Searching for High Redshift Clusters

Abstract

Distant clusters of galaxies provide a powerful method to study the formation and evolution of galaxies, and large scale structure of the Universe. However, the number of known clusters at high redshift (z> 0.5) is still very reduced. As a preparatory work for detailed studies wigh GTC, we are searching for high redshift clusters in public wide optical surveys. We will complement this with near IR observations in 4 m telescopes. Here, we present some preliminary results. In a field of 35 x 35 arcmin^2 we have detected 8 clusters of galaxies at redshift z> 0.5.