arXiv subjects

R. R. Gal

Publications and source records attributed to R. R. Gal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Gas properties as a function of environment in the proto-supercluster Hyperion at z ~ 2.45

The cosmic star-formation rate density, molecular gas density and the AGN activity of the Universe peak at z~ 2-3, showing the Universe is most active at this epoch. The nature of the galaxies at these redshifts and their properties as a function of their environment are particularly interesting to understand the mechanisms driving their star-formation and quenching. At z~ 2.5, a massive (~ 4.8 X 10^15 Msun) proto-supercluster, Hyperion, was identified Cucciati et al. 2018, consisting of 7 groups/peaks and extending over a comoving volume of 60 X 60 X 150 Mpc^3, providing an excellent laboratory to probe the properties and evolution of galaxies as a function of their environments. We use a large compilation of photometric (optical to radio wavelengths, COSMOS2020, COSMOS-Super-deblended, and, A3COSMOS) and spectroscopic (C3VO, HST-Hyperion, VUDS, zCOSMOS, DEIMOS10K, MAGAZ3NE) data to assign membership and study the relation between the local environment and the molecular gas mass, the star-formation rate (SFR), gas depletion timescales, and quenching mechanisms. We find that the depletion timescales and the molecular gas fractions decrease and SFR increases in denser environments at the ~ 2 sigma level, suggesting accelerated evolution in the densest regions of this proto-supercluster resulting from gas stripping, over-consumption, and/or cessation of cold flows. Dedicated observations at sub-millimeter wavelengths enabling further spectroscopic confirmation and better coverage in the sub-millimetric (sub-mm) wavelengths can provide more conclusive results on the environmental implications on gas reservoirs of galaxies in Hyperion.

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arXiv2022

The VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey: The reversal of the star-formation rate $-$ density relation at $2 < z < 5$

Utilizing spectroscopic observations taken for the VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS), new observations from Keck/DEIMOS, and publicly available observations of large samples of star-forming galaxies, we report here on the relationship between the star formation rate (SFR) and the local environment ($δ_{gal}$) of galaxies in the early universe ($2<z<5$). Unlike what is observed at lower redshifts ($z<2$), we observe a definite, nearly monotonic increase in the average SFR with increasing galaxy overdensity over more than an order of magnitude in $δ_{gal}$. The robustness of this trend is quantified by accounting for both uncertainties in our measurements and galaxy populations that are either underrepresented or not present in our sample and find that the trend remains significant under all circumstances. This trend appears to be primarily driven by the fractional increase of galaxies in high density environments that are more massive in their stellar content and are forming stars at a higher rate than their less massive counterparts. We find that, even after stellar mass effects are accounted for, there remains a weak but significant SFR-$δ_{gal}$ trend in our sample implying that additional environmentally-related processes are helping to drive this trend. We also find clear evidence that the average SFR of galaxies in the densest environments increases with increasing redshift. These results lend themselves to a picture in which massive gas-rich galaxies coalesce into proto-cluster environments at $z\sim3$, interact with other galaxies or with a forming large-scale medium, subsequently using or losing most of their gas in the process, and begin to seed the nascent red sequence that is present in clusters at slightly lower redshifts.

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arXiv2021

An Optical Observational Cluster Mass Function at $z\sim1$ with the ORELSE Survey

We present a new mass function of galaxy clusters and groups using optical/near-infrared wavelength spectroscopic and photometric data from the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large-Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey. At $z\sim1$, cluster mass function studies are rare regardless of wavelength and have never been attempted from an optical/near-infrared perspective. This work serves as a proof of concept that $z\sim1$ cluster mass functions are achievable without supplemental X-ray or Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) data. Measurements of the cluster mass function provide important contraints on cosmological parameters and are complementary to other probes. With ORELSE, a new cluster finding technique based on Voronoi tessellation Monte-Carlo (VMC) mapping, and rigorous purity and completeness testing, we have obtained $\sim$240 galaxy overdensity candidates in the redshift range $0.55<z<1.37$ at a mass range of $13.6<\log(M/M_{\odot})<14.8$. This mass range is comparable to existing optical cluster mass function studies for the local universe. Our candidate numbers vary based on the choice of multiple input parameters related to detection and characterization in our cluster finding algorithm, which we incorporated into the mass function analysis through a Monte-Carlo scheme. We find cosmological constraints on the matter density of $Ω_{m} = 0.250^{+0.104}_{-0.099}$ and on the amplitude of fluctuations of $σ_{8} = 1.150^{+0.260}_{-0.163}$. While our $Ω_{m}$ value is close to concordance, our $σ_{8}$ value is $\sim2σ$ higher because of the inflated observed number densities compared to theoretical mass function models owing to how our survey targeted overdense regions. With Euclid and several other large, unbiased optical surveys on the horizon, VMC mapping will enable optical/NIR cluster cosmology at redshifts much higher than what has been possible before.

