Publication Abstracts

Flores et al. 2000

Flores, R.A., H. Quintana, and M.J. Way, 2000: Deconstructing Abell 3266: A major merger in a quiet cluster. Astrophys. J., 532, 206-213, doi:10.1086/308539.

We present results of simple N-body simulations that strengthen the suggestion that Abell 3266 is composed of two subunits of comparable mass that have merged recently. Both the real cluster and the N-body dark-matter cluster show mixed signals of substructure under statistical tests. However, in a decidedly nonstatistical approach allowed by the wide-area coverage and the large number of redshifts Quintana, Ramírez, & Way measured in A3266, they sliced the real cluster in redshift space to uncover a peculiar spatial distribution of galaxies that they suggested was the result of a recent merger. In our simulations, a similar distribution is the result of an ongoing merger between two comparable-mass units that started about yr ago in the N-body simulations. We also find that the distribution of emission-line galaxies in A3266 traces the same structure. We discuss further tests of our merger hypothesis and speculate on the possibility that a similar process might be occurring in other, apparently relaxed clusters at the present epoch.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{fl03000u,
  author={Flores, R. A. and Quintana, H. and Way, M. J.},
  title={Deconstructing Abell 3266: A major merger in a quiet cluster},
  year={2000},
  journal={Astrophysical Journal},
  volume={532},
  pages={206--213},
  doi={10.1086/308539},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - fl03000u
AU  - Flores, R. A.
AU  - Quintana, H.
AU  - Way, M. J.
PY  - 2000
TI  - Deconstructing Abell 3266: A major merger in a quiet cluster
JA  - Astrophys. J.
JO  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 532
SP  - 206
EP  - 213
DO  - 10.1086/308539
ER  -

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