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S. Andreon

Publications and source records attributed to S. Andreon.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

Euclid preparation. Spectroscopy of active galactic nuclei with NISP

The statistical distribution and evolution of key properties (e.g. accretion rate, mass, or spin) of active galactic nuclei (AGN), remain an open debate in astrophysics. The ESA Euclid space mission, launched on July 1st 2023, promises a breakthrough in this field. We create detailed mock catalogues of AGN spectra, from the rest-frame near-infrared down to the ultraviolet, including emission lines, to simulate what Euclid will observe for both obscured (type 2) and unobscured (type 1) AGN. We concentrate on the red grisms of the NISP instrument, which will be used for the wide-field survey, opening a new window for spectroscopic AGN studies in the near-infrared. We quantify the efficiency in the redshift determination as well as in retrieving the emission line flux of the H$α$+[NII] complex as Euclid is mainly focused on this emission line as it is expected to be the brightest one in the probed redshift range. Spectroscopic redshifts are measured for 83% of the simulated AGN in the interval where the H$α$+[NII] is visible (0.89 2x10^{-16}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, encompassing the peak of AGN activity at $z\simeq 1-1.5$) within the spectral coverage of the red grism. Outside this redshift range, the measurement efficiency decreases significantly. Overall, a spectroscopic redshift is correctly determined for ~90% of type 2 AGN down to an emission line flux of $3x10^{-16}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, and for type 1 AGN down to $8.5x10^{-16}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$. Recovered black hole mass values show a small offset with respect to the input values ~10%, but the agreement is good overall. With such a high spectroscopic coverage at z<2, we will be able to measure AGN demography, scaling relations, and clustering from the epoch of the peak of AGN activity down to the present-day Universe for hundreds of thousand AGN with homogeneous spectroscopic information.

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Euclid Preparation. TBD. Impact of magnification on spectroscopic galaxy clustering

In this paper we investigate the impact of lensing magnification on the analysis of Euclid's spectroscopic survey, using the multipoles of the 2-point correlation function for galaxy clustering. We determine the impact of lensing magnification on cosmological constraints, and the expected shift in the best-fit parameters if magnification is ignored. We consider two cosmological analyses: i) a full-shape analysis based on the $Λ$CDM model and its extension $w_0w_a$CDM and ii) a model-independent analysis that measures the growth rate of structure in each redshift bin. We adopt two complementary approaches in our forecast: the Fisher matrix formalism and the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The fiducial values of the local count slope (or magnification bias), which regulates the amplitude of the lensing magnification, have been estimated from the Euclid Flagship simulations. We use linear perturbation theory and model the 2-point correlation function with the public code coffe. For a $Λ$CDM model, we find that the estimation of cosmological parameters is biased at the level of 0.4-0.7 standard deviations, while for a $w_0w_a$CDM dynamical dark energy model, lensing magnification has a somewhat smaller impact, with shifts below 0.5 standard deviations. In a model-independent analysis aiming to measure the growth rate of structure, we find that the estimation of the growth rate is biased by up to $1.2$ standard deviations in the highest redshift bin. As a result, lensing magnification cannot be neglected in the spectroscopic survey, especially if we want to determine the growth factor, one of the most promising ways to test general relativity with Euclid. We also find that, by including lensing magnification with a simple template, this shift can be almost entirely eliminated with minimal computational overhead.

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Witnessing the intracluster medium assembly at the cosmic noon in JKCS041

In this work we study the intracluster medium of a galaxy cluster at the cosmic noon: JKCS041 at z=1.803. A 28h long Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) observation using MUSTANG-2 allows us to detect JKCS041, even if intrinsically extremely faint compared to other SZ-detected clusters. We found that the SZ peak is offset from the X-ray center by about 220 kpc in the direction of the brightest cluster galaxy, which we interpret as due to the cluster being observed just after first passage of a major merger. JKCS041 has a low central pressure and a low Compton Y compared to local clusters selected by their intracluster medium (ICM), likely because the cluster is still in the process of assembly but also in part because of a hard-to-quantify bias in current local ICM-selected samples. JKCS041 has a 0.5 dex fainter Y signal than another less massive z~1.8 cluster, exemplifying how much different weak-lensing mass and SZ mass can be at high redshift. The observations we present provide us with the measurement of the most distant resolved pressure profile of a galaxy cluster. Comparison with a library of plausibly descendants shows that JKCS041 pressure profile will likely increase by about 0.7 dex in the next 10 Gyr at all radii.