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arXiv2019

Establishing a New Technique for Discovering Large-Scale Structure Using the ORELSE Survey

The Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey is an ongoing imaging and spectroscopic campaign initially designed to study the effects of environment on galaxy evolution in high-redshift ($z\sim1$) large-scale structures. We use its rich data in combination with a powerful new technique, Voronoi tessellation Monte-Carlo (VMC) mapping, to search for serendipitous galaxy overdensities at $0.55 < z < 1.37$ within 15 ORELSE fields, a combined spectroscopic footprint of $\sim$1.4 square degrees. Through extensive tests with both observational data and our own mock galaxy catalogs, we optimize the method's many free parameters to maximize its efficacy for general overdensity searches. Our overdensity search yielded 402 new overdensity candidates with precisely measured redshifts and an unprecedented sensitivity down to low total overdensity masses ($\mathcal{M}_{tot} \gtrsim 5\times 10^{13} M_{\odot}$). Using the mock catalogs, we estimated the purity and completeness of our overdensity catalog as a function of redshift, total mass, and spectroscopic redshift fraction, finding impressive levels of both 0.92/0.83 and 0.60/0.49 for purity/completeness at $z=0.8$ and $z=1.2$, respectively, for all overdensity masses at spectroscopic fractions of $\sim$20%. With VMC mapping, we are able to measure precise systemic redshifts, provide an estimate of the total gravitating mass, and maintain high levels of purity and completeness at $z\sim1$ even with only moderate levels of spectroscopy. Other methods (e.g., red-sequence overdensities and hot medium reliant detections) begin to fail at similar redshifts, which attests to VMC mapping's potential to be a powerful tool for current and future wide-field galaxy evolution surveys at $z\sim1$ and beyond.

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arXiv2019

The High-Redshift Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) Survey: Follow-Up Optical Imaging

Here we present new red sequence overdensity measurements for 77 fields in the high-$z$ Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) survey, based on $r$- and $i$-band imaging taken with Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope. We observe 38 COBRA fields in $r$-band and 90 COBRA fields in $i$-band. By combining the $r$- and $i$-band photometry with our 3.6$μ$m and 4.5$μ$m $Spitzer$ IRAC observations, we identify 39 red sequence cluster candidates that host a strong overdensity of galaxies when measuring the excess of red sequence galaxies relative to a background field. We initially treat the radio host as the cluster center and then determine a new cluster center based on the surface density of red sequence sources. Using our color selection, we identify which COBRA cluster candidates have strong red sequence populations. By removing foreground and background contaminants, we more securely determine which fields include cluster candidates with a higher significance than our single-band observations. Additionally, of the 77 fields we analyze with a redshift estimate, 26 include newly estimated photometric redshifts.

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arXiv2018

Evaluating Tests of Virialization and Substructure Using Galaxy Clusters in the ORELSE Survey

