Evidence for ram-pressure stripping in a cluster of galaxies at z=0.7

• Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations of the cluster of galaxies CGr32 (M200'2×1014M) atz=0.73 revealthe presence of two massive star-forming galaxies with extended tails of diffuse gas detected in the [Oii]λλ3727–3729 Å emission-line doublet. The tails, which have a cometary shape with a typical surface brightness of a few 10−18erg s−1cm−2arcsec−2, extendup to'100 kpc (projected distance) from the galaxy discs, and are not associated with any stellar component. All this observationalevidence suggests that the gas was removed during a ram-pressure stripping event. This observation is thus the first evidence thatdynamical interactions with the intracluster medium were active when the Universe was only half its present age. The density of thegas derived using the observed [Oii]λ3729/[Oii]λ3726 line ratio implies a very short recombination time, suggesting that a source ofionisation is necessary to keep the gas ionised within the tail.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

galaxies: clusters: general

galaxies: clusters: individual: CGr32

galaxies: evolution

galaxies: interactions galaxies: ISM

galaxies: high-redshift

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)