MeerKAT 21-cm HI imaging of Abell 2626

As gas-rich galaxies traverse the outskirts and inner regions of galaxy clusters, they experience sudden and radical changes in their gas content and star formation activity. The goal of this work is to gain an HI perspective on gas depletion mechanisms acting on galaxies and galaxy groups that are being accreted by a moderately massive galaxy cluster.

We aim to study the relative importance and efficiency of processes such as ram-pressure stripping and tidal interactions as well as their dependency on the local and global environment of galaxies in the cluster core and in its surroundings. We have conducted a blind radio continuum and Hi spectral line imaging survey with the MeerKAT radio telescope of a 2"x2" area centred on the galaxy cluster Abell 2626. We have used the CARAcal pipeline to reduce the data, SoFiA to detect sources within the Hi data cube, and GIPSY to construct spatially resolved information on the Hi morphologies and kinematics of the Hi detected galaxies.