The nature of H-alpha star-forming galaxies at z~0.4 in and around Cl 0939+4713: the environment matters

TL;DR

This study investigates how environment influences star-forming galaxies at z~0.4, revealing that denser environments host dustier galaxies with distinct ionization properties, while metallicity remains unaffected by environment.

Contribution

It provides detailed spectroscopic analysis of H-alpha emitters in a super-cluster at z=0.41, highlighting environmental effects on dust and ionization parameters, with no impact on metallicity.

Findings

Star-forming galaxies in dense environments are significantly dustier.

Ionization parameters are highest in intermediate-density environments.

Metallicity shows no dependence on environment.

Abstract

Cluster star-forming galaxies are found to have an excess of Far-Infrared emission relative to H-alpha (Ha), when compared to those in the field, which could be caused by intense AGN activity, dust and/or declining star formation histories. Here we present spectroscopic observations of Ha emitters in the Cl 0939+4713 (Abell 851) super-cluster at z=0.41, using AF2+WYFFOS on the WHT. We measure [OII], Hbeta (Hb), [OIII], Ha and [NII] for a sample of 119 Ha emitters in and around the cluster. We find that 17+-5% of the Ha emitters are AGN, irrespective of environment. For star-forming galaxies, we obtain Balmer decrements, metallicities and ionisation parameters with different methods, individually and by stacking. We find a strong mass-metallicity relation at all environments, with no significant dependence on environment. The ionisation parameter declines with increasing stellar mass for low-mass galaxies. Ha emitters residing in intermediate environments show the highest ionisation parameters (along with high [OIII]/Ha and high [OIII]/[OII] line ratios, typically twice as large as in the highest and lowest densities), which decline with increasing environmental density. Dust extinction (A$_{H\alpha}$) correlates strongly with stellar mass, but also with environmental density. Star-forming galaxies in the densest environments are found to be significantly dustier (A$_{H\alpha}$~1.5-1.6) than those residing in the lowest density environments (A$_{H\alpha}$~0.6), deviating significantly from what would be predicted given their stellar masses.