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The flat entropy profile at the outskirts of the Abell 2244 galaxy cluster

Entropy is an advantageous diagnostics to study the thermodynamic history of the intracluster plasma of galaxy clusters. We present the entropy profile of the Abell 2244 galaxy cluster derived both exclusively using X-ray data from the low-background Swift XRT telescope and also using Planck y data. The entropy profile derivation using X-rays only is robust at least to the virial radius because the cluster brightness is large compared to the X-ray background at low energies, temperature is strongly bounded by the lack of cluster X-ray photons at energies kT>3 keV, and the XRT background is low, stable and understood. In the observed solid angle, about one quadrant, the entropy radial profile deviates from a power-law at the virial radius, mainly because of a sharp drop of the cluster temperature. This bending of the entropy profile is confirmed when X-ray spectral information is replaced by the Compton map. Clumping and non-thermal pressure support are insufficient to restore a power law entropy profile because they are bound to be small by: a) the agreement between mass estimates from different tracers (gas and galaxies), b) the agreement between entropy profile determinations based on combinations of observables with different sensitivities and systematics, and c) the low value of clumping as estimated using the azimuthal scatter and the gas fraction. Based on numerical simulations, ion-electron equilibration is also insufficient to restore a linear entropy profile. Therefore, the bending of the entropy profiles seems to be robustly derived and witnesses the teoretically-predicted decrease in the inflow through the virial boundary.

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Low X-ray surface brightness clusters: Implications on the scatter of the $M-T$ and $L-T$ relations

We aim at studying scaling relations of a small but well defined sample of galaxy clusters that includes the recently discovered class of objects that are X-ray faint for their mass. These clusters have an average low X-ray surface brightness, a low gas fraction and are under-represented (by a factor of 10) in X-ray surveys or entirely absent in SZ surveys. With the inclusion of these objects, we find that the temperature-mass relation has an unprecedented large scatter, 0.20+-0.03 dex at fixed mass, as wide as allowed by the temperature range, and the location of a cluster in this plane depends on its surface brightness. Clusters obey a relatively tight luminosity-temperature relation independently of the their brightness. We interpret the wide difference in scatter around the two relations as due to the fact that X-ray luminosity and temperature are dominated by photons coming from small radii (in particular for T we used a 300 kpc aperture radius) and strongly affected by gas thermodynamics (e.g. shocks, cool-cores), whereas mass is dominated by dark matter at large radii. We measure a slope of 2.0+-0.2 for the L500-T relation. Given the characteristics of our sample, this value is free from the collinearity (degeneracy) between evolution and slope and from hypothesis on the undetected population, that both affect the analysis of X-ray selected samples, and can therefore be profitably used both as reference and to break the above degeneracy of X-ray selected-samples.

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Euclid: Covariance of weak lensing pseudo-$C_\ell$ estimates. Calculation, comparison to simulations, and dependence on survey geometry

An accurate covariance matrix is essential for obtaining reliable cosmological results when using a Gaussian likelihood. In this paper we study the covariance of pseudo-$C_\ell$ estimates of tomographic cosmic shear power spectra. Using two existing publicly available codes in combination, we calculate the full covariance matrix, including mode-coupling contributions arising from both partial sky coverage and non-linear structure growth. For three different sky masks, we compare the theoretical covariance matrix to that estimated from publicly available N-body weak lensing simulations, finding good agreement. We find that as a more extreme sky cut is applied, a corresponding increase in both Gaussian off-diagonal covariance and non-Gaussian super-sample covariance is observed in both theory and simulations, in accordance with expectations. Studying the different contributions to the covariance in detail, we find that the Gaussian covariance dominates along the main diagonal and the closest off-diagonals, but further away from the main diagonal the super-sample covariance is dominant. Forming mock constraints in parameters describing matter clustering and dark energy, we find that neglecting non-Gaussian contributions to the covariance can lead to underestimating the true size of confidence regions by up to 70 per cent. The dominant non-Gaussian covariance component is the super-sample covariance, but neglecting the smaller connected non-Gaussian covariance can still lead to the underestimation of uncertainties by 10--20 per cent. A real cosmological analysis will require marginalisation over many nuisance parameters, which will decrease the relative importance of all cosmological contributions to the covariance, so these values should be taken as upper limits on the importance of each component.

