Simulating galaxy clusters : the ICM and the galaxy populations

Abstract

Cosmological LambdaCDM TreeSPH simulations of the formation and evolution of galaxy groups and clusters have been performed. The simulations include: star formation, chemical evolution with non-instantaneous recycling, metal dependent radiative cooling, strong star burst and (optionally) AGN driven galactic super winds, effects of a meta-galactic UV field and thermal conduction. We report results on the temperature and entropy profiles of the ICM, the X-ray luminosity, cold fraction, M/L and IMLR ratios in gas and stars, metal abundances and gradients. Besides, the properties of the galaxy populations in the two richest clusters are discussed: global star formation rates of the cluster galaxies, the total K-band luminosity, the galaxy luminosity functions at z=0 and their redshift evolution, the colour-magnitude relation (``red sequence'') as resulting from metallicity effects, and the role of the IMF in reproducing colours and abundances of the stellar populations. Finally the contribute (20-40 %) to cluster light from the intra-cluster stars and the cD galaxy has been investigated: surface brightness profiles, mean colours and chemical abundances, kinematics (velocity dispersion and distributions) of the IC stellar populations.