On the relationship between environment and galaxy properties in clusters of galaxies

Abstract

ABSTRACT We study the correlation between different properties of bright (L > L*) galaxies in clusters and the environment in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Samples of clusters of galaxies used in this paper are those selected by Coenda & Muriel that are drawn from the Popesso et al. and Koester et al. samples. Galaxies in these clusters have been identified in the main Galaxy sample of the Fifth Data Release (DR5) of SDSS. We analyse which galaxy properties correlate best with either cluster mass or cluster-centric distance using the technique by Blanton et al. We find that galaxy properties do not clearly depend on cluster mass for clusters more massive than M ∼ 1014 M⊙. On the other hand, galaxy properties correlate with cluster-centric distance. The property most affected by the cluster-centric distance is g - r colour, closely followed by the u - r colour. These results are irrespective of the cluster selection criteria. The two samples of clusters were identified based on the X-ray emission and the galaxy colours, respectively. Moreover, the parameter that best predicts environment (i.e. cluster-centric distance) is the same found by Martínez & Muriel for groups of galaxies and Blanton et al. for the local density of field galaxies. © 2008 RAS.