arXiv subjects

Lorenzo Lovisari

Publications and source records attributed to Lorenzo Lovisari.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Detection of a Star Forming Galaxy in the Center of a Low-Mass Galaxy Cluster

Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) residing in the centers of galaxy clusters are typically quenched giant ellipticals. A recent study hinted that star-forming galaxies with large disks, so-called superluminous spirals and lenticulars, are the BCGs of a subset of galaxy clusters. Based on the existing optical data it was not possible to constrain whether the superluminous disk galaxies reside at the center of galaxy clusters. In this work, we utilize XMM-Newton X-ray observations of five galaxy clusters to map the morphology of the intracluster medium (ICM), characterize the galaxy clusters, determine the position of the cluster center, and measure the offset between the cluster center and the superluminous disk galaxies. We demonstrate that one superluminous lenticular galaxy, 2MASX J10405643-0103584, resides at the center of a low-mass ($M_{\rm 500} = 10^{14} \ \rm{M_{\odot}}$) galaxy cluster. This represents the first conclusive evidence that a superluminous disk galaxy is the central BCG of a galaxy cluster. We speculate that the progenitor of 2MASX J10405643-0103584 was an elliptical galaxy, whose extended disk was re-formed due to the merger of galaxies. We exclude the possibility that the other four superluminous disk galaxies reside at the center of galaxy clusters, as their projected distance from the cluster center is $150-1070$ kpc, which corresponds to $(0.27-1.18)R_{\rm 500}$. We conclude that these clusters host quiescent massive elliptical galaxies at their center.

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arXiv2018

RELICS: Strong Lensing analysis of the galaxy clusters Abell S295, Abell 697, MACS J0025.4-1222, and MACS J0159.8-0849

We present a strong-lensing analysis of four massive galaxy clusters imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope in the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey. We use a Light-Traces-Mass technique to uncover sets of multiply images and constrain the mass distribution of the clusters. These mass models are the first published for Abell S295 and MACS J0159.8-0849, and are improvements over previous models for Abell 697 and MACS J0025.4-1222. Our analysis for MACS J0025.4-1222 and Abell S295 shows a bimodal mass distribution supporting the merger scenarios proposed for these clusters. The updated model for MACS J0025.4-1222 suggests a substantially smaller critical area than previously estimated. For MACS J0159.8-0849 and Abell 697 we find a single peak and relatively regular morphology, revealing fairly relaxed clusters. Despite being less prominent lenses, three of these clusters seem to have lensing strengths, i.e. cumulative area above certain magnification, similar to the Hubble Frontier Fields clusters (e.g., A($μ>5$) $\sim 1-3$ arcmin$^2$, A($μ>10$) $\sim 0.5-1.5$ arcmin$^2$), which in part can be attributed to their merging configurations. We make our lens models publicly available through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes. Finally, using Gemini-N/GMOS spectroscopic observations we detect a single emission line from a high-redshift $J_{125}\simeq25.7$ galaxy candidate lensed by Abell 697. While we cannot rule out a lower-redshift solution, we interpret the line as Ly$α$ at $z=5.800\pm 0.001$, in agreement with its photometric redshift and dropout nature. Within this scenario we measure a Ly$α$ rest-frame equivalent width of $52\pm22$ Å, and an observed Gaussian width of $117\pm 15$ km/s.

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arXiv2018

RELICS: A Strong Lens Model for SPT-CLJ0615-5746, a z=0.972 Cluster

We present a lens model for the cluster SPT-CLJ0615$-$5746, which is the highest redshift ($z=0.972$) system in the Reionization of Lensing Clusters Survey (RELICS), making it the highest redshift cluster for which a full strong lens model is published. We identify three systems of multiply-imaged lensed galaxies, two of which we spectroscopically confirm at $z=1.358$ and $z=4.013$, which we use as constraints for the model. We find a foreground structure at $z\sim0.4$, which we include as a second cluster-sized halo in one of our models; however two different statistical tests find the best-fit model consists of one cluster-sized halo combined with three individually optimized galaxy-sized halos, as well as contributions from the cluster galaxies themselves. We find the total projected mass density within $r=26.7"$ (the region where the strong lensing constraints exist) to be $M=2.51^{+0.15}_{-0.09}\times 10^{14}$~M$_{\odot}$. If we extrapolate out to $r_{500}$, our projected mass density is consistent with the mass inferred from weak lensing and from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect ($M\sim10^{15}$~M$_{\odot}$). This cluster is lensing a previously reported $z\sim10$ galaxy, which, if spectroscopically confirmed, will be the highest-redshift strongly lensed galaxy known.

