Galaxy Clusters: Detection and Characterization of Substructures Using Photometric Data

• Grant number: 25/05129-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Extragalactic Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Angela Cristina Krabbe
• Grantee: Flávio Rabelo de Morais Neto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/05467-9 - Exploring galaxy clusters: morphological properties and chemical abundance., AP.R

Abstract

The analysis of substructures in galaxy clusters is essential for understanding the formation and evolution of these structures in the Universe. This study proposes modifying the algorithm by Wen & Han (2013) to identify galaxies belonging to substructures in clusters using exclusively photometric data. The goal is to analyze the environmental effects on galaxies located in substructures by comparing them to those in the main clusters, investigating possible differences in the evolution of these populations.Additionally, the DS+ algorithm (Benavides et al. 2023) will be tested to assess its effectiveness in photometric redshifts, aiming to improve the detection of substructures in massive clusters (M200 > 10^14) with 0 < z < 1. This study will contribute to advancing techniques for characterizing substructures in galaxy clusters, expanding the reach of research on cosmological scales, and allowing a better understanding of the environmental processes influencing galaxy evolution. (AU)