An Improved Weak-Lensing Analysis of the Galaxy Cluster ACT-CL J0102-4915 with New Wide-Field HST Imaging Data

  • Published : 2020.10.13

Abstract

We present an improved weak-lensing (WL) study of the high-z (z=0.87) merging galaxy cluster ACT-CL J0102-4915 ("El Gordo"), the most massive system known to date at z > 0.6. El Gordo has been known to be an exceptionally massive and rare cluster for its redshift in the current ΛCDM cosmology. Previous multi-wavelength studies have also found that the cluster might be undergoing a merging event showing two distinctive mass clumps and radio relics. The previous WL study revealed a clear bimodal mass structure and found that the entire system is indeed massive (M200a = (3.13 ± 0.56) × 1015 Msun). This mass estimate, however, was obtained by extrapolation because the previous HST observation did not extend out to the virial radius of the cluster. In this work, we determine a more accurate mass estimate of the cluster using WL analysis utilizing a new set of WFC3/IR and wide-field ACS observations. While confirming the previous bimodal mass structure, we find that the new data yield a ~20% lower mass for the entire system (M200a = (2.37 ± 0.28) × 1015 Msun). We also discuss the rarity of the cluster in the ΛCDM paradigm and suggest an updated merging scenario based on our new measurement.

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