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Stellar population gradients at cosmic noon as a constraint to the evolution of passive galaxies

Context: The radial variations of the stellar populations properties within passive galaxies at high redshift contain information about their assembly mechanisms, based on which galaxy formation and evolution scenarios may be distinguished. Aims: The aim of this work is to give constraints on massive galaxy formation scenarios through one of the first analyses of age and metallicity gradients of the stellar populations in a sample of passive galaxies at $z > 1.6$ based on spectroscopic data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Methods: We combined G$141$ deep slitless spectroscopic data and F$160$W photometric data of the spectroscopically passive galaxies at $1.6< z < 2.4$ with $H_{160} < 22.0$ in the field of view of the cluster JKCS $041$. We extracted spectra from different zones of the galaxies, and we analysed them by fitting them with a library of synthetic templates of stellar population models to obtain estimates of the age and metallicity gradients. Results: We obtained reliable measurements of age and metallicity parameters in different spatial zones of $\text{four}$ galaxies. We performed spatially resolved measurements in individual high-redshift galaxies without the need of peculiar situations (i.e. gravitational lensing) for the first time. All four galaxies exhibit negative metallicity gradients. Their amplitude, similar to that measured in galaxies in the local Universe, suggests that the stellar populations of passive galaxies from $z \sim 2$ to $z = 0$ are not redistributed. Conclusions: Although the sample we analysed is small, the results we obtained suggest that the main mechanism that determines the spatial distribution of the stellar population properties within passive galaxies is constrained in the first $3$ Gyr of the Universe. This is consistent with the revised monolithic scenario.

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Euclid preparation: XVI. Exploring the ultra low-surface brightness Universe with Euclid/VIS

While Euclid is an ESA mission specifically designed to investigate the nature of Dark Energy and Dark Matter, the planned unprecedented combination of survey area ($\sim15\,000$ deg$^2$), spatial resolution, low sky-background, and depth also make Euclid an excellent space observatory for the study of the low surface brightness Universe. Scientific exploitation of the extended low surface brightness structures requires dedicated calibration procedures yet to be tested. We investigate the capabilities of Euclid to detect extended low surface brightness structure by identifying and quantifying sky background sources and stray-light contamination. We test the feasibility of generating sky flat-fields to reduce large-scale residual gradients in order to reveal the extended emission of galaxies observed in the Euclid Survey. We simulate a realistic set of Euclid/VIS observations, taking into account both instrumental and astronomical sources of contamination, including cosmic rays, stray-light, zodiacal light, ISM, and the CIB, while simulating the effects of the presence of background sources in the FOV. We demonstrate that a combination of calibration lamps, sky flats and self-calibration would enable recovery of emission at a limiting surface brightness magnitude of $μ=29.5^{+0.08}_{-0.27} $ mag arcsec$^{-2}$ ($3σ$, $10\times10$ arcsec$^2$) in the Wide Survey, reaching regions 2 magnitudes deeper in the Deep Surveys. Euclid/VIS has the potential to be an excellent low surface brightness observatory. Covering the gap between pixel-to-pixel calibration lamp flats and self-calibration observations for large scales, the application of sky flat-fielding will enhance the sensitivity of the VIS detector at scales of larger than 1 degree, up to the size of the FOV, enabling Euclid to detect extended surface brightness structures below $μ=31$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$ and beyond.

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Thermodynamic evolution of the $z=1.75$ galaxy cluster IDCS J1426.5+3508

We present resolved thermodynamic profiles out to 500 kpc, about $r_{500}$, of the $z=1.75$ galaxy cluster IDCS J1426.5+3508 with 40 kpc resolution. Thanks to the combination of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and X-ray datasets, IDCS J1426.5+3508 becomes the most distant cluster with resolved thermodynamic profiles. These are derived assuming a non-parametric pressure profile and a very flexible model for the electron density profile. The shape of the pressure profile is flatter than the universal pressure profile. The IDCS J1426.5+3508 temperature profile is increasing radially out to 500 kpc. To identify the possible future evolution of IDCS J1426.5+3508 , we compared it with its local descendants that numerical simulations show to be $0.65\pm0.12$ dex more massive. We found no evolution at 30 kpc, indicating a fine tuning between cooling and heating at small radii. At $30<r<300$ kpc, our observations show that entropy and heat must be deposited with little net gas transfer, while at 500 kpc the gas need to be replaced by a large amount of cold, lower entropy gas, consistent with theoretical expectation of a filamentary gas stream, which brings low entropy gas to 500 kpc and energy at even smaller radii. At $r \gtrsim 400$ kpc the polytropic index takes a low value, which indicates the presence of a large amount of non-thermal pressure. Our work also introduces a new definition of the evolutionary rate, which uses unscaled radii, unscaled thermodynamic quantities, and different masses at different redshifts to compare ancestors and descendants. It has the advantage of separating cluster evolution, dependence on mass, pseudo-evolution and returns a number with unique interpretation, unlike other definitions used in literature.

