Fornax3D project: Overall goals, galaxy sample, MUSE data analysis, and initial results

¹ Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
e-mail: m.sarzi@herts.ac.uk
² INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, via Moiariello 16, 80131 Napoli, Italy
³ European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild Strasse 2, 85748 Garching bei Muenchen, Germany
⁴ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia G. Galilei, Università di Padova, vicolo dell’Osservatorio 3, 35122 Padova, Italy
⁵ INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy
⁶ Sterrewacht Leiden, Leiden University, Postbus 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
⁷ Max-Planck-Institut fuer extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse, 85741 Garching bei Muenchen, Germany
⁸ Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Calle Vía Láctea s/n, 38200 La Laguna, Spain
⁹ Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, Calle Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38205 La Laguna, Spain
¹⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
¹¹ Australian Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 915, Sydney, NSW 1670, Australia
¹² Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

Received: 30 March 2018
Accepted: 15 April 2018

Abstract

The Fornax cluster provides a uniquely compact laboratory in which to study the detailed history of early-type galaxies and the role played by the environment in driving their evolution and their transformation from late-type galaxies. Using the superb capabilities of the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer on the Very Large Telescope, high-quality integral-field spectroscopic data were obtained for the inner regions of all the bright (m_B ≤ 15) galaxies within the virial radius of Fornax. The stellar haloes of early-type galaxies are also covered out to about four effective radii. State-of-the-art stellar dynamical and population modelling allows characterising the disc components of fast-rotating early-type galaxies, constraining radial variations in the stellar initial-mass functions and measuring the stellar age, metallicity, and α-element abundance of stellar haloes in cluster galaxies. This paper describes the sample selection, observations, and overall goals of the survey, and provides initial results based on the spectroscopic data, including the detailed characterisation of stellar kinematics and populations to large radii; decomposition of galaxy components directly via their orbital structure; the ability to identify globular clusters and planetary nebulae, and derivation of high-quality emission-line diagnostics in the presence of complex ionised gas.