Is Galactic Star Formation Activity Increased During Cluster Mergers?

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of pressure from intracluster medium (ICM) on disk galaxies in merging clusters. The ram-pressure on the galaxies rapidly increases when two clusters collide. This leads to stripping of the interstellar medium (ISM) and decrease of star formation rate (SFR) of the galaxies. On the other hand, the increase of SFR caused by compression of ISM is less significant. Thus, cluster merger does not trigger, but weakens star formation activity of the galaxies. In the central region of the colliding clusters, blue galaxies with high velocity should exist, although most of galaxies become red. Following the decrease of blue galaxy fraction in the clusters, the fraction of post-starburst galaxies increases. After merger, many galaxies in the cluster restart star formation activity and the segregation of blue and red galaxies becomes prominent.