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Euclid preparation: XII. Optimizing the photometric sample of the Euclid survey for galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing analyses

The accuracy of photometric redshifts (photo-zs) particularly affects the results of the analyses of galaxy clustering with photometrically-selected galaxies (GCph) and weak lensing. In the next decade, space missions like Euclid will collect photometric measurements for millions of galaxies. These data should be complemented with upcoming ground-based observations to derive precise and accurate photo-zs. In this paper, we explore how the tomographic redshift binning and depth of ground-based observations will affect the cosmological constraints expected from Euclid. We focus on GCph and extend the study to include galaxy-galaxy lensing (GGL). We add a layer of complexity to the analysis by simulating several realistic photo-z distributions based on the Euclid Consortium Flagship simulation and using a machine learning photo-z algorithm. We use the Fisher matrix formalism and these galaxy samples to study the cosmological constraining power as a function of redshift binning, survey depth, and photo-z accuracy. We find that bins with equal width in redshift provide a higher Figure of Merit (FoM) than equipopulated bins and that increasing the number of redshift bins from 10 to 13 improves the FoM by 35% and 15% for GCph and its combination with GGL, respectively. For GCph, an increase of the survey depth provides a higher FoM. But the addition of faint galaxies beyond the limit of the spectroscopic training data decreases the FoM due to the spurious photo-zs. When combining both probes, the number density of the sample, which is set by the survey depth, is the main factor driving the variations in the FoM. We conclude that there is more information that can be extracted beyond the nominal 10 tomographic redshift bins of Euclid and that we should be cautious when adding faint galaxies into our sample, since they can degrade the cosmological constraints.

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Euclid preparation: XI. Mean redshift determination from galaxy redshift probabilities for cosmic shear tomography

The analysis of weak gravitational lensing in wide-field imaging surveys is considered to be a major cosmological probe of dark energy. Our capacity to constrain the dark energy equation of state relies on the accurate knowledge of the galaxy mean redshift $\langle z \rangle$. We investigate the possibility of measuring $\langle z \rangle$ with an accuracy better than $0.002\,(1+z)$, in ten tomographic bins spanning the redshift interval $0.2 99.8\%$. The zPDF approach could also be successful if we debias the zPDF using a spectroscopic training sample. This approach requires deep imaging data, but is weakly sensitive to spectroscopic redshift failures in the training sample. We improve the debiasing method and confirm our finding by applying it to real-world weak-lensing data sets (COSMOS and KiDS+VIKING-450).

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Euclid preparation: VII. Forecast validation for Euclid cosmological probes

The Euclid space telescope will measure the shapes and redshifts of galaxies to reconstruct the expansion history of the Universe and the growth of cosmic structures. Estimation of the expected performance of the experiment, in terms of predicted constraints on cosmological parameters, has so far relied on different methodologies and numerical implementations, developed for different observational probes and for their combination. In this paper we present validated forecasts, that combine both theoretical and observational expertise for different cosmological probes. This is presented to provide the community with reliable numerical codes and methods for Euclid cosmological forecasts. We describe in detail the methodology adopted for Fisher matrix forecasts, applied to galaxy clustering, weak lensing and their combination. We estimate the required accuracy for Euclid forecasts and outline a methodology for their development. We then compare and improve different numerical implementations, reaching uncertainties on the errors of cosmological parameters that are less than the required precision in all cases. Furthermore, we provide details on the validated implementations that can be used by the reader to validate their own codes if required. We present new cosmological forecasts for Euclid. We find that results depend on the specific cosmological model and remaining freedom in each setup, i.e. flat or non-flat spatial cosmologies, or different cuts at nonlinear scales. The validated numerical implementations can now be reliably used for any setup. We present results for an optimistic and a pessimistic choice of such settings. We demonstrate that the impact of cross-correlations is particularly relevant for models beyond a cosmological constant and may allow us to increase the dark energy Figure of Merit by at least a factor of three.

