Investigating the influence of intracluster filaments on ram-pressure stripping in Galaxy Clusters.

Abstract

This thesis explores the potential influence of intracluster filaments on ram-pressure stripping (RPS) in galaxies, focusing on Jellyfish (JF) and Unwinding (UG) candidates identified through the citizen science project Fishing for Jellyfish Galaxies. We analyzed the spatial distributions of these RPS candidates relative to filaments within three galaxy clusters: A85, A1644, and Shapley. Statistical tests, including the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) and Anderson-Darling (A-D) tests, were employed to compare the distances of JF and UG candidates to the nearest filament against all other galaxies within each cluster. Our results show that, while the overall fraction of galaxies displaying RPS features is slightly higher than previously reported studies, the spatial distribution of these candidates relative to filaments does not significantly differ from the general galaxy popu lation in the clusters examined. However, notable differences in the A1644 cluster suggest potential environmental factors affecting UG candidates differently, particularly outside of filaments. These results imply that filament proximity may not be a primary driver of RPS.