Linking star formation and environment in the A901/902 supercluster

We investigate correlations between the location of galaxies in dense environments and their degree of star formation activity. Using photometric redshifts and spectral classifications from the unique 17-band COMBO-17 survey we are able to precisely isolate galaxies from the Abell 901/902 supercluster within a thin redshift slice around z=0.16. We compare the detailed photometric properties of the supercluster galaxies with the underlying dark matter density field as revealed by weak gravitational lensing. We find strong evidence for segregation by type, with the highest density regions populated almost exclusively by galaxies classified according to their rest-frame U-V colours as quiescent. We also observe a threshold surface mass density from lensing, kappasimilar to0.05 (corresponding to a physical density Sigma=2.5x10(14) h M-circle dot Mpc(-2)), above which star formation activity is rapidly suppressed. This abrupt transformation affects primarily the faint end of the star-forming galaxy population and occurs at a local surface number density corresponding to roughly 400 h(2) Mpc(-2) to a limit of M-V(*)+6. When only galaxies brighter than M-*+1 are considered the trends with environment remain, but are more gradual and extend beyond 2 h(-1) Mpc radius.