Structure, mass and distance of the Virgo cluster from a Tolman-Bondi model

We have applied a relativistic Tolman-Bondi model of the Virgo cluster to a sample of 183 galaxies with measured distances within a radius of 8 degrees from M 87. We find that the sample is significantly contaminated by background galaxies which lead to too large a cluster mean distance if not exclu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin) 2001-09, Vol.375 (3), p.770-780
Main Authors: Fouqué, P., Solanes, J. M., Sanchis, T., Balkowski, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astrophysics
Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics
cosmology: distance scale
galaxies: clusters: individual: Virgo
galaxies: distances and redshifts
galaxies: elliptical and lenticular
galaxies: fundamental parameters
galaxies: spiral
Physics
Sciences of the Universe
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We have applied a relativistic Tolman-Bondi model of the Virgo cluster to a sample of 183 galaxies with measured distances within a radius of 8 degrees from M 87. We find that the sample is significantly contaminated by background galaxies which lead to too large a cluster mean distance if not excluded. The Tolman-Bondi model predictions, together with the HI deficiency of spiral galaxies, allows one to identify these background galaxies. One such galaxy is clearly identified among the 6 calibrating galaxies with Cepheid distances. As the Tolman-Bondi model predicts the expected distance ratio to the Virgo distance, this galaxy can still be used to estimate the Virgo distance, and the average value over the 6 galaxies is $15.4 \pm 0.5$ Mpc. Well-known background groups of galaxies are clearly recovered, together with filaments of galaxies which link these groups to the main cluster, and are falling into it. No foreground galaxy is clearly detected in our sample. Applying the B-band Tully-Fisher method to a sample of 51 true members of the Virgo cluster according to our classification gives a cluster distance of $18.0 \pm 1.2$ Mpc, larger than the mean Cepheid distance. Finally, the same model is used to estimate the Virgo cluster mass, which is $M = 1.2\times 10^{15} M_{\odot}$ within 8 degrees from the cluster center (2.2 Mpc radius), and amounts to 1.7 virial mass.
ISSN:0004-6361
1432-0746
1432-0756
DOI:10.1051/0004-6361:20010833