LoCuSS: The splashback radius of massive galaxy clusters and its dependence on cluster merger history

Abstract

We present the direct detection of the splashback feature using the sample of massive galaxy clusters from the Local Cluster Substructure Survey (LoCuSS). This feature is clearly detected (above $5\sigma$) in the stacked luminosity density profile obtained using the K-band magnitudes of spectroscopically confirmed cluster members. We obtained the best-fit model by means of Bayesian inference, which ranked models including the splashback feature as more descriptive of the data with respect to models that do not allow for this transition. In addition, we have assessed the impact of the cluster dynamical state on the occurrence of the splashback feature. We exploited the extensive multi-wavelength LoCuSS dataset to test a wide range of proxies for the cluster formation history, finding the most significant dependence of the splashback feature location and scale according to the presence or absence of X-ray emitting galaxy groups in the cluster infall regions. In particular, we report for the first time that clusters that do not show massive infalling groups present the splashback feature at a smaller clustercentric radius $r_{\mathrm{sp}}/r_{200,\mathrm{m}}=1.158\pm 0.071$ than clusters that are actively accreting groups $r_{\mathrm{sp}}/r_{200,\mathrm{m}}=1.291\pm 0.062$. The difference between these two sub-samples is significant at $4.2\sigma$, suggesting a correlation between the properties of the cluster potential and its accretion rate and merger history. Similarly, clusters that are classified as old and dynamically inactive present stronger signatures of the splashback feature, with respect to younger, more active clusters. We are directly observing how fundamental dynamical properties of clusters reverberate across vastly different physical scales.

arXiv comment18 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables. Re-submission to ApJ after the first round of comments. Minor text modifications to improve clarity, and updated reference list

References in corpus (71)

