2006/04/13 by Gillian Wilson, Adam Muzzin, Wilson, Gillian +17
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0604289
openalex publication_date 2006/04/13 · openalex created_date 2024/04/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
As the densest galaxy environments in the universe, clusters are vital to our understanding of the role that environment plays in galaxy formation and evolution. Unfortunately, the evolution of high-redshift cluster galaxies is poorly understood because of the ``cluster desert'' that exists at 1 < z < 2. The SpARCS collaboration is currently carrying out a 1-passband (z') imaging survey which, when combined with the pre-existing 50 square degree 3.6 micron Spitzer SWIRE Legacy Survey data, will efficiently detect hundreds of clusters in the cluster desert using an infrared application of the well-proven cluster red-sequence technique. We have already tested this 1-color (z' - [3.6]) approach using a 6 square degree ``pilot patch'' and shown it to be extremely successful at detecting clusters at 1 < z < 2. The clusters discovered in this project will be the first large sample of ``nascent'' galaxy clusters which connect the star-forming proto-cluster regions at z > 2 to the quiescent population at z < 1. The existing seven-passband Spitzer data (3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8.0, 24, 70, 160 micron) will allow us to make the first measurements of the evolution of the cluster red-sequence, IR luminosity function, and the mid-IR dust-obscured star-formation rate for 1 < z < 2 clusters.