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arXiv2018

RELICS: Strong-lensing analysis of the massive clusters MACS J0308.9+2645 and PLCK G171.9-40.7

Strong gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters has become a powerful tool for probing the high-redshift Universe, magnifying distant and faint background galaxies. Reliable strong lensing (SL) models are crucial for determining the intrinsic properties of distant, magnified sources and for constructing their luminosity function. We present here the first SL analysis of MACS J0308.9+2645 and PLCK G171.9-40.7, two massive galaxy clusters imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope in the framework of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS). We use the Light-Traces-Mass modeling technique to uncover sets of multiply imaged galaxies and constrain the mass distribution of the clusters. Our SL analysis reveals that both clusters have particularly large Einstein radii ($θ_E>30"$ for a source redshift of $z_s=2$), providing fairly large areas with high magnifications, useful for high-redshift galaxy searches ($\sim2$ arcmin$^{2}$ with $μ>5$ to $\sim1$ arcmin$^{2}$ with $μ>10$, similar to a typical \textit{Hubble Frontier Fields} cluster). We also find that MACS J0308.9+2645 hosts a promising, apparently bright (J$\sim23.2-24.6$ AB), multiply imaged high-redshift candidate at $z\sim6.4$. These images are amongst the brightest high-redshift candidates found in RELICS. Our mass models, including magnification maps, are made publicly available for the community through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.

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arXiv2018

The Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS) and the Brightest High-z Galaxies

Massive foreground galaxy clusters magnify and distort the light of objects behind them, permitting a view into both the extremely distant and intrinsically faint galaxy populations. We present here the z ~ 6 - 8 candidate high-redshift galaxies from the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS), a Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope survey of 41 massive galaxy clusters spanning an area of ~200 arcmin^2. These clusters were selected to be excellent lenses and we find similar high-redshift sample sizes and magnitude distributions as CLASH. We discover 321 candidate galaxies with photometric redshifts between z ~ 6 to z ~ 8, including extremely bright objects with H-band magnitudes of m_AB ~ 23 mag. As a sample, the observed (lensed) magnitudes of these galaxies are among the brightest known at z> 6, comparable to much wider, blank-field surveys. RELICS demonstrates the efficiency of using strong gravitational lenses to produce high-redshift samples in the epoch of reionization. These brightly observed galaxies are excellent targets for follow-up study with current and future observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope.

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arXiv2018

RELICS: Strong Lens Models for Five Galaxy Clusters From the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey

Strong gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters magnifies background galaxies, enhancing our ability to discover statistically significant samples of galaxies at z>6, in order to constrain the high-redshift galaxy luminosity functions. Here, we present the first five lens models out of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS) Hubble Treasury Program, based on new HST WFC3/IR and ACS imaging of the clusters RXC J0142.9+4438, Abell 2537, Abell 2163, RXC J2211.7-0349, and ACT-CLJ0102-49151. The derived lensing magnification is essential for estimating the intrinsic properties of high-redshift galaxy candidates, and properly accounting for the survey volume. We report on new spectroscopic redshifts of multiply imaged lensed galaxies behind these clusters, which are used as constraints, and detail our strategy to reduce systematic uncertainties due to lack of spectroscopic information. In addition, we quantify the uncertainty on the lensing magnification due to statistical and systematic errors related to the lens modeling process, and find that in all but one cluster, the magnification is constrained to better than 20% in at least 80% of the field of view, including statistical and systematic uncertainties. The five clusters presented in this paper span the range of masses and redshifts of the clusters in the RELICS program. We find that they exhibit similar strong lensing efficiencies to the clusters targeted by the Hubble Frontier Fields within the WFC3/IR field of view. Outputs of the lens models are made available to the community through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes

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arXiv2018

Correlation Between the Total Gravitating Mass of Groups and Clusters and the Supermassive Black Hole Mass of Brightest Galaxies

