The Fate of Dwarf Galaxies in Clusters and the Origin of Intracluster Stars

TL;DR

This thesis reviews cosmological concepts and presents simulation-based research showing dwarf galaxy destruction by mergers and tides explains intracluster light, supporting current theories.

Contribution

It introduces detailed particle simulations demonstrating the dominance of mergers over tides in dwarf galaxy destruction and their role in intracluster light formation.

Findings

Mergers dominate dwarf galaxy destruction

Tidal destruction explains intracluster light

Simulation results align with Schechter luminosity function

Abstract

This thesis presents a review of related important concepts in cosmology followed by details of the author's role in a research project on the origin of intracluster light. The author's role in the development of the simulations varied from searching parameters in the literature, through writing and modifying code in IDL, FORTRAN, and UNIX to carrying out hundreds of simulations using the particle-particle algorithm described in this thesis, as well as partaking in joint analysis of the simulation results. Part of this work in the isolated cluster simulations has been submitted for publication (Barai, Brito & Martel 2009). The main results of the simulations described in this thesis are: 1) destruction of dwarf galaxies by mergers dominates destruction by tides, and 2) destruction of galaxies by tides is sufficient to explain the observed intracluster light. These results support the accepted explanation for the origin of the intracluster light. In an ongoing, second stage of the simulation, which extends the isolated cluster results to a cosmologically significant region of the Universe, the author similarly assists in the implementation of a particle-particle/particle-mesh simulation and the joint analysis of the results to-date. The results are as per the Schechter luminosity function, and suggest the approach used is valid and the results obtained robust.