Program: GN-2009B-Q-34

Title:The Gemini Cluster Astrophysics Spectroscopic Survey (GCLASS)
PI:Gillian Wilson
Co-I(s): Howard Yee, Adam Muzzin, Micheal Balogh, Kris Blindert, Douglas Burke, Shelly Bursick, Ricardo Demarco, Erica Ellingson, Jonathan Gardner, David Gilbank, Mike Gladders, Amalia Hicks, Henk Hoekstra, Mark Lacy, Subhabrata Majumdar, Alessandro Rettura, Jason Surace, Tracy Webb, Renbin Yan

Abstract

We propose to continue our extensive spectroscopic survey of 10 rich clusters at z ~ 1.1 drawn from the SpARCS IR cluster survey. These data will be used in conjunction with multiwavelength optical/NIR/MIR photometry to study the SFRs, stellar masses, merger rates, and dynamics of galaxies in high-redshift, high-density environments. This project will be the first to use a homogeneously-selected sample of rich clusters at z > 1, and will build upon the extensive spectroscopic datasets collected by the CNOC1/MORPHS and RCS/EDiSCS surveys at z = 0.3 and z = 0.7 respectively, providing complementary observations at the highest redshift still observable within the optical window. These data will also be used to study dynamics of clusters during their most active accretion phase, and to determine velocity dispersions, which will allow the first calibration of a mass-richness relation for clusters at z > 1. This project takes advantage of the unique microslit capability of GMOS in band-shuffle mode which allows the compact placement of up to 40 slits in only a ~ 1.7' area. This capability makes GMOS ~ 5 times more efficient than Keck/DEIMOS or VLT/FORS2 at obtaining redshifts within the cluster virial radius at z > 1.

Publications using this program's data