The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies

T. D. Rawle; A. C. Edge; E. Egami; M. Rex; G. P. Smith; B. Altieri; A. Fiedler; C. P. Haines; M. J. Pereira; P. G. Pérez-González; J. Portouw; I. Valtchanov; G. Walth; P. P. Van Der Werf; M. Zemcov

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies

T. D. Rawle, A. C. Edge, E. Egami, M. Rex, G. P. Smith, B. Altieri, A. Fiedler, C. P. Haines, M. J. Pereira, P. G. Pérez-González, J. Portouw, I. Valtchanov, G. Walth, P. P. Van Der Werf, M. Zemcov

Steward Observatory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present far-infrared (FIR) analysis of 68 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at 0.08 < z < 1.0. Deriving total infrared luminosities directly from Spitzer and Herschel photometry spanning the peak of the dust component (24-500 μm), we calculate the obscured star formation rate (SFR). 22 ^+6.2 _-5.3% of the BCGs are detected in the far-infrared, with SFR = 1-150 M ⊙yr^-1. The infrared luminosity is highly correlated with cluster X-ray gas cooling times for cool-core clusters (gas cooling time <1Gyr), strongly suggesting that the star formation in these BCGs is influenced by the cluster-scale cooling process. The occurrence of the molecular gas tracing Hα emission is also correlated with obscured star formation. For all but the most luminous BCGs (L _TIR > 2 × 10¹¹ L ⊙), only a small (≲0.4mag) reddening correction is required for SFR(Hα) to agree with SFR_FIR. The relatively low Hα extinction (dust obscuration), compared to values reported for the general star-forming population, lends further weight to an alternate (external) origin for the cold gas. Finally, we use a stacking analysis of non-cool-core clusters to show that the majority of the fuel for star formation in the FIR-bright BCGs is unlikely to originate from normal stellar mass loss.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	29
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	747
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29
State	Published - Mar 1 2012

Keywords

galaxies: clusters: general
galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD
galaxies: star formation
infrared: galaxies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

Cite this

Rawle, T. D., Edge, A. C., Egami, E., Rex, M., Smith, G. P., Altieri, B., Fiedler, A., Haines, C. P., Pereira, M. J., Pérez-González, P. G., Portouw, J., Valtchanov, I., Walth, G., Van Der Werf, P. P., & Zemcov, M. (2012). The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies. Astrophysical Journal, 747(1), Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

Rawle, TD, Edge, AC, Egami, E, Rex, M, Smith, GP, Altieri, B, Fiedler, A, Haines, CP, Pereira, MJ, Pérez-González, PG, Portouw, J, Valtchanov, I, Walth, G, Van Der Werf, PP & Zemcov, M 2012, 'The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 747, no. 1, 29. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

@article{f8291dd6cec94b1c99c521d2c769b7e0,

title = "The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies",

abstract = "We present far-infrared (FIR) analysis of 68 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at 0.08 < z < 1.0. Deriving total infrared luminosities directly from Spitzer and Herschel photometry spanning the peak of the dust component (24-500 μm), we calculate the obscured star formation rate (SFR). 22 +6.2 -5.3% of the BCGs are detected in the far-infrared, with SFR = 1-150 M ⊙yr-1. The infrared luminosity is highly correlated with cluster X-ray gas cooling times for cool-core clusters (gas cooling time <1Gyr), strongly suggesting that the star formation in these BCGs is influenced by the cluster-scale cooling process. The occurrence of the molecular gas tracing Hα emission is also correlated with obscured star formation. For all but the most luminous BCGs (L TIR > 2 × 1011 L ⊙), only a small (≲0.4mag) reddening correction is required for SFR(Hα) to agree with SFRFIR. The relatively low Hα extinction (dust obscuration), compared to values reported for the general star-forming population, lends further weight to an alternate (external) origin for the cold gas. Finally, we use a stacking analysis of non-cool-core clusters to show that the majority of the fuel for star formation in the FIR-bright BCGs is unlikely to originate from normal stellar mass loss.",

keywords = "galaxies: clusters: general, galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD, galaxies: star formation, infrared: galaxies",

author = "Rawle, {T. D.} and Edge, {A. C.} and E. Egami and M. Rex and Smith, {G. P.} and B. Altieri and A. Fiedler and Haines, {C. P.} and Pereira, {M. J.} and P{\'e}rez-Gonz{\'a}lez, {P. G.} and J. Portouw and I. Valtchanov and G. Walth and {Van Der Werf}, {P. P.} and M. Zemcov",

year = "2012",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "747",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies

AU - Rawle, T. D.

AU - Edge, A. C.

AU - Egami, E.

AU - Rex, M.

AU - Smith, G. P.

AU - Altieri, B.

AU - Fiedler, A.

AU - Haines, C. P.

AU - Pereira, M. J.

AU - Pérez-González, P. G.

AU - Portouw, J.

AU - Valtchanov, I.

AU - Walth, G.

AU - Van Der Werf, P. P.

AU - Zemcov, M.

PY - 2012/3/1

Y1 - 2012/3/1

N2 - We present far-infrared (FIR) analysis of 68 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at 0.08 < z < 1.0. Deriving total infrared luminosities directly from Spitzer and Herschel photometry spanning the peak of the dust component (24-500 μm), we calculate the obscured star formation rate (SFR). 22 +6.2 -5.3% of the BCGs are detected in the far-infrared, with SFR = 1-150 M ⊙yr-1. The infrared luminosity is highly correlated with cluster X-ray gas cooling times for cool-core clusters (gas cooling time <1Gyr), strongly suggesting that the star formation in these BCGs is influenced by the cluster-scale cooling process. The occurrence of the molecular gas tracing Hα emission is also correlated with obscured star formation. For all but the most luminous BCGs (L TIR > 2 × 1011 L ⊙), only a small (≲0.4mag) reddening correction is required for SFR(Hα) to agree with SFRFIR. The relatively low Hα extinction (dust obscuration), compared to values reported for the general star-forming population, lends further weight to an alternate (external) origin for the cold gas. Finally, we use a stacking analysis of non-cool-core clusters to show that the majority of the fuel for star formation in the FIR-bright BCGs is unlikely to originate from normal stellar mass loss.

AB - We present far-infrared (FIR) analysis of 68 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at 0.08 < z < 1.0. Deriving total infrared luminosities directly from Spitzer and Herschel photometry spanning the peak of the dust component (24-500 μm), we calculate the obscured star formation rate (SFR). 22 +6.2 -5.3% of the BCGs are detected in the far-infrared, with SFR = 1-150 M ⊙yr-1. The infrared luminosity is highly correlated with cluster X-ray gas cooling times for cool-core clusters (gas cooling time <1Gyr), strongly suggesting that the star formation in these BCGs is influenced by the cluster-scale cooling process. The occurrence of the molecular gas tracing Hα emission is also correlated with obscured star formation. For all but the most luminous BCGs (L TIR > 2 × 1011 L ⊙), only a small (≲0.4mag) reddening correction is required for SFR(Hα) to agree with SFRFIR. The relatively low Hα extinction (dust obscuration), compared to values reported for the general star-forming population, lends further weight to an alternate (external) origin for the cold gas. Finally, we use a stacking analysis of non-cool-core clusters to show that the majority of the fuel for star formation in the FIR-bright BCGs is unlikely to originate from normal stellar mass loss.

KW - galaxies: clusters: general

KW - galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

KW - galaxies: star formation

KW - infrared: galaxies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861657281&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84861657281&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/747/1/29

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84861657281

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 747

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 29

ER -

The relation between cool cluster cores and Herschel-detected star formation in brightest cluster galaxies

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this