O. Johnson

The evolution of the brightest cluster galaxies since z∼ 1 from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS)

We present K-band data for the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS). These data are combined with the photometry published by Aragon Salamanca, Baugh & Kauffmann and a low-redshift comparison sample built from the BCG catalogue of von der Linden et al. BCG luminosities are measured inside a metric circular aperture with 37 kpc diameter. In agreement with previous studies, we find that the K-band Hubble diagram for BCGs exhibits very low scatter (similar to 0.35) over a redshift range of 0 2 and evolved passively thereafter. In contrast with some previous studies, we do not detect any significant change in the stellar mass of the BCG since z similar to 1. These results do not seem to depend on the velocity dispersion of the parent cluster. We also find that there is a correlation between the 1D velocity dispersion of the clusters (sigma(cl)) and the K-band luminosity of the BCGs ( after correcting for passive-evolution). The clusters with large velocity dispersions, and therefore masses, tend to have brighter BCGs, i.e. BCGs with larger stellar masses. This dependency, although significant, is relatively weak: the stellar mass of the BCGs changes only by similar to 70 per cent over a two order of magnitude range in cluster mass. Furthermore, this dependency does not change significantly with redshift. We have compared our observational results with the hierarchical galaxy formation and evolution model predictions of De Lucia & Blaizot. We find that the models predict colours which are in reasonable agreement with the observations because the growth in stellar mass is dominated by the accretion of old stars. However, the stellar mass in the model BCGs grows by a factor of 3-4 since z = 1, a growth rate which seems to be ruled out by the observations. The models predict a dependency between the BCGs stellar mass and the velocity dispersion (mass) of the parent cluster in the same sense as the data, but the dependency is significantly stronger than observed. However, one major difficulty in this comparison is that we have measured magnitudes inside a fixed metric aperture while the models compute total luminosities.

The coincidence and angular clustering of Chandra and SCUBA sources

We explore the relationship between the hard X-ray and submillimetre populations using deep Chandra observations of a large, contiguous SCUBA survey. In agreement with other recent findings, we confirm that the direct overlap is small. Of the 17 submillimetre sources detected in this field at 850 µm, only one is coincident with a Chandra source. The resulting limits imply that the majority of SCUBA sources are not powered by acive galactic nuclei (AGN), unless the central engine is obscured by Compton-thick material with a low ( 1, even if they are purely starburst galaxies. Despite the low detection rate, we find evidence for strong angular clustering between the X-ray and submillimetre populations. The implication is that AGN and SCUBA sources trace the same large-scale structure but do not generally coincide. If bright submillimetre sources represent massive elliptical galaxies in formation, we suggest that (for a given galaxy) the major episode of star formation must be distinct from the period of observable quasar

The ELAIS deep X-ray survey - I. Chandra source catalogue and first results

We present an analysis of two deep (75 ks) Chandra observations of the European Large Area Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) Survey (ELAIS) fields N1 and N2 as the first results from the ELAIS deep X-ray survey. This survey is being conducted in well-studied regions with extensive multiwavelength coverage. Here we present the Chandra source catalogues along with an analysis of source counts, hardness ratios and optical classifications. A total of 233 X-ray point sources are detected in addition to two soft extended sources, which are found to be associated with galaxy clusters. An overdensity of sources is found in N1 with 30 per cent more sources than N2, which we attribute to large-scale structure. A similar variance is seen between other deep Chandra surveys. The source count statistics reveal an increasing fraction of hard sources at fainter fluxes. The number of galaxy-like counterparts also increases dramatically towards fainter fluxes, consistent with the emergence of a large population of obscured sources.

The content of active galactic nuclei in the z = 0.83 cluster MS 1054—0321

We present a survey of X-ray point sources in a 91 ksec Chandra ACIS-S observation of the z=0.83 cluster MS1054-0321. We detect 47 X-ray sources within the 8.3 ′ ×8.3 ′ field, of which two are immediately confirmed from pre-existing spectroscopy to be at the redshift of the cluster. At fluxes brighter than S (0.5−8 keV) = 5 × 10 −15 erg s −1 cm −2 we find a ∼ 2σ excess compared to predictions from field surveys, consistent with an excess of approximately 6 AGN. If these sources are associated with the cluster, they too are AGN with luminosities of order L (0.5−8 keV) ∼ 10 43 erg s −1. Combined with the identification of 7 cluster AGN from deep radio observations (Best et al. 2002), these observations suggest significantly enhanced AGN activity in MS1054-03 compared to local galaxy clusters. Interestingly, the excess of X-ray detected AGN is found at radial distances of between 1 and 2 Mpc, suggesting they may be associated with infalling galaxies. The radio AGN are seen within the inner Mpc of the cluster and are largely undetected in the X-ray, suggesting they are either intrinsically less luminous and/or heavily obscured.

