The abundance and colours of galaxies in high-redshift clusters in the cold dark matter cosmology

Abstract

High-redshift galaxy clusters allow us to examine galaxy formation in extreme environments. Here we compile data for 15 z > 1 galaxy clusters to test the predictions from a state-of-the-art semi-analytical model of galaxy formation. The model gives a good match to the slope and zero-point of the cluster red sequence. The model is able to match the cluster galaxy luminosity function at faint and bright magnitudes, but underestimates the number of galaxies around the break in the cluster luminosity function. We find that simply assuming a weaker dust attenuation improves the model predictions for the cluster galaxy luminosity function, but worsens the predictions for the red sequence at bright magnitudes. Examination of the properties of the bright cluster galaxies suggests that the default dust attenuation is large due to these galaxies having large reservoirs of cold gas as well as small radii. We find that matching the luminosity function and colours of high-redshift cluster galaxies, whilst remaining consistent with local observations, poses a challenge for galaxy formation models.

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