We evaluated the effectiveness of different indicators of cluster virialization using 12 large-scale structures in the ORELSE survey spanning from $0.7<z<1.3$. We located diffuse X-ray emission from 16 galaxy clusters using Chandra observations. We studied the properties of these clusters and their members, using Chandra data in conjunction with optical and near-IR imaging and spectroscopy. We measured X-ray luminosities and gas temperatures of each cluster, as well as velocity dispersions of their member galaxies. We compared these results to scaling relations derived from virialized clusters, finding significant offsets of up to 3-4$σ$ for some clusters, which could indicate they are disturbed or still forming. We explored if other properties of the clusters correlated with these offsets by performing a set of tests of virialization and substructure on our sample, including Dressler-Schectman tests, power ratios, analyses of the velocity distributions of galaxy populations, and centroiding differences. For comparison to a wide range of studies, we used two sets of tests: ones that did and did not use spectral energy distribution fitting to obtain rest-frame colours, stellar masses, and photometric redshifts of galaxies. Our results indicated that the difference between the stellar mass or light mean-weighted center and the X-ray center, as well as the projected offset of the most-massive/brightest cluster galaxy from other cluster centroids had the strongest correlations with scaling relation offsets, implying they are the most robust indicators of cluster virialization and can be used for this purpose when X-ray data is insufficiently deep for reliable $L_X$ and $T_X$ measurements.

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arXiv2014

VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS): Witnessing the Assembly of a Massive Cluster at z~3.3

Using new spectroscopic observations obtained as part of the VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS), we perform a systematic search for overdense environments in the early universe ($z>2$) and report here on the discovery of Cl J0227-0421, a massive protocluster at $z=3.29$. This protocluster is characterized by both the large overdensity of spectroscopically confirmed members, $δ_{gal}=10.5\pm2.8$, and a significant overdensity in photometric redshift members. The halo mass of this protocluster is estimated, by a variety of methods, to be roughly $3\times10^{14}$ $\mathcal{M}_{\odot}$ at $z\sim3.3$, which, evolved to $z=0$ results in a halo mass rivaling or exceeding that of the Coma cluster. The properties of 19 spectroscopically confirmed member galaxies are compared with a large sample of VUDS/VVDS galaxies in lower density field environments at similar redshifts. We find tentative evidence for an excess of redder, brighter, and more massive galaxies within the confines of the protocluster relative to the field population, which suggests that we may be observing the beginning of environmentally-induced quenching. The properties of these galaxies are investigated, including a discussion of the brightest protocluster galaxy which appears to be undergoing vigorous coeval nuclear and starburst activity. The remaining member galaxies appear to have characteristics which are largely similar to the field population. Though we find weaker evidence of the suppression of the median star formation rates amongst and differences in stacked spectra of member galaxies with respect to the field, we defer any conclusions of these trends to future work with the ensemble of protostructures that are found in the full VUDS sample.

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arXiv2012

The Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS): survey definition and goals

We present the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS), an 18 square degrees medium-deep survey at 3.6 and 4.5 microns with the post-cryogenic Spitzer Space Telescope to ~2 microJy (AB=23.1) depth of five highly observed astronomical fields (ELAIS-N1, ELAIS-S1, Lockman Hole, Chandra Deep Field South and XMM-LSS). SERVS is designed to enable the study of galaxy evolution as a function of environment from z~5 to the present day, and is the first extragalactic survey both large enough and deep enough to put rare objects such as luminous quasars and galaxy clusters at z>1 into their cosmological context. SERVS is designed to overlap with several key surveys at optical, near- through far-infrared, submillimeter and radio wavelengths to provide an unprecedented view of the formation and evolution of massive galaxies. In this paper, we discuss the SERVS survey design, the data processing flow from image reduction and mosaicing to catalogs, as well as coverage of ancillary data from other surveys in the SERVS fields. We also highlight a variety of early science results from the survey.

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arXiv2011

Submillimetre Source Counts in the Fields of High-Redshift Galaxy Clusters

We present a submillimetre survey of seven high-z galaxy clusters (0.64<z<1.0) using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) at 850 and 450 um. The targets, of similar richness and redshift, are selected from the Red-sequence Cluster Survey (RCS). We use this sample to investigate the apparent excess of submillimetre source counts in the direction of cluster fields compared to blank fields. The sample consists of three galaxy clusters that exhibit multiple optical arcs due to strong gravitational lensing, and a control group of four clusters with no apparent strong lensing. A tentative excess of 2.7-sigma is seen in the number density of submillimetre luminous galaxies (SMGs) within the lensing cluster fields compared to that in the control group. Ancillary observations at radio, mid-infrared, optical, and X-ray wavelengths allow for the identification of counterparts to many of the SMGs. Utilizing photometric redshifts, we conclude that at least three of the galaxies within the lensing fields have redshifts consistent with the clusters and implied infrared luminosities of ~10^12 Lsol. The existence of SMG cluster members may therefore be boosting source counts in the lensing cluster fields, which might be an effect of the dynamical state of those clusters. However, we find that the removal of potential cluster members from the counts analysis does not entirely eliminate the difference between the cluster samples. We also investigate possible occurrences of lensing between background SMGs and lower-z optical galaxies, though further observations are required to make any conclusive claims. Although the excess counts between the two cluster samples have not been unambiguously accounted for, these results warrant caution for interpreting submillimetre source counts in cluster fields and point source contamination for Sunyaev-Zel'dovich surveys. [Abridged]

