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Abstract We use IllustrisTNG simulations to explore the dynamic scaling relation between massive clusters and their—central—brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). The IllustrisTNG-300 simulation we use includes 280 massive clusters from the z = 0 snapshot with M 200 > 10 14 M ⊙ , enabling a robust statistical analysis. We derive the line-of-sight velocity dispersion of the stellar particles of the BCGs ( σ *,BCG ), analogous to the observed BCG stellar velocity dispersion. We also compute the subhalo velocity dispersion to measure the cluster velocity dispersion ( σ cl ). Both σ *,BCG and σ cl are proportional to the cluster halo mass, but the slopes differ slightly. Thus, like the observed relation, σ *,BCG / σ cl declines as a function of σ cl , but the scatter is large. We explore the redshift evolution of the σ *,BCG − σ cl scaling relation for z ≲ 1 in a way that can be compared directly with observations. The scaling relation has a similar slope at high redshift, but the scatter increases because of the large scatter in σ *,BCG . The simulations imply that high-redshift BCGs are dynamically more complex than their low-redshift counterparts.
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IllustrisTNG Snapshots for 10 Gyr of Dynamical Evolution of Brightest Cluster Galaxies and Their Host Clusters
Abstract We explore the redshift evolution of the dynamical properties of massive clusters and their brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at z < 2 based on the IllustrisTNG-300 simulation. We select 270 massive clusters with M 200 < 10 14 M ⊙ at z = 0 and trace their progenitors based on merger trees. From 67 redshift snapshots covering z < 2, we compute the 3D subhalo velocity dispersion as a cluster velocity dispersion ( σ cl ). We also calculate the 3D stellar velocity dispersion of the BCGs ( σ *,BCG ). Both σ cl and σ *,BCG increase as the universe ages. The BCG velocity dispersion grows more slowly than the cluster velocity dispersion. Furthermore, the redshift evolution of the BCG velocity dispersion shows dramatic changes at some redshifts resulting from dynamical interaction with neighboring galaxies (major mergers). We show that σ *,BCG is comparable with σ cl at z > 1, offering an interesting observational test. The simulated redshift evolution of σ cl and σ *,BCG generally agrees with an observed cluster sample for z < 0.3, but with large scatter. Future large spectroscopic surveys reaching to high redshift will test the implications of the simulations for the mass evolution of both clusters and their BCGs.
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- PAR ID:
- 10431676
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 938
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 3
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac8f23
