Kinematics of cluster galaxies and their relation to galaxy evolution

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the movement patterns of galaxies in clusters relate to their evolution, revealing that red, quiescent galaxies tend to have fallen into clusters earlier than blue, star-forming ones, using simulations and observational data.

Contribution

It demonstrates that satellite galaxy kinematics can provide insights into galaxy infall history, complementing spatial distribution analyses.

Findings

Red satellites show kinematic signs of earlier infall.

Blue satellites are likely more recently accreted.

Kinematic data supports different infall times for galaxy types.

Abstract

We study the kinematics of galaxies within massive clusters, as a probe of the physics of star-formation quenching within clusters. Using N-body simulations, we argue that satellite kinematics provide information about galaxy infall that is complementary to the (instantaneous) spatial distribution of satellites. Comparing the simulation results with measurements of real cluster galaxies, we find evidence that the kinematics of red (quiescent) satellite galaxies are consistent with earlier infall times than that of blue (star-forming) satellites.