Abstract
In this thesis the correlation between star formation and dynamical state of a statistical well defined selection of galaxy clusters have
been studied. From simulations and theory it is expected strong
correlations between the dynamical state of a galaxy cluster and the
history of how its matter has gathered, and the present and prior star
formation rate in the cluster. Several physical mechanisms may be responsible for the evolution of the star formation rate in a galaxy cluster, and the environments where these mechanisms are most efficient, differ.
The correlation between star formation and the dynamical state of galaxy clusters can provide clues to which physical cluster-related processes are responsible for the quenching of star formation in
high-density environments.
The data set used consists of images of 35 galaxy clusters in UV taken
with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) at la Palma.
The distribution of X-ray luminous gas is a good measurement of the
degree of dynamical equilibrium in a galaxy cluster. Existing X-ray
measurements are used to classify the galaxy clusters according to their dynamical state, which again is compared with the calculated star formation activity.