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arXiv2011

SPIDER - V. Measuring Systematic Effects in Early-Type Galaxy Stellar Masses from Photometric SED Fitting

We present robust statistical estimates of the accuracy of early-type galaxy stellar masses derived from spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting as functions of various empirical and theoretical assumptions. Using large samples consisting of 40,000 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, of which 5,000 are also in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey, with spectroscopic redshifts in the range 0.05 \leq z \leq 0.095, we test the reliability of some commonly used stellar population models and extinction laws for computing stellar masses. Spectroscopic ages (t), metallicities (Z), and extinctions (A) are also computed from fits to SDSS spectra using various population models. These constraints are used in additional tests to estimate the systematic errors in the stellar masses derived from SED fitting, where t, Z, and A are typically left as free parameters. We find reasonable agreement in mass estimates among stellar population models, with variation of the IMF and extinction law yielding systematic biases on the mass of nearly a factor of 2, in agreement with other studies. Removing the near-infrared bands changes the statistical bias in mass by only 0.06 dex, adding uncertainties of 0.1 dex at the 95% CL. In contrast, we find that removing an ultraviolet band is more critical, introducing 2σ uncertainties of 0.15 dex. Finally, we find that stellar masses are less affected by absence of metallicity and/or dust extinction knowledge. However, there is a definite systematic offset in the mass estimate when the stellar population age is unknown, up to a factor of 2.5 for very old (12 Gyr) stellar populations. We present the stellar masses for our sample, corrected for the measured systematic biases due to photometrically determined ages, finding that age errors produce lower stellar masses by 0.15 dex, with errors of 0.02 dex at the 95% CL for the median stellar age subsample.

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arXiv2010

Decision Tree Classifiers for Star/Galaxy Separation

We study the star/galaxy classification efficiency of 13 different decision tree algorithms applied to photometric objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Seven (SDSS DR7). Each algorithm is defined by a set of parameters which, when varied, produce different final classification trees. We extensively explore the parameter space of each algorithm, using the set of $884,126$ SDSS objects with spectroscopic data as the training set. The efficiency of star-galaxy separation is measured using the completeness function. We find that the Functional Tree algorithm (FT) yields the best results as measured by the mean completeness in two magnitude intervals: $14\le r\le21$ ($85.2%$) and $r\ge19$ ($82.1%$). We compare the performance of the tree generated with the optimal FT configuration to the classifications provided by the SDSS parametric classifier, 2DPHOT and Ball et al. (2006). We find that our FT classifier is comparable or better in completeness over the full magnitude range $15\le r\le21$, with much lower contamination than all but the Ball et al. classifier. At the faintest magnitudes ($r>19$), our classifier is the only one able to maintain high completeness ($>$80%) while still achieving low contamination ($\sim2.5%$). Finally, we apply our FT classifier to separate stars from galaxies in the full set of $69,545,326$ SDSS photometric objects in the magnitude range $14\le r\le21$.

