MeerKAT 21-cm H I imaging of Abell 2626 and beyond
Abstract
Context. The morphology-density relation manifests the environmental dependence of the formation and evolution of galaxies as they continuously migrate through the cosmic web to ever denser environments. As gas-rich galaxies traverse the outskirts and inner regions of galaxy clusters, they experience sudden and radical changes in their gas content and star formation activity.
Aims: The goal of this work is to gain an H I perspective on gas depletion mechanisms acting on galaxies and galaxy groups that are being accreted by a moderately massive galaxy cluster. We aim to study the relative importance and efficiency of processes such as ram-pressure stripping and tidal interactions as well as their dependency on the local and global environment of galaxies in the cluster core and in its surroundings.
Methods: We have conducted a blind radio continuum and H I spectral line imaging survey with the MeerKAT radio telescope of a 2° × 2° area centred on the galaxy cluster Abell 2626. We have used the CARAcal pipeline to reduce the data, SoFiA to detect sources within the H I data cube, and GIPSY to construct spatially resolved information on the H I morphologies and kinematics of the H I detected galaxies.
Results: We have detected H I in 219 galaxies with optical counterparts within the entire surveyed volume. We present the H I properties of each of the detected galaxies as a data catalogue and as an atlas page for each galaxy, including H I column-density maps, velocity fields, position-velocity diagrams, and global H I profiles. These data will also be used for case studies of identified `jellyfish' galaxies and galaxy population studies by means of morphological classification of the direct H I detections as well as using the H I stacking technique.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 2021
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/202141377
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2106.13018
- Bibcode:
- 2021A&A...654A.173H
- Keywords:
-
- line: profiles;
- galaxies: evolution;
- galaxies: clusters: general;
- radio lines: galaxies;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 20 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics