What does "Strangulation" mean?

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Strangulation is a process that happens to galaxies when they move into a group of galaxies, known as a galaxy cluster. This situation affects how these galaxies grow and develop over time.

When a galaxy enters a cluster, it can quickly lose a lot of its gas, which is important for forming new stars. This loss of gas can lead to a slowdown in star formation. The longer a galaxy stays in the cluster, the more gas it tends to lose. As a result, older galaxies in a cluster often have less gas and fewer new stars compared to newer arrivals.

This process also changes the way the stars are arranged within the galaxy. Galaxies that entered the cluster a long time ago may have different star ages compared to those that joined more recently. In many cases, the outer parts of the galaxy stop forming stars first, while the inner regions can continue to form stars for a longer time.

Overall, strangulation significantly influences how galaxies evolve, making it a key concept in understanding their growth and changes in a cluster environment.