Recent observations suggest a reversal in the star formation rate density relation at z>1 such that the average star formation rate in galaxies increases with increasing local galaxy density. Two high redshift clusters have shown an increased fraction of actively star forming galaxies towards the center of the cluster, albeit with small number statistics, but the epoch at which this transition occurs is poorly constrained. We propose a statistical study of the dustobscured star formation activity in a mass-limited sample of 11 spectroscopically-confirmed clusters from z=1.1-1.8 with PACS imaging at 100/160 microns. With 54.7 hours of observing time, we will detect ~150 cluster galaxies down to 100 solar masses per year and many more field galaxies. Our sample spans the fundamental redshift range during which massive clusters show signs of transitioning from a stage of active formation to passive evolution. We will determine the role of the cluster environment on the evolution of infrared luminous galaxies as a function of redshift. These Herschel observations will allow us to map out the star formation activity in galaxy clusters and constrain their mass assembly epoch.
Publication
Star Formation and AGN Activity in Galaxy Clusters from z=1-2: a Multi-Wavelength Analysis Featuring Herschel/PACS | Alberts Stacey et al. | The Astrophysical Journal Volume 825 Issue 1 article id. 72 24 pp. (2016). | 825 | 10.3847/0004-637X/825/1/72 | 2016ApJ...825...72A | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016ApJ...825...72A
Instrument
PACS_PacsPhoto_largeScan
Temporal Coverage
2012-06-24T19:57:00Z/2013-01-05T01:27:18Z
Version
SPG v14.2.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth cornerstone mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
European Space Agency, pope et al., 2013, 'Tracing the Evolution of Star Formation Activity in High Redshift Galaxy Clusters', SPG v14.2.0, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-dcbqojv
