MC$^2$: Subaru and Hubble Space Telescope Weak-Lensing Analysis of the Double Radio Relic Galaxy Cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9

TL;DR

This study combines Subaru and Hubble weak-lensing data to map dark matter substructures in the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9, revealing complex mergers likely responsible for observed radio relics and halos.

Contribution

First detailed weak-lensing analysis of PLCK G287.0+32.9 revealing four significant dark matter substructures and their relation to radio relics and merger activity.

Findings

Identified four main dark matter substructures in the cluster.

The primary cluster has a mass of approximately 1.59×10^{15} M_sun.

Detected subclusters near radio relics suggesting merger origins.

Abstract

The second most significant detection of the Planck Sunyaev Zel'dovich survey, PLCK~G287.0+32.9 ($z=0.385$) boasts two similarly bright radio relics and a radio halo. One radio relic is located $\sim 400$ kpc northwest of the X-ray peak and the other $\sim 2.8$ Mpc to the southeast. This large difference suggests that a complex merging scenario is required. A key missing puzzle for the merging scenario reconstruction is the underlying dark matter distribution in high resolution. We present a joint Subaru Telescope and {\it Hubble Space Telescope} weak-lensing analysis of the cluster. Our analysis shows that the mass distribution features four significant substructures. Of the substructures, a primary cluster of mass $M_{200\text{c}}=1.59^{+0.25}_{-0.22}\times 10^{15} \ h^{-1}_{70} \ \text{M}_{\odot}$ dominates the weak-lensing signal. This cluster is likely to be undergoing a merger with one (or more) subcluster whose mass is approximately a factor of 10 lower. One candidate is the subcluster of mass $M_{200\text{c}}=1.16^{+0.15}_{-0.13}\times 10^{14} \ h^{-1}_{70} \ \text{M}_{\odot}$ located $\sim 400$ kpc to the southeast. The location of this subcluster suggests that its interaction with the primary cluster could be the source of the NW radio relic. Another subcluster is detected $\sim 2$ Mpc to the SE of the X-ray peak with mass $M_{200\text{c}}=1.68^{+0.22}_{-0.20}\times 10^{14} \ h^{-1}_{70} \ \text{M}_{\odot}$. This SE subcluster is in the vicinity of the SE radio relic and may have created the SE radio relic during a past merger with the primary cluster. The fourth subcluster, $M_{200\text{c}}=1.87^{+0.24}_{-0.22}\times 10^{14} \ h^{-1}_{70} \ \text{M}_{\odot}$, is northwest of the X-ray peak and beyond the NW radio relic.