Herschel surveys of the nearest clusters of galaxies (HeViCS, HeFoCS)
CAAUL Researchers: Marco Grossi, Ciro Pappalardo
The Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey (HeViCS) is a fully sampled survey
of about 55 sq deg of the Virgo galaxy cluster, obtained with the
Herschel Space Observatory using the instruments PACS and SPIRE in
parallel mode. It provides a wavelength coverage in five bands from
about 100 to 500 microns.
The Virgo cluster of galaxies is a
relatively populous system, consisting of about 1500 catalogued members.
It is the nearest galaxy cluster to our own Galaxy at a distance of
about 17 Mpc. About 250 Virgo galaxies have been detected at 250 micron
in the HeViCS survey.
The Herschel Fornax Cluster Survey (HeFoCS) covers about 16 square
degrees of the Fornax cluster at the same wavelength range as HeViCS.
Fornax
- at a distance of 18 Mpc - contains 340 catalogued members, thus it is
less populous and less massive than Virgo (a factor of seven), but it
shows a higher core galaxy density.
The study of the two clusters allow us to compare the
far-infrared/submillimeter properties of galaxies residing in rather
different environments.
Figure: HeViCS field (left) and HeFoCS field (right).
The science goals include:
The study of the cold dust (< 30 K) properties of galaxies in a cluster environment.
Understanding the role played by dust in the star-formation cycle.
FIR-submm luminosity functions.
The detection of dust in dwarf and giant elliptical galaxies.
The detection of dust in star-forming dwarf galaxies.
The search for dust in the intra-cluster medium.
Extended cold dust around galaxies.
Website: http://www.hevics.org
The Herschel Fornax Cluster Survey (HeFoCS) covers about 16 square degrees of the Fornax cluster at the same wavelength range as HeViCS.
The study of the two clusters allow us to compare the far-infrared/submillimeter properties of galaxies residing in rather different environments.