Spectroscopic Confirmation of Three Red-Sequence Selected Galaxy Clusters at z=0.87, 1.16 and 1.21 from the SpARCS Survey

TL;DR

This paper reports spectroscopic confirmation of three high-redshift galaxy clusters from the SpARCS survey, demonstrating the effectiveness of two-filter imaging in identifying massive clusters at z>1.

Contribution

It provides the first spectroscopic confirmation of three new galaxy clusters at z>0.87 from the SpARCS survey, validating the two-filter red-sequence detection method.

Findings

Confirmed three galaxy clusters at z=0.87, 1.16, and 1.21.

Measured velocity dispersions indicating massive clusters.

Demonstrated the efficiency of two-filter imaging for high-redshift cluster detection.

Abstract

The Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-sequence Cluster Survey (SpARCS) is a z'-passband imaging survey of the 50 deg^2 Spitzer SWIRE Legacy fields, designed with the primary aim of creating the first large, homogeneously selected sample of massive clusters at z>1. SpARCS uses an infrared adaptation of the two-filter cluster red-sequence technique. In this paper we report Keck/LRIS spectroscopic confirmation of two new exceptionally rich galaxy clusters, SpARCS J161315+564930 at z=0.871+/-0.002, with 14 high-confidence members and a rest-frame velocity dispersion of sigma_v= 1230+/-320 km s^-1, and SpARCS J161641+554513 at z=1.161+/-0.003, with seven high-confidence members (including one AGN) and a rest-frame velocity dispersion of sigma_v=950+/-330 km s^-1. We also report confirmation of a third new system, SpARCS J161037+552417 at z=1.210+/-0.002, with seven high-confidence members and a rest-frame velocity dispersion of sigma_v=410+/-300 km s^-1. These three new spectroscopically confirmed clusters further demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of two-filter imaging for detecting bona fide galaxy clusters at high redshift. We conclude by demonstrating that prospects are good for the current generation of surveys aiming to estimate cluster redshifts and masses at z>~1 directly from optical-infrared imaging.