The High-Redshift Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) Survey: Follow-Up Optical Imaging

TL;DR

This study uses optical and infrared imaging to identify high-redshift galaxy clusters associated with bent radio AGN, providing new redshift estimates and improved cluster candidate identification methods.

Contribution

It introduces a combined optical and infrared approach to detect and confirm high-redshift clusters with bent radio AGN, including new photometric redshift estimates.

Findings

39 red sequence cluster candidates identified

26 fields with newly estimated photometric redshifts

Improved cluster detection by removing foreground/background contaminants

Abstract

Here we present new red sequence overdensity measurements for 77 fields in the high-$z$ Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) survey, based on $r$- and $i$-band imaging taken with Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope. We observe 38 COBRA fields in $r$-band and 90 COBRA fields in $i$-band. By combining the $r$- and $i$-band photometry with our 3.6$\mu$m and 4.5$\mu$m $Spitzer$ IRAC observations, we identify 39 red sequence cluster candidates that host a strong overdensity of galaxies when measuring the excess of red sequence galaxies relative to a background field. We initially treat the radio host as the cluster center and then determine a new cluster center based on the surface density of red sequence sources. Using our color selection, we identify which COBRA cluster candidates have strong red sequence populations. By removing foreground and background contaminants, we more securely determine which fields include cluster candidates with a higher significance than our single-band observations. Additionally, of the 77 fields we analyze with a redshift estimate, 26 include newly estimated photometric redshifts.