Obscured active galactic nuclei from the ELAIS Deep X-ray Survey

The sources discovered in deep hard X-ray surveys with 2-8 keV fluxes of S2 8 � 10 14 ergcm 2 s 1 make up the bulk of the X-ray background at these energies. We present here detailed multi-wavelength observations of three such sources from the ELAIS Deep X-ray Survey. The observations include sensitive near-infrared spectroscopy with the Subaru Telescope and X-ray spectral information from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The sources observed all have optical-to-near-IR colours redder than an unobscured quasar and comprise a reddened quasar, a radio galaxy and an optically-obscured AGN. The reddened quasar is at a redshift z = 2.61 and shows a very large X-ray absorbing column of NH � 3 × 10 23 cm 2 . This contrasts with the relatively small amount of dust reddening, implying a gas-to-dust ratio along the line-of-sight a hundred times greater than that of the Milky Way. The radio galaxy at z = 1.57 shows only narrow emission lines, but has a surprisingly soft X-ray spectrum. The softness of this spectrum either indicates an unusually low gas-to-dust ratio for the absorbing medium or X-ray emission related to the young radio source. The host galaxy is extremely red (R K = 6.4) and its optical/near-IR spectrum is best fit by a strongly reddened (AV � 2) starburst. The third X-ray source discussed is also extremely red (R K = 6.1) and lies in a close grouping of three other R K > 6 galaxies. No emission or absorption lines were detected from this object, but its redshift (and that of one of the nearby galaxies) are constrained by SED-fitting to be just greater than z = 1. The extremely red colours of these two galaxies can be accounted for by old stellar populations. These observations illustrate the diverse properties of hard X-ray selected AGN at high redshift in terms of obscuration at optical and X-ray wavelengths and the evolutionary states of their host galaxies.

The X-ray properties of optically selected z > 0.6 clusters in the European Southern Observatory Distant Cluster Survey

We present XMM‐Newton observations of three optically selected z > 0.6 clusters from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS), comprising the first results of a planned X-ray survey of the full EDisCS high-redshift sample. The EDisCS clusters were identified in the Las Campanas Distant Cluster Survey as surface brightness fluctuations in the optical sky and their masses and galaxy populations are well described by extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations. We detect two of the three clusters in the X-ray and place a firm upper limit on diffuse emission in the third cluster field. We are able to constrain the X-ray luminosity and temperature of the detected clusters and estimate their masses. We find that the X-ray properties of the detected EDisCS clusters are similar to those of X-ray-selected clusters of comparable mass and ‐ unlike other high-redshift, optically selected clusters ‐ are consistent with the T‐σ and LX‐σ relations determined from X-ray-selected clusters at low redshift. The X-ray determined mass estimates are generally consistent with those derived from weak-lensing and spectroscopic analyses. These preliminary results suggest that the novel method of optical selection used to construct the EDisCS catalogue may, like selection by X-ray luminosity, be well suited for identification of relaxed, high-redshift clusters whose intracluster medium is in place and stable by z ∼ 0.8.

0.5 Mpc‐scale extended X‐ray emission in the z= 2.48 radio galaxy 4C 23.56

We present an XMM-Newton observation of the radio galaxy 4C 23.56 at z=2.48 which reveals extended X-ray emission coincident with the radio lobes spanning \~0.5 Mpc. These are the largest X-ray-bright lobes known at z>2. Under the assumption that these features result from inverse-Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background photons by relativistic electrons in the radio source lobes, the measured luminosity of L_0.5-8 keV=7.5x10^44 erg s^-1 implies a minimum energy stored within the lobes of ~10^59 erg. We discuss the potential of the large-scale radio/X-ray lobes to influence evolution of the host galaxy and proto-cluster environment at high redshift.

