A weak-lensing analysis of the Abell 383 cluster

Aims. We use deep CFHT and SUBARU uBVRIz archival images of the Abell 383 cluster (z = 0.187) to estimate its mass by weak-lensing. Methods. To this end, we first use simulated images to check the accuracy provided by our Kaiser-Squires-Broadhurst (KSB) pipeline. These simulations include shear testing programme (STEP) 1 and 2 simulations, as well as more realistic simulations of the distortion of galaxy shapes by a cluster with a Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile. From these simulations we estimate the effect of noise on shear measurement and derive the correction terms. The R-band image is used to derive the mass by fitting the observed tangential shear profile with an NFW mass profile. Photometric redshifts are computed from the uBVRIz catalogs. Different methods for the foreground/background galaxy selection are implemented, namely selection by magnitude, color, and photometric redshifts, and the results are compared. In particular, we developed a semi-automatic algorithm to select the foreground galaxies in the color-color diagram, based on the observed colors. Results. Using color selection or photometric redshifts improves the correction of dilution from foreground galaxies: this leads to higher signals in the inner parts of the cluster. We obtain a cluster mass M-vir = 7.5(-1.9)(+2.7) x 10(14) M-circle dot: this value is similar to 20% higher than previous estimates and is more consistent the mass expected from X-ray data. The R-band luminosity function of the cluster is computed and gives a total luminosity L-tot = (2.14 +/- 0.5) x 10(12) L-circle dot and a mass-to-luminosity ratio M/L similar to 300 M-circle dot/L-circle dot.