The Ursa Major cluster redefined as a `supergroup'

TL;DR

This paper redefines the Ursa Major region as a supergroup of galaxy clusters, identifying bound structures and their potential to merge into a larger system within hierarchical cosmic formation.

Contribution

It applies a friends-of-friends algorithm to SDSS and RC3 data to identify and classify galaxy groups as a supergroup, providing new insights into their dynamical state and future evolution.

Findings

Identified several galaxy groups likely to merge into a supercluster.

Estimated the supergroup's mass at approximately 8x10^13 solar masses.

Suggested the supergroup is gravitationally bound to the Virgo cluster.

Abstract

We identify gravitationally bound structures in the Ursa Major region using positions, velocities and photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS DR7) and the Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies (RC3). A friends-of-friends algorithm is extensively tested on mock galaxy lightcones and then implemented on the real data to determine galaxy groups whose members are likely to be physically and dynamically associated with one another. We find several galaxy groups within the region that are likely bound to one another and in the process of merging. We classify 6 galaxy groups as the Ursa Major `supergroup', which are likely to merge and form a poor cluster with a mass of ~8x10^13 Msun. Furthermore, the Ursa Major supergroup as a whole is likely bound to the Virgo cluster, which will eventually form an even larger system in the context of hierarchical structure formation. [abridged]