• Planck 2015 results. XIII. Cosmological parameters
• The Structure of Cold Dark Matter Halos
• LSST: from Science Drivers to Reference Design and Anticipated Data Products
• Profiles of dark haloes: evolution, scatter, and environment
• Statistical Properties of X-ray Clusters: Analytic and Numerical Comparisons
• First results from the IllustrisTNG simulations: matter and galaxy clustering
• Toward a halo mass function for precision cosmology: the limits of universality
• Tracing cosmic evolution with clusters of galaxies
• redMaPPer I: Algorithm and SDSS DR8 Catalog
• The ROSAT Brightest Cluster Sample (BCS) - I. The compilation of the sample and the cluster log N-log S distribution
• The ROSAT-ESO Flux Limited X-ray (REFLEX) Galaxy Cluster Survey. V. The cluster catalogue
• The Structure of Dark Matter Haloes in Hierarchical Clustering Models
• Formation and evolution of galaxy dark matter halos and their substructure
• COLOSSUS: A python toolkit for cosmology, large-scale structure, and dark matter halos
• Rotation-Dependent Catastrophic Disruption of Gravitational Aggregates
• Dependence of the outer density profiles of halos on their mass accretion rate
• The accretion of galaxies into groups and clusters
• On the connection between giant radio halos and cluster mergers
• The environmental history of group and cluster galaxies in a LambdaCDM Universe
• The splashback radius as a physical halo boundary and the growth of halo mass
• The impact of mergers on relaxed X-ray clusters - I. Dynamical evolution and emergent transient structures
• The galaxy cluster mass scale and its impact on cosmological constraints from the cluster population
• LoCuSS: The slow quenching of star formation in cluster galaxies and the need for pre-processing
• Joint Analysis of Cluster Observations: II. Chandra/XMM-Newton X-ray and Weak Lensing Scaling Relations for a Sample of 50 Rich Clusters of Galaxies
• Splashback in accreting dark matter halos
• The pseudo-evolution of halo mass
• Jellyfish galaxy candidates at low redshift
• Physical Implications of the X-ray Properties of Galaxy Groups and Clusters
• LoCuSS: Weak-lensing mass calibration of galaxy clusters
• Gravitational Lensing in Clusters of Galaxies: New Clues Regarding the Dynamics of Intracluster Gas
• How far do they go? The outer structure of dark matter halos
• Resurrecting the Red from the Dead: Optical Properties of BCGs in X-ray Luminous Clusters
• LoCuSS: the connection between brightest cluster galaxy activity, gas cooling and dynamical disturbance of X-ray cluster cores
• LoCuSS: The steady decline and slow quenching of star formation in cluster galaxies over the last four billion years
• Outskirts of Galaxy Clusters
• LoCuSS: The Mass Density Profile of Massive Galaxy Clusters at z=0.2
• The Physics of Galaxy Cluster Outskirts
• LoCuSS: Testing hydrostatic equilibrium in galaxy clusters
• The splashback radius of halos from particle dynamics. II. Dependence on mass, accretion rate, redshift, and cosmology
• On the Level of Cluster Assembly Bias in SDSS
• The Halo Boundary of Galaxy Clusters in the SDSS
• The effect of baryons on the inner density profiles of rich clusters
• The Splashback Feature around DES Galaxy Clusters: Galaxy Density and Weak Lensing Profiles
• The stripping of a galaxy group diving into the massive cluster A2142
• Splashback Shells of Cold Dark Matter Halos
• Complex Structure of Galaxy Cluster Abell 1689: Evidence for a Merger from X-ray data?
• Lensing Constraints on the Mass Profile Shape and the Splashback Radius of Galaxy Clusters
• Assembly Bias and Splashback in Galaxy Clusters
• LoCuSS: A Dynamical Analysis of X-ray AGN in Local Clusters
• The outer profile of dark matter halos: an analytical approach
• Measurement of the Splashback Feature around SZ-selected Galaxy Clusters with DES, SPT and ACT
• LoCuSS: Hydrostatic Mass Measurements of the High-$L_X$ Cluster Sample -- Cross-calibration of Chandra and XMM-Newton
• LoCuSS: Pre-processing in galaxy groups falling into massive galaxy clusters at z=0.2
• LoCuSS: Scaling relations between galaxy cluster mass, gas, and stellar content
• The Three Hundred Project: The evolution of galaxy cluster density profiles
• The Splashback Radius of Planck-SZ clusters
• LoCuSS: The infall of X-ray groups onto massive clusters
• Mining the gap: evolution of the magnitude gap in X-ray galaxy groups from the 3 square degree XMM coverage of CFHTLS
• Detection of anti-correlation of hot and cold baryons in galaxy clusters
• Near-Infrared Properties of Moderate-Redshift Galaxy Clusters: Halo Occupation Number, Mass-to-Light Ratios and Omega_m
• LoCuSS: Probing Galaxy Transformation Physics with Herschel
• The splashback radius of optically selected clusters with Subaru HSC Second Public Data Release
• Stellar splashback: the edge of the intracluster light
• Discrepant Mass Estimates in the Cluster of Galaxies Abell 1689
• Testing the galaxy cluster mass-observable relations at z = 1 with XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of XLSSJ022403.9-041328
• Clusters Have Edges: The Projected Phase SpaceStructure of SDSS redMaPPer Clusters
• Aging Halos: Implications of the Magnitude Gap on Conditional Statistics of Stellar and Gas Properties of Massive Halos
• LoCuSS: The Near-Infrared Luminosity and Weak-Lensing Mass Scaling Relation of Galaxy Clusters
• Mass accretion rates of clusters of galaxies: CIRS and HeCS
• Group galaxy number density profiles far out: is the 'one-halo' term NFW out to $>10$ virial radii?
• The Past History of Galaxy Clusters told by their present neighbors

Cited by in corpus (16)

• Discovering gravitationally lensed gravitational waves: predicted rates, candidate selection, and localization with the Vera Rubin Observatory
• SIBELIUS-DARK: a galaxy catalogue of the Local Volume from a constrained realisation simulation
• Discovery of a Possible Splashback Feature in the Intracluster Light of MACS J1149.5+2223
• A dynamics-based density profile for dark haloes -- II. Fitting function
• The Corona Borealis supercluster: connectivity, collapse, and evolution
• The impact of galaxy selection on the splashback boundaries of galaxy clusters
• The eROSITA Final Equatorial-Depth Survey (eFEDS) -- Splashback radius of X-ray galaxy clusters using galaxies from HSC survey
• Can the splashback radius be an observable boundary of galaxy clusters?
• Measuring the mass and concentration of dark matter halos from the velocity dispersion profile of their stars
• The infall region as a complementary probe to cluster abundance
• Euclid preparation LXX. Forecasting detection limits for intracluster light in the Euclid Wide Survey
• Anisotropy and characteristic scales in halo density gradient profiles
• Stacked phase-space density of galaxies around massive clusters: Comparison of dynamical and lensing masses
• The mass and galaxy distribution around SZ-selected clusters
• Splashback radius and the mass accretion rate of RASS MCMF galaxy clusters
• AMICO galaxy clusters in KiDS-1000: Splashback radius from weak lensing and cluster-galaxy correlation function