Probing the large-scale structure around the most distant galaxy clusters from the massive cluster survey

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 389; no. 3; pp. 1240 - 1248
• Main Authors: Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S., Ebeling, Harald, Ma, C. J., Donovan, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 21.09.2008; Blackwell Science; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; galaxies: clusters: general; large-scale structure of Universe; Stars & galaxies; Universe; X-ray astronomy; X-rays: galaxies: clusters; X-rays: galaxies: clusters; galaxies: clusters: general; large-scale structure of Universe; X ray cluster of galaxies; Intergalactic matter; Red shift; Accretion; Galaxies; Cluster evolution; Digital simulation; Cosmic x-ray sources; Dynamic properties; Large-scale structure; Galaxy clusters; Dark matter; Filaments; Surface brightness
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13620.x

We present maps of the cosmic large-scale structure around the 12 most distant galaxy clusters from the Massive Cluster Survey (MACS) as traced by the projected surface density of galaxies on the cluster red sequence. Taken with the SuprimeCam wide-field camera on the Subaru telescope, the images used in this study cover a 27 × 27 arcmin2 area around each cluster, corresponding to 10 × 10 Mpc2 at the median redshift of z= 0.55 of our sample. We directly detect satellite clusters and filaments extending over the full size of our imaging data in the majority of the clusters studied, supporting the picture of mass accretion via infall along filaments suggested by numerical simulations of the growth of clusters and the evolution of large-scale structure. A comparison of the galaxy distribution near the cluster cores with the X-ray surface brightness as observed with Chandra reveals, in several cases, significant offsets between the gas and galaxy distribution, indicative of ongoing merger events. The respective systems are ideally suited for studies of the dynamical properties of gas, galaxies and dark matter. In addition, the large-scale filaments viewed at high contrast in these MACS clusters are prime targets for the direct detection and study of the warm–hot intergalactic medium (WHIM).