X-ray selected AGN in a Merging Cluster Environment

NORMAN, DARA; GEORGINA COLDWELL; ILONA SOECHTING

La Serena

Otro; Oberving Time in Gemini South Telescope; 2011

Although a general understanding of the overall AGN population is being addressed by optical large area surveys, a complete picture of cluster AGN is hampered by survey biases and a lack of information about AGN environments where we can trace cluster interactions. Optically selected AGN are under-represented in cluster environments due to color selection criteria insensitive to red and dusty sources. X-ray selection of AGN can overcome this bias. Hierarchical simulations suggest the gravitational processes which govern the evolution of clusters also have a role in AGN triggering, and AGN feedback is critically important to galaxy evolution. Confirmation of models requires comparisons not just of the cluster galaxy population, but also of the distributions of AGN in clusters especially forming clusters, which are not fully identified in surveys. Weak lensing cluster selection can overcome this bias. We propose to obtain GMOS-S spectra for a sample of 23 X-ray selected , optically faint (20 with R>20.3) AGN cluster candidates in an X-ray cluster discovered by its weak lensing shear signal. This cluster is unique in the large number of 1) X-ray AGN candidates identified in its environment and 2) X-ray sub-clusters identified. We require redshift data to identify AGN cluster members.