Quantitative Morphology of the Intermediate-Redshift Galaxy Cluster Abell 2443 from Ground-based Imaging: Evidence for a Galaxy Concentration Index Correlation with Cluster Density

Trujillo, I.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Gutiérrez, C. M.; Cepa, J.
Bibliographical reference

The Astronomical Journal, Volume 122, Issue 1, pp. 38-54.

Advertised on:
7
2001
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
3
Citations
37
Refereed citations
32
Description
We present broadband photometry and provide a quantitative analysis of the structure of galaxies in the inner region of the Abell Cluster 2443 (z~0.1). The galaxy parameters have been derived by fitting a two-component model (Sérsic r1/n bulge and exponential disk) to a magnitude-limited sample. Using a new method of analysis that takes into account the effects of seeing on the structural parameters and considers ellipticity as an active parameter, we avoid systematic errors arising from assumptions of circular symmetry. Of the sample galaxies, 76% were classified with these models, while the rest were morphologically peculiar. For the spiral galaxies, the relation between n and B/D is consistent with the trend observed in nearby field galaxy samples. The Sérsic index n (which can be considered as a concentration index) of the elliptical galaxies is correlated with the local surface density of the cluster. Monte Carlo simulations were used to check the reliability of the method and determine the magnitude selection criteria.