. We find differences in the properties of central galaxies and their groups in and outside of filaments at fixed halo and large-scale environments. In high-density environments, the group mass function has higher number densities in filaments compared to that outside of filaments towards the massive end. The relation is opposite in low-density environments. At fixed group mass and large-scale luminosity density, groups in filaments are slightly more luminous and their central galaxies have redder colors, higher stellar masses, and lower specific star formation rates than those outside of filaments. However, the differences in central galaxy and group properties in and outside of filaments are not clear in some group mass bins. We show that the differences in central galaxy properties are due to the higher abundances of elliptical galaxies in filaments. Filamentary structures in the cosmic web are not simply visual associations of galaxies, but rather play an important role in shaping the properties of groups and their central galaxies. The differences in central galaxy and group properties in and outside of cosmic web filaments are not simple effects related to large-scale environmental density. The results point towards an efficient mechanism in cosmic web filaments which quench star formation and transform central galaxy morphology from late to early types.

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arXiv2016

Sloan Great Wall as a complex of superclusters with collapsing cores

In the cosmic web, galaxy superclusters or their high-density cores are the largest objects that may collapse at present or during the future evolution. We study the dynamical state and possible future evolution of galaxy superclusters from the Sloan Great Wall (SGW), the richest galaxy system in the nearby Universe. We calculated supercluster masses using dynamical masses of galaxy groups and stellar masses of galaxies. We employed normal mixture modelling to study the structure of rich SGW superclusters and search for components (cores) in superclusters. We analysed the radial mass distribution in the high-density cores of superclusters centred approximately at rich clusters and used the spherical collapse model to study their dynamical state. We found that the lower limit of the total mass of the SGW is approximately $M = 2.5\times~10^{16}h^{-1}M_\odot$. Different mass estimators of superclusters agree well, the main uncertainties in masses of superclusters come from missing groups and clusters. We detected three high-density cores in the richest SGW supercluster (SCl~027) and two in the second richest supercluster (SCl~019). They have masses of $1.2 - 5.9 \times~10^{15}h^{-1}M_\odot$ and sizes of up to $\approx 60 h^{-1}$ Mpc. The high-density cores of superclusters are very elongated, flattened perpendicularly to the line of sight. The comparison of the radial mass distribution in the high-density cores with the predictions of spherical collapse model suggests that their central regions with radii smaller than $8 h^{-1}$Mpc and masses of up to $M = 2\times~10^{15}h^{-1}M_\odot$ may be collapsing. The rich SGW superclusters with their high-density cores represent dynamically evolving environments for studies of the properties of galaxies and galaxy systems.

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arXiv2016

Quasars as a tracer of large-scale structures in the distant universe

We study the dependence of the number density and properties of quasars on the background galaxy density using the currently largest spectroscopic datasets of quasars and galaxies. We construct a galaxy number density field smoothed over the variable smoothing scale of between approximately 10 and $20\,h^{-1}$Mpc over the redshift range of $0.46<z<0.59$ using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 12 (DR12) Constant MASS (CMASS) galaxies. The quasar sample is prepared from the SDSS I/II DR7. We examine the correlation of incidence of quasars with the large-scale background density and dependence of quasar properties such as bolometric luminosity, black hole mass, and Eddington ratio on the large-scale density. We find a monotonic correlation between the quasar number density and large-scale galaxy number density, which is fitted well with a power law relation, $n_Q\proptoρ_G^{0.618}$. We detect weak dependences of quasar properties on the large-scale density such as a positive correlation between black hole mass and density, and a negative correlation between luminosity and density. We discuss the possibility of using quasars as a tracer of large-scale structures at high redshifts, which may be useful for studies of growth of structures in the high redshift universe.

