Farrens, S.; (2011) Optical detection of galaxy clusters. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

Preview

PDF 1318077.pdf Download (49MB)

Abstract

This thesis first presents a relatively straight forward approach for detecting galaxy clusters using spectroscopic data. A friend-of-friends algorithm based on that of Huchra & Geller (1982) is implemented with linking parameters that take into account selection effects on the the 2dF-SDSS and QSO (2SLAQ) Luminous Red Galaxy Survey (Cannon et al. 2006). The linking parameters are constrained using a mock halo catalogue. The galaxy groups and clusters found with this method have an average velocity dispersion of \sigma v = 467:97 kms-1 and an average size of R clt = 0:78 h-1Mpc. Cluster masses are estimated using the cluster velocity dispersions and appear consistent with values expected for genuine structures. The spectroscopic cluster catalogue is then used to calibrate and compare with a more complex method for detecting clusters using photometric redshifts based on the method of Botzler et al. (2004). The spectroscopic cluster catalogue can be reproduced by around 38% and up to 80% if matching is made only to groups and clusters with six or more members. This code is also applied to the Megaz-LRG DR7 catalogue (Collister & Lahav 2004) producing two catalogues. One that appears to have a good level of completeness relative to the 2SLAQ spectroscopic catalogue. A spectroscopic follow up of some preliminary results from the photometric cluster finder was made using the Anglo-Australian Telescope, which show that the majority of the clusters analysed are genuine and approximate masses can be estimated from the cluster velocity dispersions. Finally, some initials results from on going work in the Dark Energy Survey collaboration are presented, which cover simulated galaxy photometric redshift and colour analysis as well as cluster detection.

Download activity - last month

Export as CSVXMLJSON

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as JSONCSVXML

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as XMLCSVJSON

Archive Staff Only

View Item