Euclid: Early Release Observations – Dwarf galaxies in the Perseus galaxy cluster^★

¹ Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Astro- und Teilchenphysik, Technikerstr. 25/8, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
² Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris Cité, CEA, CNRS, AIM, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
³ INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico d’Abruzzo, Via Maggini, 64100 Teramo, Italy
⁴ INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, 34143 Trieste, Italy
⁵ Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg, UMR 7550, 67000 Strasbourg, France
⁶ INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy
⁷ Institute of Physics, Laboratory of Astrophysics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Observatoire de Sauverny, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland
⁸ Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Viale F. Crispi 7, L’Aquila (AQ) 67100, Italy
⁹ Space physics and astronomy research unit, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014 Oulu, Finland
¹⁰ Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, PO Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
¹¹ UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, UK
¹² Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK
¹³ Universitäts-Sternwarte München, Fakultät für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Scheinerstrasse 1, 81679 München, Germany
¹⁴ Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
¹⁵ INAF-Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Piero Gobetti 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy
¹⁶ European Space Agency/ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
¹⁷ Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
¹⁸ Department of Physics, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit Blvd, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
¹⁹ Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
²⁰ INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Via della Scienza 5, 09047 Selargius (CA), Italy
²¹ Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
²² Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Calle Vía Láctea s/n, 38204 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
²³ School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
²⁴ Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, UMR 9189 CRIStAL, 59000 Lille, France
²⁵ Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut d’astrophysique spatiale, 91405 Orsay, France
²⁶ Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
²⁷ INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Via Moiariello 16, 80131 Napoli, Italy
²⁸ School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
²⁹ INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via Brera 28, 20122 Milano, Italy
³⁰ IFPU, Institute for Fundamental Physics of the Universe, via Beirut 2, 34151 Trieste, Italy
³¹ INFN, Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio 2, 34127 Trieste TS, Italy
³² SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste TS, Italy
³³ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Via Gobetti 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy
³⁴ INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy
³⁵ INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Via dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy
³⁶ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
³⁷ INFN-Sezione di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
³⁸ Department of Physics “E. Pancini”, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 6, 80126 Napoli, Italy
³⁹ INFN section of Naples, Via Cinthia 6, 80126 Napoli, Italy
⁴⁰ Instituto de Astrofísica e Cièncias do Espaço, Universidade do Porto, CAUP, Rua das Estrelas, PT4150-762 Porto, Portugal
⁴¹ Faculdade de Cièncias da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo de Alegre, 4150-007 Porto, Portugal
⁴² Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
⁴³ INFN-Sezione di Torino, Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
⁴⁴ INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Via Osservatorio 20, 10025 Pino Torinese (TO), Italy
⁴⁵ Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UK
⁴⁶ INAF-IASF Milano, Via Alfonso Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy
⁴⁷ Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
⁴⁸ Port d’Informació Científica, Campus UAB, C. Albareda s/n, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
⁴⁹ Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
⁵⁰ INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monteporzio Catone, Italy
⁵¹ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Augusto Righi” - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy
⁵² Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, UK
⁵³ Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
⁵⁴ European Space Agency/ESRIN, Largo Galileo Galilei 1, 00044 Frascati, Roma, Italy
⁵⁵ ESAC/ESA, Camino Bajo del Castillo, s/n., Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain
⁵⁶ Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS/IN2P3, IP2I Lyon, UMR 5822, Villeurbanne 69100, France
⁵⁷ UCB Lyon 1, CNRS/IN2P3, IUF, IP2I Lyon, 4 rue Enrico Fermi, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
⁵⁸ Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Cièncias, Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C8, Campo Grande, PT1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
⁵⁹ Instituto de Astrofísica e Cièncias do Espaço, Faculdade de Cièncias, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
⁶⁰ Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva, ch. d’Ecogia 16, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland
⁶¹ INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, 00100 Roma, Italy
⁶² INFN-Padova, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
⁶³ Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Edifici RDIT, Campus UPC, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
⁶⁴ Institut de Ciencies de l’Espai (IEEC-CSIC), Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans, s/n Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
⁶⁵ School of Physics, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK
⁶⁶ Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS/IN2P3, CPPM, Marseille, France
⁶⁷ Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bologna, Via Irnerio 46, 40126 Bologna, Italy
⁶⁸ FRACTAL S.L.N.E., calle Tulipán 2, Portal 13 1A, 28231, Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain
⁶⁹ Dipartimento di Fisica “Aldo Pontremoli”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
⁷⁰ Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, PO Box 1029 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway
⁷¹ Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
⁷² Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
⁷³ Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
⁷⁴ Felix Hormuth Engineering, Goethestr. 17, 69181 Leimen, Germany
⁷⁵ Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
⁷⁶ Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN), Denmark
⁷⁷ Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, UMR 7095, CNRS, and Sorbonne Université, 98 bis boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris, France
⁷⁸ NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
⁷⁹ Department of Physics and Helsinki Institute of Physics, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
⁸⁰ Université de Genève, Département de Physique Théorique and Centre for Astroparticle Physics, 24 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland
⁸¹ Department of Physics, PO Box 64, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
⁸² Helsinki Institute of Physics, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
⁸³ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
⁸⁴ NOVA optical infrared instrumentation group at ASTRON, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991PD Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
⁸⁵ INFN-Sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
⁸⁶ Universität Bonn, Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121 Bonn, Germany
⁸⁷ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Augusto Righi” - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, via Piero Gobetti 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy
⁸⁸ Department of Physics, Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, South Road, DH1 3LE, UK
⁸⁹ Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd de l’Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice Cedex 4, France
⁹⁰ Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Astroparticule et Cosmologie, 75013 Paris, France
⁹¹ Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, 98bis Boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris, France
⁹² Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
⁹³ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
⁹⁴ Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
⁹⁵ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
⁹⁶ Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 2Y5, Canada
⁹⁷ Space Science Data Center, Italian Space Agency, via del Politecnico snc, 00133 Roma, Italy
⁹⁸ Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales – Centre spatial de Toulouse, 18 avenue Edouard Belin, 31401 Toulouse Cedex 9, France
⁹⁹ Institute of Space Science, Str. Atomistilor, nr. 409 Măgurele, Ilfov 077125, Romania
¹⁰⁰ Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Dept. of Physics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
¹⁰¹ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “G. Galilei”, Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
¹⁰² Departamento de Física, FCFM, Universidad de Chile, Blanco Encalada 2008, Santiago, Chile
¹⁰³ INFN-Sezione di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 2 - c/o Dipartimento di Fisica, Edificio G. Marconi, 00185 Roma, Italy
¹⁰⁴ Satlantis, University Science Park, Sede Bld 48940, Leioa-Bilbao, Spain
¹⁰⁵ Institute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC), Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans, s/n, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
¹⁰⁶ Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
¹⁰⁷ Instituto de Astrofísica e Cièncias do Espaço, Faculdade de Cièncias, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-018 Lisboa, Portugal
¹⁰⁸ Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Departamento de Electrónica y Tecnología de Computadoras, Plaza del Hospital 1, 30202 Cartagena, Spain
¹⁰⁹ Centre for Information Technology, University of Groningen, PO Box 11044, 9700 CA Groningen, The Netherlands
¹¹⁰ Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CNES, 14 Av. Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
¹¹¹ INFN-Bologna, Via Irnerio 46, 40126 Bologna, Italy
¹¹² Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli studi di Genova, and INFN-Sezione di Genova, via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
¹¹³ INAF, Istituto di Radioastronomia, Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
¹¹⁴ Junia, EPA department, 41 Bd Vauban, 59800 Lille, France
¹¹⁵ ICSC - Centro Nazionale di Ricerca in High Performance Computing, Big Data e Quantum Computing, Via Magnanelli 2, Bologna, Italy
¹¹⁶ Aurora Technology for European Space Agency (ESA), Camino bajo del Castillo, s/n, Urbanizacion Villafranca del Castillo, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain
¹¹⁷ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada