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Euclid preparation: X. The Euclid photometric-redshift challenge

Forthcoming large photometric surveys for cosmology require precise and accurate photometric redshift (photo-z) measurements for the success of their main science objectives. However, to date, no method has been able to produce photo-$z$s at the required accuracy using only the broad-band photometry that those surveys will provide. An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current methods is a crucial step in the eventual development of an approach to meet this challenge. We report on the performance of 13 photometric redshift code single value redshift estimates and redshift probability distributions (PDZs) on a common set of data, focusing particularly on the 0.2--2.6 redshift range that the Euclid mission will probe. We design a challenge using emulated Euclid data drawn from three photometric surveys of the COSMOS field. The data are divided into two samples: one calibration sample for which photometry and redshifts are provided to the participants; and the validation sample, containing only the photometry, to ensure a blinded test of the methods. Participants were invited to provide a redshift single value estimate and a PDZ for each source in the validation sample, along with a rejection flag that indicates sources they consider unfit for use in cosmological analyses. The performance of each method is assessed through a set of informative metrics, using cross-matched spectroscopic and highly-accurate photometric redshifts as the ground truth. We show that the rejection criteria set by participants are efficient in removing strong outliers, sources for which the photo-z deviates by more than 0.15(1+z) from the spectroscopic-redshift (spec-z). We also show that, while all methods are able to provide reliable single value estimates, several machine-learning methods do not manage to produce useful PDZs. [abridged]

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Euclid preparation: IX. EuclidEmulator2 -- Power spectrum emulation with massive neutrinos and self-consistent dark energy perturbations

We present a new, updated version of the EuclidEmulator (called EuclidEmulator2), a fast and accurate predictor for the nonlinear correction of the matter power spectrum. Percent-level accurate emulation is now supported in the eight-dimensional parameter space of $w_0w_a$CDM$+\sum m_ν$models between redshift $z=0$ and $z=3$ for spatial scales within the range 0.01 $h$/Mpc $\leq k \leq$ 10 $h$/Mpc. In order to achieve this level of accuracy, we have had to improve the quality of the underlying N-body simulations used as training data: (1) we use self-consistent linear evolution of non-dark matter species such as massive neutrinos, photons, dark energy and the metric field, (2) we perform the simulations in the so-called N-body gauge, which allows one to interpret the results in the framework of general relativity, (3) we run over 250 high-resolution simulations with $3000^3$ particles in boxes of 1 (Gpc/$h$)${}^3$ volumes based on paired-and-fixed initial conditions and (4) we provide a resolution correction that can be applied to emulated results as a post-processing step in order to drastically reduce systematic biases on small scales due to residual resolution effects in the simulations. We find that the inclusion of the dynamical dark energy parameter $w_a$ significantly increases the complexity and expense of creating the emulator. The high fidelity of EuclidEmulator2 is tested in various comparisons against N-body simulations as well as alternative fast predictors like Halofit, HMCode and CosmicEmu. A blind test is successfully performed against the Euclid Flagship v2.0 simulation. Nonlinear correction factors emulated with EuclidEmulator2 are accurate at the level of 1% or better for 0.01 $h$/Mpc $\leq k \leq$ 10 $h$/Mpc and $z\leq3$ compared to high-resolution dark matter only simulations. EuclidEmulator2 is publicly available at https://github.com/miknab/EuclidEmulator2 .

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Euclid preparation: VIII. The Complete Calibration of the Colour-Redshift Relation survey: VLT/KMOS observations and data release

The Complete Calibration of the Colour-Redshift Relation survey (C3R2) is a spectroscopic effort involving ESO and Keck facilities designed to empirically calibrate the galaxy colour-redshift relation - P(z|C) to the Euclid depth (i_AB=24.5) and is intimately linked to upcoming Stage IV dark energy missions based on weak lensing cosmology. The aim is to build a spectroscopic calibration sample that is as representative as possible of the galaxies of the Euclid weak lensing sample. In order to minimise the number of spectroscopic observations to fill the gaps in current knowledge of the P(z|C), self-organising map (SOM) representations of the galaxy colour space have been constructed. Here we present the first results of an ESO@ VLT Large Programme approved in the context of C3R2, which makes use of the two VLT optical and near-infrared multi-object spectrographs, FORS2 and KMOS. This paper focuses on high-quality spectroscopic redshifts of high-z galaxies observed with the KMOS spectrograph in the H- and K-bands. A total of 424 highly-reliable z are measured in the 1.3<=z<=2.5 range, with total success rates of 60.7% in the H-band and 32.8% in the K-band. The newly determined z fill 55% of high and 35% of lower priority empty SOM grid cells. We measured Halpha fluxes in a 1."2 radius aperture from the spectra of the spectroscopically confirmed galaxies and converted them into star formation rates. In addition, we performed an SED fitting analysis on the same sample in order to derive stellar masses, E(B-V), total magnitudes, and SFRs. We combine the results obtained from the spectra with those derived via SED fitting, and we show that the spectroscopic failures come from either weakly star-forming galaxies (at z<1.7, i.e. in the H-band) or low S/N spectra (in the K-band) of z>2 galaxies.

