Evolution of the near-infrared in rich galaxy clusters

We present the K -band (2.2 μm) luminosity functions (LFs) of the X-ray-luminous clusters MS1054–0321 ( z  = 0.823), MS0451–0305 ( z  = 0.55), Abell 963 ( z  = 0.206), Abell 665 ( z  = 0.182) and Abell 1795 ( z  = 0.063) down to absolute magnitudes M _K  = −20. Our measurements probe fainter absolute magnitudes than do any previous studies of the near-infrared LFs of clusters. All the clusters are found to have similar LFs within the errors, when the galaxy populations are evolved to redshift z  = 0. It is known that the most massive bound systems in the Universe at all redshifts are X-ray-luminous clusters. Therefore, assuming that the clusters in our sample correspond to a single population seen at different redshifts, the results here imply that not only had the stars in present-day ellipticals in rich clusters formed by z  = 0.8, but that they existed in as luminous galaxies then as they do today.   Additionally, the clusters have K -band LFs which appear to be consistent with the K -band field LF in the range −24 <  M _K  < −22, although the uncertainties in both the field and cluster samples are large.