The High-Redshift Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) Survey

Abstract

The number of confirmed, high-redshift galaxy clusters is very low compared to the number of well-studied clusters nearby. Bent, double-lobed radio sources are frequently found in galaxy clusters, and thus can be used as tracers for efficiently locating high-redshift clusters. Using our Spitzer Snapshot Survey, we have identified approximately 300 potential new clusters with redshifts 0.7 < z < 3. These objects make up the high-redshift portion of the Cluster Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) survey. We have created color-magnitude diagrams using infrared and optical data. Using the colors of the radio source host and the red sequence we can estimate redshifts for our clusters, as well as examine the evolution of the cluster galaxies over a large range of cosmic time.