Supermassive black holes (BHs) residing in the brightest cluster galaxies are over-massive relative to the stellar bulge mass or central stellar velocity dispersion of their host galaxies. As BHs residing at the bottom of the galaxy cluster's potential well may undergo physical processes that are driven by the large-scale characteristics of the galaxy clusters, it is possible that the growth of these BHs is (indirectly) governed by the properties of their host clusters. In this work, we explore the connection between the mass of BHs residing in the brightest group/cluster galaxies (BGGs/BCGs) and the virial temperature, and hence total gravitating mass, of galaxy groups/clusters. To this end, we investigate a sample of 17 BGGs/BCGs with dynamical BH mass measurements and utilize XMM-Newton X-ray observations to measure the virial temperatures and infer the $M_{\rm 500}$ mass of the galaxy groups/clusters. We find that the $M_{\rm BH} - kT$ relation is significantly tighter and exhibits smaller scatter than the $M_{\rm BH} - M_{\rm bulge}$ relations. The best-fitting power-law relations are $ \log_{10} (M_{\rm BH}/10^{9} \ \rm{M_{\odot}}) = 0.20 + 1.74 \log_{10} (kT/1 \ \rm{keV}) $ and $ \log_{10} (M_{\rm BH}/10^{9} \ \rm{M_{\odot}}) = -0.80 + 1.72 \log_{10} (M_{\rm bulge}/10^{11} \ M_{\odot})$. Thus, the BH mass of BGGs/BCGs may be set by physical processes that are governed by the properties of the host galaxy group/cluster. These results are confronted with the Horizon-AGN simulation, which reproduces the observed relations well, albeit the simulated relations exhibit notably smaller scatter.

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arXiv2017

XMM-Newton X-ray and HST weak gravitational lensing study of the extremely X-ray luminous galaxy cluster ClJ120958.9+495352 ($z=0.902$)

Observations of relaxed, massive and distant clusters can provide important tests of standard cosmological models e.g. using the gas mass fraction. We study the very luminous, high redshift ($z=0.902$) galaxy cluster ClJ120958.9+495352 using XMM-Newton data and measure the temperature profile and cooling time to investigate the dynamical status with respect to the presence of a cool core as well as global cluster properties. We use HST weak lensing data to estimate its total mass and determine the gas mass fraction. We perform a spectral analysis using an XMM-Newton observation of 15ks cleaned exposure time. As the treatment of the background is crucial, we use two different approaches to account for the background emission to verify our results. We account for point-spread-function effects and deproject our results to estimate the gas mass fraction of the cluster. We measure weak lensing galaxy shapes from mosaic HST imaging and select background galaxies photometrically in combination with imaging data from the William Herschel Telescope. The X-ray luminosity of ClJ120958.9+495352 in the 0.1-2.4keV band estimated from our XMM-Newton data is $L_X = (13.4_{-1.0}^{+1.2})\times10^{44}$erg/s and thus it is one of the most X-ray luminous clusters known at similarly high redshift. We find clear indications for the presence of a cool core from the temperature profile and the central cooling time, which is very rare at such high redshifts. Based on the weak lensing analysis we estimate a cluster mass of $M_\mathrm{500}/10^{14}M_\odot=4.4^{+2.2}_{-2.0}(\mathrm{stat.})\pm0.6(\mathrm{sys.})$ and a gas mass fraction of $f_\mathrm{gas,2500} = 0.11_{-0.03}^{+0.06}$ in good agreement with previous findings for high redshift and local clusters.

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arXiv2017

X-Ray morphological analysis of the Planck ESZ clusters

X-ray observations show that galaxy clusters have a very large range of morphologies. The most disturbed systems which are good to study how clusters form and grow and to test physical models, may potentially complicate cosmological studies because the cluster mass determination becomes more challenging. Thus, we need to understand the cluster properties of our samples to reduce possible biases. This is complicated by the fact that different experiments may detect different cluster populations. For example, SZ selected cluster samples have been found to include a greater fraction of disturbed systems than X-ray selected samples. In this paper we determined eight morphological parameters for the Planck Early Sunyaev-Zeldovich (ESZ) objects observed with XMM-Newton. We found that two parameters, concentration and centroid-shift, are the best to distinguish between relaxed and disturbed systems. For each parameter we provide the values that allow one to select the most relaxed or most disturbed objects from a sample. We found that there is no mass dependence on the cluster dynamical state. By comparing our results with what was obtained with REXCESS clusters, we also confirm that indeed the ESZ clusters tend to be more disturbed, as found by previous studies.