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arXiv2015

Large SDSS quasar groups and their statistical significance

We use a volume-limited sample of quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 quasar catalog to identify quasar groups and address their statistical significance. This quasar sample has a uniform selection function on the sky and nearly a maximum possible contiguous volume that can be drawn from the DR7 catalog. Quasar groups are identified by using the Friend-of-Friend algorithm with a set of fixed comoving linking lengths. We find that the richness distribution of the richest 100 quasar groups or the size distribution of the largest 100 groups are statistically equivalent with those of randomly-distributed points with the same number density and sky coverage when groups are identified with the linking length of 70 h-1Mpc. It is shown that the large-scale structures like the huge Large Quasar Group (U1.27) reported by Clowes et al. (2013) can be found with high probability even if quasars have no physical clustering, and does not challenge the initially homogeneous cosmological models. Our results are statistically more reliable than those of Nadathur (2013), where the test was made only for the largest quasar group. It is shown that the linking length should be smaller than 50 h-1Mpc in order for the quasar groups identified in the DR7 catalog not to be dominated by associations of quasars grouped by chance. We present 20 richest quasar groups identified with the linking length of 70 h-1Mpc for further analyses.

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arXiv2014

It takes a supercluster to raise a galaxy

The properties of galaxies depend on their environment: red, passive elliptical galaxies are usually located in denser environments than blue, star-forming spiral galaxies. This difference in galaxy populations can be detected at all scales from groups of galaxies to superclusters. In this paper, we will discuss the effect of the large-scale environment on galaxies. Our results suggest that galaxies in superclusters are more likely to be passive than galaxies in voids even when they belong to groups with the same richness. In addition, the galaxies in superclusters are also affected by the morphology of the supercluster: filament-type superclusters contain relatively more red, passive galaxies than spider-type superclusters. These results suggest that the evolution of a galaxy is not determined by its local environment alone, but the large-scale environment also affects.

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arXiv2014

Tracing high redshift cosmic web with quasar systems

We trace the cosmic web at redshifts 1.0 <= z <= 1.8 using the quasar data from the SDSS DR7 QSO catalogue (Schneider et al. 2010). We apply a friend-of-friend (FoF) algorithm to the quasar and random catalogues to determine systems at a series of linking lengths, and analyse richness and sizes of these systems. At the linking lengths l <= 30 Mpc/h the number of quasar systems is larger than the number of systems detected in random catalogues, and systems themselves have smaller diameters than random systems. The diameters of quasar systems are comparable to the sizes of poor galaxy superclusters in the local Universe, the richest quasar systems have four members. The mean space density of quasar systems is close to the mean space density of local rich superclusters. At intermediate linking lengths (40 <= l <= 70 Mpc/h) the richness and length of quasar systems are similar to those derived from random catalogues. Quasar system diameters are similar to the sizes of rich superclusters and supercluster chains in the local Universe. At the linking length 70 Mpc/h the richest systems of quasars have diameters exceeding 500 Mpc/h. The percolating system which penetrate the whole sample volume appears in quasar sample at smaller linking length than in random samples (85 Mpc/h). Quasar luminosities in systems are not correlated with the system richness. Quasar system catalogues at our web pages http://www.aai.ee/~maret/QSOsystems.html serve as a database to search for superclusters of galaxies and to trace the cosmic web at high redshifts.

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arXiv2012

Environments of galaxies in groups within the supercluster-void network

Majority of all galaxies reside in groups of less than 50 member galaxies. These groups are distributed in various large-scale environments from voids to superclusters. Evolution of galaxies is affected by the environment in which they reside. Our aim is to study the effects that the local group scale and the supercluster scale environment have on galaxies. We use a luminosity-density field to determine density of the large-scale environment of galaxies in groups of various richness. We calculate fractions of different types of galaxies in groups with richnesses up to 50 member galaxies and in different large-scale environments from voids to superclusters. The fraction of passive elliptical galaxies rises and the fraction of star-forming spiral galaxies declines when the richness of a group of galaxies rises from two to approximately ten galaxies. On the large scale, the passive elliptical galaxies become more numerous than star-forming spirals when the environmental density grows to the density level typical for superclusters. The large-scale environment affects the level of these fractions in groups: galaxies in equally rich groups are more likely to be elliptical in supercluster environments than in lower densities. The crossing point, where the number of passive and star-forming galaxies is equal, happens in groups with lower richness in superclusters than in voids. Galaxies in low-density areas require richer groups to evolve from star-forming to passive. Groups in superclusters are on average more luminous than groups in large-scale environments with lower density. Our results suggest that the evolution of galaxies is affected by both, by the group in which the galaxy resides, and by its large-scale environment. Galaxies in lower-density regions develop later than galaxies in similar mass groups in high-density environments.

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