Probing the effect of the protocluster environment on galaxy morphology at <i>z</i> = 2.23

Context. As galaxies evolve in dense cluster and protocluster environments, they interact and quench their star formation. This gradually transforms the dominant galaxy population from star-forming galaxies to quiescent red galaxies. This transformation is identifiable by observing the galaxy colors and can also be seen in the morphological transformation of late-type galaxies into early-type galaxies, which creates the morphology-density relation observed when populations in clusters are compared to field galaxies at a given epoch. However, high- z ( z &gt; 2) galaxy morphology studies are hindered by the high angular resolution necessary to characterize the morphology. Aims. We studied HST WFC3 F160W observations of protoclusters from the MAMMOTH survey (BOSS1244 and BOSS1542) at z ∼ 2.23 with populations of previously identified H α emitters. Methods. By measuring the Sérsic index of 151 H α emitters, we searched for the early morphological transformation of high- z star-forming galaxies in these well-studied large nonvirialized protoclusters, which we think are the precursors of present-day galaxy clusters. Results. The morphology of the populations of star-forming galaxies in protoclusters does not differ from that of their field counterparts. However, we also identified a population of clumpy potentially merging galaxies, which might increase the population of early-type galaxies within these structures. In BOSS1244, which has two previously identified massive quiescent galaxies including a brightest cluster galaxy (BCG), we additionally found an abundance of early-type galaxies near the BCG and two coeval high- z quasars. Conclusions. Although the morphology of field and protocluster galaxies are very similar, the population of early-type star-forming galaxies surrounding the spectroscopically confirmed quiescent BCG in BOSS1244, which is not observed in BOSS1542, might indicate differences in the evolutionary state of these two coeval protoclusters. It might be a sign of an early forming cluster core in BOSS1244.