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arXiv2017

The fraction of cool-core clusters in X-ray vs. SZ samples using Chandra observations

We derive and compare the fractions of cool-core clusters in the {\em Planck} Early Sunyaev-Zel'dovich sample of 164 clusters with $z \leq 0.35$ and in a flux-limited X-ray sample of 100 clusters with $z \leq 0.30$, using {\em Chandra} observations. We use four metrics to identify cool-core clusters: 1) the concentration parameter: the ratio of the integrated emissivity profile within 0.15 $r_{500}$ to that within $r_{500}$, and 2) the ratio of the integrated emissivity profile within 40 kpc to that within 400 kpc, 3) the cuspiness of the gas density profile: the negative of the logarithmic derivative of the gas density with respect to the radius, measured at 0.04 $r_{500}$, and 4) the central gas density, measured at 0.01 $r_{500}$. We find that the sample of X-ray selected clusters, as characterized by each of these metrics, contains a significantly larger fraction of cool-core clusters compared to the sample of SZ selected clusters (44$\pm$7\% vs. 28$\pm$4\% using the concentration parameter in the 0.15--1.0 $r_{500}$ range, 61$\pm$8\% vs. 36$\pm$5\% using the concentration parameter in the 40--400 kpc range, 64$\pm$8\% vs. 38$\pm$5\% using the cuspiness, and 53$\pm$7\% vs. 39$\pm$5\% using the central gas density). Qualitatively, cool-core clusters are more X-ray luminous at fixed mass. Hence, our X-ray flux-limited sample, compared to the approximately mass-limited SZ sample, is over-represented with cool-core clusters. We describe a simple quantitative model that uses the excess luminosity of cool-core clusters compared to non-cool-core clusters at fixed mass to successfully predict the observed fraction of cool-core clusters in X-ray selected samples.

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arXiv2017

The Double Galaxy Cluster Abell 2465 III. X-ray and Weak-lensing Observations

We report Chandra X-ray observations and optical weak-lensing measurements from Subaru/Suprime-Cam images of the double galaxy cluster Abell 2465 (z=0.245). The X-ray brightness data are fit to a beta-model to obtain the radial gas density profiles of the northeast (NE) and southwest (SW) sub-components, which are seen to differ in structure. We determine core radii, central temperatures, the gas masses within $r_{500c}$, and the total masses for the broader NE and sharper SW components assuming hydrostatic equilibrium. The central entropy of the NE clump is about two times higher than the SW. Along with its structural properties, this suggests that it has undergone merging on its own. The weak-lensing analysis gives virial masses for each substructure, which compare well with earlier dynamical results. The derived outer mass contours of the SW sub-component from weak lensing are more irregular and extended than those of the NE. Although there is a weak enhancement and small offsets between X-ray gas and mass centers from weak lensing, the lack of large amounts of gas between the two sub-clusters indicates that Abell 2465 is in a pre-merger state. A dynamical model that is consistent with the observed cluster data, based on the FLASH program and the radial infall model, is constructed, where the subclusters currently separated by ~1.2Mpc are approaching each other at ~2000km/s and will meet in ~0.4Gyr.

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arXiv2015

Abundance and temperature distributions in the hot intra-cluster gas of Abell 4059

Using the EPIC and RGS data from a deep (~200 ks) XMM-Newton observation, we investigate the temperature structure (kT and sigma_T ) and the abundances of 9 elements (O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe and Ni) of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) in the nearby (z=0.046) cool-core galaxy cluster Abell 4059. Next to a deep analysis of the cluster core, a careful modelling of the EPIC background allows us to build radial profiles up to 12' (~650 kpc) from the core. Probably because of projection effects, the temperature ICM is found not to be in single phase, even in the outer parts of the cluster. The abundances of Ne, Si, S, Ar, Ca and Fe, but also O are peaked towards the core. Fe and O are still significantly detected in the outermost annuli; suggesting that the enrichment by both type Ia and core-collapse SNe started in the early stages of the cluster formation. However, the particularly high Ca/Fe ratio that we find in the core is not well reproduced by the standard SNe yield models. Finally, 2-D maps of temperature and Fe abundance are presented and confirm the existence of a denser, colder, and Fe-rich ridge southwest of the core, previously observed by Chandra. The origin of this asymmetry in the hot gas of the cluster core is still unclear, but might be explained by a past intense ram-pressure stripping event near the central cD galaxy.