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arXiv2010

SPIDER - IV. Optical and NIR color gradients in Early-type galaxies: New Insights into Correlations with Galaxy Properties

We present an analysis of stellar population gradients in 4,546 Early-Type Galaxies with photometry in $grizYHJK$ along with optical spectroscopy. A new approach is described which utilizes color information to constrain age and metallicity gradients. Defining an effective color gradient, $\nabla_{\star}$, which incorporates all of the available color indices, we investigate how $\nabla_{\star}$ varies with galaxy mass proxies, i.e. velocity dispersion, stellar (M_star) and dynamical (M_dyn) masses, as well as age, metallicity, and alpha/Fe. ETGs with M_dyn larger than 8.5 x 10^10, M_odot have increasing age gradients and decreasing metallicity gradients wrt mass, metallicity, and enhancement. We find that velocity dispersion and alpha/Fe are the main drivers of these correlations. ETGs with 2.5 x 10^10 M_odot =< M_dyn =< 8.5 x 10^10 M_odot, show no correlation of age, metallicity, and color gradients wrt mass, although color gradients still correlate with stellar population parameters, and these correlations are independent of each other. In both mass regimes, the striking anti-correlation between color gradient and alpha-enhancement is significant at \sim 4sigma, and results from the fact that metallicity gradient decreases with alpha/Fe. This anti-correlation may reflect the fact that star formation and metallicity enrichment are regulated by the interplay between the energy input from supernovae, and the temperature and pressure of the hot X-ray gas in ETGs. For all mass ranges, positive age gradients are associated with old galaxies (>5-7 Gyr). For galaxies younger than \sim 5 Gyr, mostly at low-mass, the age gradient tends to be anti-correlated with the Age parameter, with more positive gradients at younger ages.

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arXiv2009

On The Nature of Fossil Galaxy Groups

We present a new sample of 25 fossil groups (FGs) at z < 0.1, along with a control sample of seventeen bright ellipticals located in non-fossil systems. Both the global properties of FGs (e.g. X-ray luminosity) as well as the photometric properties (i.e. isophotal shape parameter, a4) and spectroscopic parameters (e.g. the alpha-enhancement) of their first-ranked ellipticals are consistent with those of the control sample. This result favors a scenario where FGs are not a distinct class of systems, but rather a common phase in the life of galaxy groups. We also find no evidence for an evolutionary sequence explaining the formation of galaxies in fossil systems through the merging of galaxies in compact groups.

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arXiv2009

The Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) Survey : I. The Survey Design and First Results on Cl 0023+0423 at z = 0.84 and RX J1821.6+6827 at z = 0.82

We present the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey, a systematic search for structure on scales greater than 10 Mpc around 20 well-known clusters at 0.6 < z < 1.3. We describe the survey design, the cluster sample, and our extensive observational data covering at least 25' around each target cluster. We use adaptively-smoothed red galaxy density maps from our wide-field optical imaging to identify candidate groups/clusters and intermediate-density large scale filaments/walls in each cluster field. Because photometric techniques can be highly uncertain, the crucial component of this survey is the unprecedented amount of spectroscopic coverage. We are using the wide-field, multi-object spectroscopic capabilities of the DEep Multi-Object Imaging Spectrograph to obtain 100-200+ confirmed cluster members in each field. Our survey has already discovered the Cl 1604 supercluster at z = 0.9. Here, we present the results on two additional clusters, Cl 0023+0423 at z = 0.84 and RX J1821.6+6827 at z = 0.82. The optically-selected Cl 0023+0423 is a four-way group-group merger with constituent groups having velocity dispersions between 206-479 km/s. The galaxy population is dominated by blue, star-forming galaxies, with a substantial contribution from recent starbursts. In contrast, the X-ray-selected RX J1821.6+6827 is a largely-isolated, massive cluster with a measured velocity dispersion of 926 +/- 77 km/s. The cluster exhibits a well defined red sequence with a large quiescent galaxy population. The results from these two targets, along with preliminary findings on other ORELSE clusters, suggest that optical selection may be more effective than X-ray surveys at detecting less-evolved, dynamically-active systems at these redshifts. [Abridged]

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arXiv2008

The Northern Sky Optical Cluster Survey III: A Cluster Catalog Covering Pi Steradians

