| Description |
We propose to detect dust associated with rampressure stripping through deep Herschel PACS/SPIRE imaging of a carefully chosen set of cluster galaxies that show strong signs of ongoing stripping and intracluster star formation. This is a continuation of our OT1 program where we have successfully detected a dust tail caused by ram-pressure stripping in the one case where we have obtained a complete PACS/SPIRE photometer dataset. Our highest priority OT1 targets have not been observed, and our original sample was small, consisting of only five galaxies. Based on our current success, we have further refined our selection criteria to only choose galaxies within the high pressure cluster environment that show signs of intracluster star formation primarily due to ram-pressure stripping of gas. Our program will carry out deep Herschel observations of six galaxies that have highly extended (virgul2080 kpc) UV and H_alpha tails associated with intracluster star formation. Herschel is the only telescope that has the sensitivity to detect the emission from dust blown out into the intracluster medium (ICM). With our proposed observations we aim to: 1. quantify the temperature, mass, and lifetime of dust blown out into (or formed in-situ within) the ICM; 2. understand the role dust plays in the existence of molecular hydrogen in the ICM and intracluster star formation. The Herschel observations will expand our already large multiwavelength dataset and finally provide complete inventory of the gas and dust associated with rampressure stripping, so we can study the effects of rampressure on galaxy evolution. This will be the last opportunity in a very long time to make these measurements. |
