Speaker
Description
The earliest epochs of galaxy cluster formation remain largely unexplored. SpARCS1049 is a rare example of a galaxy cluster caught in an early stage of evolution, offering insight into the transformation of early proto-clusters to mature systems. This cool-core cluster at z=1.7 exhibits a star-bursting core with extended tail-like morphology at optical bands. These features are thought to transpire due to a runaway cooling flow in the absence of AGN feedback. As the highest redshift cluster known where radio-mode feedback fails to quench star formation, possibly due to the off-center sloshing of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy, SpARCS1049 provides a unique laboratory for studying dynamic nascent cluster environments. As a tool for understanding SpARCS1049, we turn to cosmological simulations. Using the new TNG-Cluster simulation from the IllustrisTNG project, we identify rare analogues of SpARCS1049 and investigate the mechanisms driving their star formation. We find that the cores of these analogues undergo a short-lived (~150-300Myr) star-burst phase fueled by the interplay between merger-driven gas flows, AGN feedback cycles, and abundant cold gas reservoirs in the central regions. Our results provide new insight into the conditions feeding extreme star formation in cluster cores at earlier times, within a cosmological context.