^★★ Corresponding author; francine.marleau@uibk.ac.at

Received: 20 May 2024
Accepted: 27 August 2024

Abstract

We make use of the unprecedented depth, spatial resolution, and field of view of the Euclid Early Release Observations (EROs) of the Perseus galaxy cluster to detect and characterise the dwarf galaxy population in this massive system. Using a dedicated annotation tool, the Euclid high-resolution VIS and combined VIS+Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) colour images were visually inspected and dwarf galaxy candidates were identified. Their morphologies, the presence of nuclei, and their globular cluster (GC) richness were visually assessed, complementing an automatic detection of the GC candidates. Structural and photometric parameters, including Euclid filter colours, were extracted from two-dimensional fitting. Based on this analysis, a total of 1100 dwarf candidates were found across the image; 606 of these appear to be new identifications. The majority (96%) are classified as dwarf ellipticals, 53% are nucleated, 26% are GC-rich, and 6% show disturbed morphologies. A relatively high fraction of galaxies, 8%, are categorised as ultra diffuse galaxies. The majority of the dwarfs follow the expected scaling relations of galaxies. Globally, the GC specific frequency, S_N , of the Perseus dwarf candidates is intermediate between those measured in the Virgo and Coma clusters. While the dwarf candidates with the largest GC counts are found throughout the Euclid field of view, the dwarfs located around the east–west strip, where most of the brightest cluster members are found, exhibit higher S_N values on average. The spatial distribution of the dwarfs, GCs, and intracluster light show a main iso-density and isophotal centre displaced to the west of the bright galaxy light distribution. The ERO imaging of the Perseus cluster demonstrates the unique capability of Euclid to concurrently detect and characterise large samples of dwarf galaxies, their nuclei, and their GC systems, allowing us to construct a detailed picture of the formation and evolution of galaxies over a wide range of mass scales and environments.