Lost but not Forgotten: Intracluster Light in Galaxy Groups and Clusters
Tahlia DeMaio, Anthony H. Gonzalez, Ann Zabludoff, Dennis Zaritsky,, Thomas Connor, Megan Donahue, John S. Mulchaey

TL;DR
This study uses Hubble imaging to analyze the properties and origins of intracluster light in galaxy groups and clusters, finding that tidal stripping of massive galaxies is the primary source rather than dwarf galaxy dissolution.
Contribution
It provides new observational evidence linking ICL properties to galaxy stripping processes and quantifies the relationship between BCG+ICL luminosity and cluster mass.
Findings
ICL color gradients become bluer with radius, indicating non-violent formation mechanisms.
BCG+ICL luminosity correlates with cluster mass, with a steeper increase in groups.
ICL likely originates from tidal stripping of massive galaxies, not dwarf galaxy dissolution.
Abstract
With Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we investigate the progenitor population and formation mechanisms of the intracluster light (ICL) for 23 galaxy groups and clusters ranging from 3M [M] at 0.29z0.89. The color gradients of the BCG+ICL become bluer with increasing radius out to 53-100 kpc for all but one system, suggesting that violent relaxation after major mergers with the BCG cannot be the dominant source of ICL. For clusters the BCG+ICL luminosity at r100 kpc (0.08-0.13 r) is 1.2-3.5L; for the groups, BCG+ICL luminosities within 100 kpc (0.17-0.23 r) range between 0.7-1.3 L. The BCG+ICL stellar mass in the inner 100 kpc increases with total cluster mass as MM. This steep slope implies that the BCG+ICL is a…
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