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Evidence for radially independent size growth of early-type galaxies in clusters

It is not well understood whether the growth of early-type cluster galaxies proceeds inside-out, outside-in, or at the same pace at all radii. In this work we measured the galaxy size, defined by the radius including 80\% of the galaxy light, non-parametrically. We also determined a non-parametric estimate of galaxy light concentration, which measures the curvature of the surface brightness profile in the galaxy outskirts. We used an almost random sampling of a mass-limited sample formed by 128 morphologically early-type galaxies in clusters with $\log M/M_{\odot} \ga 10.7$ spanning the wide range $0.17<z<1.81$. From these data we derived the size-mass and concentration-mass relations, as well as their evolution. At 80\% light radius, early-type galaxies in clusters are about 2.7 times larger than at 50\% radius at all redshifts, and close to de Vaucouleurs profiles in the last 10 Gyr. While between $z=2$ and $z=0$ both half-light and 80\% light sizes increase by a factor of $1.7$, concentration stays constant within $2$\%, that is to say the size growth of early-type galaxies in cluster environments proceeds at the same pace at both radii. Existing physical explanations proposed in the literature are inconsistent with our results, demonstrating the need for dedicated numerical simulations to identify the physical mechanism affecting the galaxy structure.

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Euclid: The selection of quiescent and star-forming galaxies using observed colours

The Euclid mission will observe well over a billion galaxies out to $z\sim6$ and beyond. This will offer an unrivalled opportunity to investigate several key questions for understanding galaxy formation and evolution. The first step for many of these studies will be the selection of a sample of quiescent and star-forming galaxies, as is often done in the literature by using well known colour techniques such as the `UVJ' diagram. However, given the limited number of filters available for the Euclid telescope, the recovery of such rest-frame colours will be challenging. We therefore investigate the use of observed Euclid colours, on their own and together with ground-based u-band observations, for selecting quiescent and star-forming galaxies. The most efficient colour combination, among the ones tested in this work, consists of the (u-VIS) and (VIS-J) colours. We find that this combination allows users to select a sample of quiescent galaxies complete to above $\sim70\%$ and with less than 15$\%$ contamination at redshifts in the range $0.75 65\%$ completeness level and contamination below 20$\%$ at $1<z<2$ for finding quiescent galaxies. In comparison, the sample of quiescent galaxies selected with the traditional UVJ technique is only $\sim20\%$ complete at $z<3$, when recovering the rest-frame colours using mock Euclid observations. This shows that our new methodology is the most suitable one when only Euclid bands, along with u-band imaging, are available.

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Why are some galaxy clusters underluminous? The very low concentration of the CL2015 mass profile

Our knowledge of the variety of galaxy clusters has been increasing in the last few years thanks to our progress in understanding the severity of selection effects on samples. To understand the reason for the observed variety, we study CL2015, a cluster easily missed in X-ray selected observational samples. Its core-excised X-ray luminosity is low for its mass M500, well below the mean relation for an X-ray selected sample, but only ~1.5 sigma below that derived for an X-ray unbiased sample. We derived thermodynamic profiles and hydrostatic masses with the acquired deep Swift X-ray data, and we used archival Einstein, Planck, and SDSS data to derive additional measurements, such as integrated Compton parameter, total mass, and stellar mass. The pressure and the electron density profiles of CL2015 are systematically outside the +/- 2 sigma range of the universal profiles; in particular the electron density profile is even lower than the one derived from Planck-selected clusters. CL2015 also turns out to be fairly different in the X-ray luminosity versus integrated pressure scaling compared to an X-ray selected sample, but it is a normal object in terms of stellar mass fraction. CL2015's hydrostatic mass profile, by itself or when is considered together with dynamical masses, shows that the cluster has an unusual low concentration and an unusual sparsity compared to clusters in X-ray selected samples. The different behavior of CL2015 is caused by its low concentration. When concentration differences are accounted for, the properties of CL2015 become consistent with comparison samples. CL2015 is perhaps the first known cluster with a remarkably low mass concentration for which high quality X-ray data exist. Objects similar to CL2015 fail to enter observational X-ray selected samples because of their low X-ray luminosity relative to their mass.

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