Mid-infrared sources in the ELAIS Deep X-ray Survey

We present a cross-correlation of the European Large Area ISO survey (ELAIS) with the ELAIS Deep X-ray Survey of the N1 and N2 fields. There are 7 Chandra point sources with matches in the ELAIS Final Analysis 15µm catalogue, out of a total of 28 extragalactic ISO sources present in the Chandra fields. Five of these are consistent with AGN giving an AGN fraction of � 19 per cent in the 15µm flux range 0.8 6 mJy. We have co-added the hard X-ray fluxes of the individually-undetected ISO sources and find a low significance detection consistent with star formation in the remaining population. We combine our point source cross-correlation fraction with the XMM-Newton observations of the Lockman Hole and Chandra observations of the Hubble Deep Field North to constrain source count models of the mid-infrared galaxy population. The low dust-enshrouded AGN fraction in ELAIS implied by the number of cross-identifications between the ELAIS mid-infrared sample and the Chandra point sources is encouraging for the use of mid-infrared surveys to constrain the cosmic star formation history, provided there are not further large undetected populations of Compton-thick AGN.

Dust and gas obscuration in ELAIS deep x-ray survey reddened quasars.

Hard X-ray surveys have uncovered a large population of heavily obscured AGNs. They also reveal a population of quasars with moderate obscuration at both visible and X-ray wavelengths. We use Chandra-selected samples of quasars from the ELAIS Deep X-ray Survey (EDXS) and the Chandra Deep Field-North to investigate the obscuration toward the nuclei of moderately obscured AGNs. We find an inverse correlation between the optical-to-X-ray flux ratio and the X-ray hardness ratio that can be interpreted as being due to obscuration at visible and X-ray wavelengths. We present detailed optical and near-infrared data for a sample of optically faint (R>23) quasars from the EDXS. These are used to constrain the amount of rest-frame UV/optical reddening toward these quasars. It is found that optically faint quasars are mostly faint because of obscuration, not because they are intrinsically weak. After correcting for reddening, the optical magnitudes of most of these quasars are similar to the brighter quasars at these X-ray fluxes. Combining with gas column densities inferred from the X-ray observations, we consider the gas-to-dust ratios of the obscuring matter. We find that the quasars generally have higher gas-to-dust absorption than that seen in the Milky Way, similar to what has been found for nearby Seyfert galaxies. We consider the possible existence of a large population of X-ray sources that have optical properties of type 1 (unobscured) quasars but X-ray properties of type 2 (obscured) quasars. However, we find that such sources only contribute about 6% of the 0.5-8 keV X-ray background. Finally, we show that the observed distribution of optical-to-X-ray flux ratios of quasars at z>1 is skewed to low values compared to the intrinsic distribution as a result of the fact that the observed-frame R-band light is emitted in the UV and is more easily obscured than hard X-rays.

Cl 1103.7–1245 at z = 0.96: the highest redshift galaxy cluster in the EDisCS survey

We present new spectroscopic observations in a field containing the highest redshift cluster of the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS). We measure galaxy redshifts and determine the velocity dispersions of the galaxy structures located in this field. Together with the main cluster Cl 1103.7-1245 (z = 0.9580; sigma(clus) = 522 +/- 111 km s(-1)) we find a secondary structure at z = 0.9830, Cl 1103.7-1245c. We then characterize the galaxy properties in both systems, and find that they contain very different galaxy populations. The cluster Cl 1103.7-1245 hosts a mixture of passive elliptical galaxies and star-forming spirals and irregulars. In the secondary structure Cl 1103.7-1245c all galaxies are lower-mass star-forming irregulars and peculiars. In addition, we compare the galaxy populations in the Cl 1103.7-1245 z = 0.9580 cluster with those in lower redshift EDisCS clusters with similar velocity dispersions. We find that the properties of the galaxies in Cl 1103.7-1245 follow the evolutionary trends found at lower redshifts: the number of cluster members increases with time in line with the expected growth in cluster mass, and the fraction of passive early-type galaxies increases with time while star-forming late types become less dominant. Finally, we find that the mean stellar masses are similar in all clusters, suggesting that massive cluster galaxies were already present at z similar to 1.