A spectroscopic census of the Fornax cluster and beyond: preparing for next generation surveys

TL;DR

This paper compiles spectroscopic data of the Fornax cluster to aid in understanding its structure, membership, and dynamics, supporting future large-scale surveys and studies of galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive spectroscopic census of the Fornax cluster, including new data, to facilitate ongoing and future research.

Findings

Detailed membership catalog for Fornax cluster

Identification of substructures within the cluster

Insights into large-scale background structure

Abstract

The Fornax cluster is the nearest, large cluster in the southern sky, and is currently experiencing active assembly of mass. It is thus the target of a number of ongoing observing campaigns at optical, near-infrared and radio wavelengths, using state-of-the-art facilities in the Southern hemisphere. Spectroscopic redshifts are essential not only for determining cluster membership, but also kinematics within the cluster and identifying substructures. We present a compilation of all available major spectroscopic campaigns undertaken within the Fornax region, including new and previously unpublished spectroscopy. This provides not only a comprehensive census of Fornax cluster membership as a resource for the many ongoing studies of this dynamic system, but also probes the large scale structure in the background volume.