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arXiv2014

Scaling Properties of a Complete X-ray Selected Galaxy Group Sample

Upcoming X-ray surveys like eROSITA require precise calibration between X-ray observables and mass down to the low mass regime to set tight constraints on the fundamental cosmological parameters. Since an individual mass measurement is only possible for a relatively small number of objects it is crucial to have robust and well understood scaling relations that relate the total mass to easily observable quantities. The main goal of this work is to constrain the galaxy group scaling relations corrected for selection effects, and to quantify the influence of non-gravitational physics at the low-mass regime. We analyzed XMM-Newton observations for a complete sample of galaxy groups selected from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey and we compared the derived scaling properties with a galaxy cluster sample. To investigate the role played by the different non-gravitational processes we then compared the observational data with the predictions of hydrodynamical simulations. After applying the correction for selection effects (e.g. Malmquist bias) the L-M relation is steeper than the observed one. Its slope is also steeper than the value obtained by using the more massive systems of the HIFLUGCS sample. This behaviour can be explained by a gradual change of the true L-M relation which should be taken into account when converting the observational parameters into masses. The other observed scaling relations (not corrected for selection biases) do not show any break although the comparison with the simulations suggests that feedback processes play an important role in the formation and evolution of galaxy groups. Thanks to our master sample of 82 objects spanning two order of magnitude in mass we tightly constrain the dependence of the gas mass fraction on the total mass, finding almost a factor of two difference between groups and clusters.

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arXiv2014

Metal distribution in the ICM - a comprehensive numerical study of twelve galaxy clusters

We present a simulation setup for studying the dynamical and chemical evolution of the intracluster medium (ICM) and analyze a sample of 12 galaxy clusters that are diverse both kinetically (pre-merger, merging, virialized) and in total mass (M vir = 1.17 x 10^14 - 1.06 x 10^15 M). We analyzed the metal mass fraction in the ICM as a function of redshift and discuss radial trends as well as projected 2D metallicity maps. The setup combines high mass resolution N-body simulations with the semi-analytical galaxy formation model Galacticus for consistent treatment of the subgrid physics (such as galactic winds and ram-pressure stripping) in the cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. The interface between Galacticus and the hydro simulation of the ICM with FLASH is discussed with respect to observations of star formation rate histories, radial star formation trends in galaxy clusters, and the metallicity at different redshifts. As a test for the robustness of the wind model, we compare three prescriptions from different approaches. For the wind model directly taken from Galacticus, we find mean ICM metallicities between 0.2 - 0.8Z within the inner 1Mpc at z = 0. The main contribution to the metal mass fraction comes from galactic winds. The outflows are efficiently mixed in the ICM, leading to a steady homogenization of metallicities until ram-pressure stripping becomes effective at low redshifts. We find a very peculiar and yet common drop in metal mass fractions within the inner ~200kpc of the cool cores, which is due to a combination of wind suppression by outer pressure within our model and a lack of mixing after the formation of these dense regions.

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arXiv2014

Constraining galaxy cluster temperatures and redshifts with eROSITA survey data

The nature of dark energy is imprinted in the large-scale structure of the Universe and thus in the mass and redshift distribution of galaxy clusters. The upcoming eROSITA mission will exploit this method of probing dark energy by detecting roughly 100,000 clusters of galaxies in X-rays. For a precise cosmological analysis the various galaxy cluster properties need to be measured with high precision and accuracy. To predict these characteristics of eROSITA galaxy clusters and to optimise optical follow-up observations, we estimate the precision and the accuracy with which eROSITA will be able to determine galaxy cluster temperatures and redshifts from X-ray spectra. Additionally, we present the total number of clusters for which these two properties will be available from the eROSITA survey directly. During its four years of all-sky surveys, eROSITA will determine cluster temperatures with relative uncertainties of Delta(T)/T<10% at the 68%-confidence level for clusters up to redshifts of z~0.16 which corresponds to ~1,670 new clusters with precise properties. Redshift information itself will become available with a precision of Delta(z)/(1+z)<10% for clusters up to z~0.45. Additionally, we estimate how the number of clusters with precise properties increases with a deepening of the exposure. Furthermore, the biases in the best-fit temperatures as well as in the estimated uncertainties are quantified and shown to be negligible in the relevant parameter range in general. For the remaining parameter sets, we provide correction functions and factors. The eROSITA survey will increase the number of galaxy clusters with precise temperature measurements by a factor of 5-10. Thus the instrument presents itself as a powerful tool for the determination of tight constraints on the cosmological parameters.

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arXiv2013

Outskirts of Galaxy Clusters

Until recently, only about 10% of the total intracluster gas volume had been studied with high accuracy, leaving a vast region essentially unexplored. This is now changing and a wide area of hot gas physics and chemistry awaits discovery in galaxy cluster outskirts. Also, robust large-scale total mass profiles and maps are within reach. First observational and theoretical results in this emerging field have been achieved in recent years with sometimes surprising findings. Here, we summarize and illustrate the relevant underlying physical and chemical processes and review the recent progress in X-ray, Sunyaev--Zel'dovich, and weak gravitational lensing observations of cluster outskirts, including also brief discussions of technical challenges and possible future improvements.

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