A search for young lenticular galaxies in nearby rich clusters

We present a data base of U,V photometric and structural properties for 642 spectroscopically confirmed members, V-band selected to MV = -18 mag, from three local Abell clusters: A85 (z = 0.055), A496 (z = 0.033) and A754 (z = 0.055). From our (U - V) half-light aperture colors and total model V-band magnitudes we construct precise color-magnitude diagrams for member galaxies out to >1 h-1 Mpc. We measure well-defined color-magnitude relations (CMR) with low intrinsic scatter (sigmaCMR ∼ 0.06-0.09 mag) in the cluster cores (<0.5h -1 Mpc). We define three galaxy populations based on the relative color difference Delta(U - V) between the galaxies color and the best-fit CMR: (1) red sequence galaxies with Delta( U - V) ≥ -2sigmaCMR; (2) intermediately blue (≡bS0) galaxies with -2sigma CMR > Delta(U - V) > -0.425 mag; and (3) blue (Butcher-Oemler ≡ B-O) galaxies with Delta( U ≤ V) ≤ -0.425 mag. These color-magnitude cuts provide a rough galaxy age segregation assuming blueward deviations from the CMR represent mean stellar age differences. Red sequence members are the traditional cluster old, early-types (E/S0) and B-O galaxies have spiral-like colors; therefore, the bS0 population are assumed to be intermediate in age. We find a significant (∼10% in numbers) population of bS0 members in two local clusters (A85 and A754) . This is the first evidence for a quantitatively classified population of bS0 galaxies in clusters at <1 Gyr look-back time. The bS0 populations exhibit the following characteristics: (1) Bulge-to-total morphologies intermediate between red sequence and B-O members. (2) Less morphological structure associated with star formation compared to normal, field spirals. (3) bS0 members are not found near the cluster cores which suggests more recent infall. (4) Lack of a significant color gradient which is different from both the cluster red sequence and field spirals.; The observed bS0 properties are consistent with these galaxies being present-day examples midway through the predicted evolution of infalling, field spiral to red, cluster S0 via galaxy harassment and/or ram-pressure stripping. Therefore, the existence of these galaxies provides clear observational evidence for the present-day whereabouts of the blue galaxies once prevalent in rich clusters (the B-O effect) and for environmental based evolution of the cluster galaxy membership.