Star Formation, Nebulae, and Active Galactic Nuclei in CLASH Brightest Cluster Galaxies. I. Dependence on Core Entropy of Intracluster Medium

We set the stage for reassessing how star formation, emission-line nebulae, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) depend on the thermodynamics of the intracluster medium (ICM). Our work is based on the 25 clusters observed in the CLASH program for which the aforementioned attributes in their BCGs can be well scrutinized, as has the thermodynamics of their ICM. Nine of these BCGs display complex UV morphologies tracing recent star formation, whereas the remaining 16 are characterized by a relatively compact central UV enhancement. Here, we show definitively that three of the latter BCGs also display star formation, whereas the diffuse UV of the remaining 13 is entirely consistent with old low-mass stars. The overall results support the previously established dependence of star formation and nebulae in BCGs on an "excess core entropy," K₀, for the ICM: all 11 clusters with K₀ ≤ 24 keV cm² (but only one of 14 clusters with K₀ ≥ 42 keV cm²) host star-forming BCGs that almost if not always possess nebulae. Instead of an entropy floor, we show that K₀ reflects the degree to which the radial entropy profile decreases inward within ~100 kpc rather than (except perhaps at large K₀) actually flattening: clusters with lower ICM entropies and hence shorter cooling times at their cores preferentially host BCGs displaying star formation, nebulae, and more radio-luminous AGNs. Nearly all BCGs possess detectable AGNs, however, indicating multiple pathways for fuelling their AGNs.