paper

H-alpha Photometry of Abell 2390

arXiv:astro-ph/0007111 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03826.x

Abstract

We present the results of a search for strong H-alpha emission line galaxies (rest frame equivalent widths greater than 50 A) in the z=0.23 cluster Abell 2390. The survey contains 1189 galaxies over 270 square arcminutes, and is 50% complete at M_r=-17.5+5 log h. The fraction of galaxies in which H-alpha is detected at the 2sigma level rises from 0.0 in the central regions (excluding the cD galaxy) to 12.5+/-8% at R200. For 165 of the galaxies in our catalogue, we compare the H-alpha equivalent widths with their [OII] equivalent widths, from the CNOC1 spectra. The fraction of strong H-alpha emission line galaxies is consistent with the fraction of strong [OII] emission galaxies in the CNOC1 sample: only 2+/-1% have no detectable [OII] emission and yet significant (>2sigma) H-alpha equivalent widths. Dust obscuration, non-thermal ionization, and aperture effects are all likely to contribute to this non-correspondence of emission lines. We identify six spectroscopically 'secure' k+a galaxies (W(OII)<5 A and W(Hdelta)>5 A); at least two of these show strong signs in H-alpha of star formation in regions that are covered by the slit from which the spectra were obtained. Thus, some fraction of galaxies classified k+a based on spectra shortward of 6000 A are likely to be undergoing significant star formation. These results are consistent with a 'strangulation' model for cluster galaxy evolution, in which star formation in cluster galaxies is gradually decreased, and is neither enhanced nor abruptly terminated by the cluster environment.

15 pages, including 10 figures, emulateapj style. MNRAS, accepted July 3, 2000

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