We present the complete galaxy cluster catalog from the Northern Sky Optical Cluster Survey, a new, objectively defined catalog of candidate galaxy clusters at z<0.25 drawn from the Digitized Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (DPOSS). The data presented here cover the Southern Galactic Cap, as well as the less-well calibrated regions of the Northern Galactic Cap. In addition, due to improvements in our cluster finder and measurement methods, we provide an updated catalog for the well-calibrated Northern Galactic Cap region previously published in Paper II. The complete survey covers 11,411 square degrees, with over 15,000 candidate clusters. We discuss improved photometric redshifts, richnesses and optical luminosities which are provided for each cluster. A variety of substructure measures are computed for a subset of over 11,000 clusters. We also discuss the derivation of dynamical radii r_200 and its relation to cluster richness. A number of consistency checks between the three areas of the survey are also presented, demonstrating the homogeneity of the catalog over disjoint sky areas. We perform extensive comparisons to existing optically and X-ray selected cluster catalogs, and derive new X-ray luminosities and temperatures for a subset of our clusters. We find that the optical and X-ray luminosities are well correlated, even using relatively shallow ROSAT All Sky Survey and DPOSS data. This survey provides a good comparison sample to the MaxBCG catalog based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data, and complements that survey at low redshifts 0.07<z<0.1.

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arXiv2008

On the Nature of Fossil Galaxy Groups: Are they really fossils ?

We use SDSS-DR4 photometric and spectroscopic data out to redshift z~0.1 combined with ROSAT All Sky Survey X-ray data to produce a sample of twenty-five fossil groups (FGs), defined as bound systems dominated by a single, luminous elliptical galaxy with extended X-ray emission. We examine possible biases introduced by varying the parameters used to define the sample and the main pitfalls are discussed. The spatial density of FGs, estimated via the V/V_ MAX} test, is 2.83 x 10^{-6} h_{75}^3 Mpc^{-3} for L_x > 0.89 x 10^42 h_{75}^-2 erg/s consistent with Vikhlinin et al. (1999), who examined an X-ray overluminous elliptical galaxy sample (OLEG). We compare the general properties of FGs identified here with a sample of bright field ellipticals generated from the same dataset. These two samples show no differences in the distribution of neighboring faint galaxy density excess, distance from the red sequence in the color-magnitude diagram, and structural parameters such as a$_{4}$ and internal color gradients. Furthermore, examination of stellar populations shows that our twenty-five FGs have similar ages, metallicities, and $α$-enhancement as the bright field ellipticals, undermining the idea that these systems represent fossils of a physical mechanism that occurred at high redshift. Our study reveals no difference between FGs and field ellipticals, suggesting that FGs might not be a distinct family of true fossils, but rather the final stage of mass assembly in the Universe.

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arXiv2008

The Complex Structure of the Cl 1604 Supercluster at z~0.9

The Cl1604 supercluster at z=0.9 is one of a small handful of such structures discovered in the high redshift universe, and is the first target observed as part of the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) Survey. To date, Cl1604 is the largest structure mapped at z~1, with the most constituent clusters and the largest number of spectroscopically confirmed member galaxies. In this paper we present the results of a spectroscopic campaign to create a three-dimensional map of Cl1604 and to understand the contamination by fore- and background large scale structures. Combining new Deep Imaging Multi-object Spectrograph observations with previous data yields redshifts for 1,383 extragalactic objects in a ~ 0.08 sq. deg region, 449 of which are supercluster members. We examine the complex three dimensional structure of Cl1604, providing velocity dispersions for eight of the member clusters and groups. Our extensive spectroscopic dataset is used to examine potential biases in cluster velocity dispersion measurements in the presence of overlapping structures and filaments. We also discuss other structures found along the line-of-sight, including a filament at z=0.6 and two serendipitously discovered clusters/groups at z~1.2.

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arXiv2008

2DPHOT: A Multi-purpose Environment for the Two-dimensional Analysis of Wide-field Images

We describe 2DPHOT, a general purpose analysis environment for source detection and analysis in deep wide-field images. 2DPHOT is an automated tool to obtain both integrated and surface photometry of galaxies in an image, to perform reliable star-galaxy separation with accurate estimates of contamination at faint flux levels, and to estimate completeness of the image catalog. We describe the analysis strategy on which 2DPHOT is based, and provide a detailed description of the different algorithms implemented in the package. This new environment is intended as a dedicated tool to process the wealth of data from wide-field imaging surveys. To this end, the package is complemented by 2DGUI, an environment that allows multiple processing of data using a range of computing architectures.

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