The evolution of galaxies in clusters. II - The galaxy content of nearby clusters

Abstract

We have studied the structure and galaxy content of most nearby rich clusters of galaxies, using new data as well as those already in the literature. Devising a simple numerical indicator of the central concentration of clusters, we find it to be strongly correlated with the spiral galaxy content of the clusters. Only the least-concentrated clusters show an appreciable content of spiral galaxies, in strong contrast to the distant clusters described in our previous paper. If we are observing nearby clusters at every stage of dynamical evolution, these results strongly support the hypothesis of an efficient stripping mechanism in collapsed clusters.