Related papers: Brightest Cluster Galaxy Profile Shapes

We present near-infrared H-band (1.65micron) observations and surface brightness profile decompositions for 75 faint (13.5 < m_p < 18.5) galaxies, primarily taken among dwarf Ellipticals members of the Virgo cluster. We model their surface…

We present deep, large area B and r' imaging for a sample of 49 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). The clusters were selected by their x-ray luminosity and redshift to form two volume limited samples, one with mean redshift ~ 0.07 and one…

We have obtained the best fit to the light profiles of a luminosity limited sample of elliptical and S0 galaxies with a power law \rn, letting the exponent remain free rather than keeping it fixed at $1/n=1/4$ as in the well known \GV…

I discuss and review recent studies of the signatures of activity in brightest cluster galaxies. Mid-IR spectra appear to show indications of star formation in a sample of 9 BCGs from de Messieres et al. (2009). Other processes like cosmic…

We investigate the relation between the properties of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) and those of their host clusters. To quantify the properties of cluster hot gas, we employ the parameter $Z$ of the fundamental plane of X-ray clusters.…

In the context of large scale structure formation, clusters of galaxies are located at the nodes of the cosmic web, and continue to accrete galaxies and groups along filaments. They show sometimes a very large extension and a preferential…

The K-band Hubble diagram of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) is presented for a large, X-ray selected cluster sample extending out to z = 0.8. The controversy over the degree of BCG evolution is shown to be due to sample selection, since…

For a sample of 96,951 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3, we study the distribution of apparent axis ratios as a function of r-band absolute magnitude and surface brightness profile type. We use the parameter fracDeV…

Brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) are very massive elliptical galaxies found at the centers of clusters. Their study gives clues on the formation and evolution of the clusters in which they are embedded. We analysed here in a homogeneous…

We present new VLBI observations at 5 GHz of a complete sample of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) in nearby Abell Clusters (distance class <3). Combined with data from the literature, this provides parsec-scale information for 34 BCGs.…

We compare the apparent axial ratio distributions of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) and normal ellipticals (Es) in our sample of 75 galaxy clusters from the WINGS survey. Most BCGs in our clusters (69%) are classified as cD galaxies. The…

The size-luminosity relation of early-type Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs), R_e ~ L^0.88, is steeper than that for the bulk of the early-type galaxy population, for which R_e ~ L^0.68. In addition, although BCGs are hardly offset from the…

We investigate the relationship between brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) and their host clusters using a sample of nearby galaxy clusters from the Representative XMM Cluster Structure Survey (REXCESS). The sample was imaged with the…

Brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) have grown by accreting numerous smaller galaxies and can be used as tracers of cluster formation and evolution in the cosmic web. However, there is still a controversy on the main epoch of formation of…

We use the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to construct a sample of 625 brightest group and cluster galaxies (BCGs) together with control samples of non-BCGs matched in stellar mass, redshift, and color. We investigate how the systematic…

This paper addresses some questions which have arisen from the use of the S\'ersic r^{1/n} law in modelling the luminosity profiles of early type galaxies. The first issue deals with the trend between the half-light radius and the…

We have analysed deep R-band images, down to a limiting surface brightness of 26.5 R-mag arcsec$^{-2}$ (equivalent to ~28 B-mag arcsec$^{-2}$), of 5 cD galaxies to determine the shape of the surface brightness profiles of their extended…

The K-band Hubble diagram for a sample of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in the redshift range 0<z<1 shows a very small scatter (0.3 magnitudes r.m.s). The BCGs exhibit very little luminosity evolution in this redshift range: if q_0=0.0…

We present a multi-wavelength study of 90 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in a sample of galaxy clusters selected via the Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect by the South Pole Telescope, utilizing data from various ground- and space-based…

We identify close companions of Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) for the purpose of quantifying the rate at which these galaxies grow via mergers. By exploiting deep photometric data from the CFHTLS, we probe the number of companions per…