Intracluster Light in Nearby Galaxy Clusters: Relationship to the Halos of Brightest Cluster Galaxies

Abstract

We present a detailed analysis of the surface brightness distribution of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in each of 24 galaxy clusters at 0.03 -r_e relation than that of the elliptical fundamental plane. We interpret this outer component as a population of intracluster stars tracing the cluster potential. The two components are strongly aligned (|\Delta\theta|<10\degr) in roughly 40% of the clusters. When they are not aligned, the components tend toward high degrees of misalignment, suggesting that accretion of infalling material may change the orientation of some BCGs for a time. The extent of the outer component and its similar elongation to published cluster galaxy distributions indicates that the evolution of the intracluster light is tied to the cluster as a whole rather than to the BCG.