Cluster Selection and the Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies

Abstract

The K-band Hubble diagram of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) is presented for a large, X-ray selected cluster sample extending out to z = 0.8. The controversy over the degree of BCG evolution is shown to be due to sample selection, since the BCG luminosity depends upon the cluster environment. Selecting only the most X-ray luminous clusters produces a BCG sample which shows, under the assumption of an Einstein-de Sitter cosmology, significantly less mass growth than that predicted by current semi-analytic galaxy formation models, and significant evidence of any growth only if the dominant stellar population of the BCGs formed relatively recently (z <= 2.6).

Accepted for publication in ApJL. 4 pages including 4 figures, uses emulateapj.sty (included)

Cited by in corpus (46)

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• Evidence for Significant Growth in the Stellar Mass of Brightest Cluster Galaxies over the Past 10 Billion Years
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• The XMM Cluster Survey: The build up of stellar mass in Brightest Cluster Galaxies at high redshift
• The Fundamental Manifold of Spheroids
• The importance of major mergers in the build up of stellar mass in brightest cluster galaxies at z=1
• Little change in the sizes of the most massive galaxies since z = 1
• Spatially resolved kinematics and stellar populations of brightest cluster and group galaxies
• Near-infrared evolution of brightest cluster galaxies in the most X-ray luminous clusters since z=1
• Stellar populations in the centres of brightest cluster galaxies
• Growth of brightest cluster galaxies via mergers since z = 1
• The Bright End of the Luminosity Function of Red Sequence Galaxies
• Properties of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy and Its Host Cluster
• Evolution of BCGs structural parameters in the last $\sim$6 Gyr: feedback processes versus merger events
• The Growth of Brightest Cluster Galaxies and Intracluster Light Over the Past Ten Billion Years
• Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): Testing galaxy formation models through the most massive galaxies in the Universe
• Feedback and Brightest Cluster Galaxy Formation: ACS Observations of the Radio Galaxy TN J1338--1942 at z=4.1
• Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies in X-Ray Clusters
• Massive Ellipticals at High Redshift: NICMOS Imaging of Z~1 Radio Galaxies
• The evolution in the stellar mass of Brightest Cluster Galaxies over the past 10 billion years
• The Evolution of the Stellar Hosts of Radio Galaxies
• The K band galaxy luminosity functions of three massive high redshift clusters of galaxies
• Red but not dead : Unveiling the Star-forming Far-infrared Spectral Energy Distribution of SpARCS Brightest Cluster Galaxies at 0 < z < 1.8
• Environmental Dependence of the Structure of Brightest Cluster Galaxies
• An imaging survey of a uniform sample of Brightest Cluster Galaxies and Intracluster Light
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• Stellar population gradients in brightest cluster galaxies
• The close pair fraction of BCGs since $z=0.5$: major mergers dominate recent BCG stellar mass growth
• Constraints On the Size Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies
• Revisiting Brightest Cluster Galaxy Evolution with the Las Campanas Distant Cluster Survey
• The UV-upturn in brightest cluster galaxies
• The Inside-out Growth of the Most Massive Galaxies at 0.3<z<0.9
• Brightest Group Galaxies: Stellar Mass and Star Formation Rate (paper I)
• Witnessing the Hierarchical Assembly of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy in a Cluster at z=1.26
• The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: the stellar content of galaxy clusters selected using the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect
• Exploring the progenitors of brightest cluster galaxies at z~2
• Tests of the Las Campanas Distant Cluster Survey from Confirmation Observations for the ESO Distant Cluster Survey
• Order statistics of the early-type galaxy luminosity function
• Inquiring into the nature of the Abell 2667 Brightest Cluster Galaxy: physical properties from MUSE
• Apparent and actual galaxy cluster temperatures
• Stellar Mass and 3.4 $\mu$m M/L Ratio Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies in COSMOS since z ~ 1.0
• Mg2 gradients as a signature of brightest cluster galaxy evolution