Galaxy Evolution in Abell 2390

Abstract

The galaxy population in the intermediate-redshift (z = 0.228) rich cluster Abell 2390 is investigated. We present velocities, colors, and morphological information for an exceptionally large sample of 323 galaxies (216 cluster members) in a 46' × 7' (6 h⁻¹ Mpc × 1 h⁻¹ Mpc) strip centered on the cD galaxy. This sample of confirmed cluster members is second only to that for the Coma cluster in terms of sample size and spatial coverage in the cluster rest frame and it is the first to trace the transition between a rich cluster and the field at intermediate redshift. The galaxy population in the cluster changes gradually from a very evolved, early-type population in the inner 0.4 h^–1 Mpc of the cluster to a progressively later type population in the extensive outer envelope of the cluster from 1 to 3 h^–1 Mpc in radius. Radial gradients in galaxy g - r color, 4000 Å break, Hδ and [O II] line strengths, and morphology are seen in the cluster and are investigated by comparing the data to models computed with the GISSEL spectral synthesis package. The results suggest that the cluster has been built up gradually by the infall of field galaxies over ~8 Gyr and that star formation has been truncated in infalling galaxies during the accretion process. The morphological composition of the cluster is shown to be consistent with such a scenario. If true for other clusters, infall-truncated star formation as seen in Abell 2390 may explain both the Butcher-Oemler effect and the large fraction of S0 galaxies in clusters. Only 5% of the galaxies observed in Abell 2390 exhibit evidence for star formation at levels stronger than those seen in typical late-type systems. This suggests that starbursts do not play a major role in driving cluster galaxy evolution at the redshift of Abell 2390, although infall-induced starbursts leading to truncated star formation may have played a role in the earlier history of the cluster. Evidence is found for at least one subcomponent on the west side of the cluster, which is likely to be infalling at the epoch of observation.