A Definitive Optical Detection of a Supercluster at z = 0.91

Abstract

We present the results from a multi-band optical imaging program which has definitively confirmed the existence of a supercluster at z = 0.91. Two massive clusters of galaxies, CL1604+4304 at z = 0.897 and CL1604+4321 at z = 0.924, were originally observed in the high-redshift cluster survey of Oke, Postman & Lubin (1998). They are separated by 4300 km/s in radial velocity and 17 arcminutes on the plane of the sky. Their physical and redshift proximity suggested a promising supercluster candidate. Deep BRi imaging of the region between the two clusters indicates a large population of red galaxies. This population forms a tight, red sequence in the color--magnitude diagram at (R-i) = 1.4. The characteristic color is identical to that of the spectroscopically-confirmed early-type galaxies in the two member clusters. The red galaxies are spread throughout the 5 Mpc region between CL1604+4304 and CL1604+4321. Their spatial distribution delineates the entire large scale structure with high concentrations at the cluster centers. In addition, we detect a significant overdensity of red galaxies directly between CL1604+4304 and CL1604+4321 which is the signature of a third, rich cluster associated with this system. The strong sequence of red galaxies and their spatial distribution clearly indicate that we have discovered a supercluster at z = 0.91.