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| Paper: |
Massive Galaxies in High Redshift Proto-Clusters |
| Volume: |
399, Panoramic Views of Galaxy Formation and Evolution |
| Page: |
368 |
| Authors: |
Doherty, M.; Kodama, T.; Seymour, N.; Tanaka, M.; Vernet, J.; De Breuck, C.; Kurk, J. |
| Abstract: |
Powerful radio galaxies (RGs) at high redshift have long been suspected to lie at the centre of assembling clusters, or at the very least, at a 'cross-road' of large scale filamentary structures. By targeting very red galaxies selected to lie at the same redshift as two RGs, we aim to investigate the mass assembly of proto-clusters and the formation of proto-ellipticals in these systems. At any epoch, galaxies with the reddest colours are known to trace the population of the most massive objects. In particular at high redshift, the study of massive galaxies places important constraints on the mechanisms behind galaxy formation. Furthermore, the evolution of galaxies through merging and subsequent star formation histories is accelerated in regions of high density, therefore studies of clusters at both low and high redshift can yield valuable insight into the assembly and evolution of galaxies as well as the complex structures which they make up. Using wide field infrared imaging of fields surrounding high-z RGs, our group has seen evidence that the red sequence of galaxies in clusters first begins to build up between redshifts z=2 and z=3 (Kodama et al. 2007). We present a spectroscopic campaign using FOCAS and MOIRCS on Subaru and FORS2 on the VLT, to confirm these red galaxies as proto-cluster members. We also discuss work in progress using new Spitzer data to constrain the stellar masses and star forming rates which allows us to trace the mass distribution of the clusters and study the properties of their member galaxies, revealing clues to the host environment of high-z RGs. |
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