The spatial correlation of bent-tail galaxies and galaxy clusters

Abstract

We have completed a deep radio continuum survey covering 86 deg2 of the Spitzer-South Pole Telescope deep field to test whether bent-tail galaxies are associated with galaxy clusters. We present a new catalogue of 22 bent-tail galaxies and a further 24 candidate bent-tail galaxies. Surprisingly, of the eight bent-tail galaxies with photometric redshifts, only two are associated with known clusters. While the absence of bent-tail sources in known clusters may be explained by effects such as sensitivity, the absence of known clusters associated with most bent-tail galaxies casts doubt upon current models of bent-tail galaxies.