Close Relationship in Color Between Host and Satellite Galaxies in WHL 085910.0+294957, a Galaxy Cluster at z = 0.30

To test whether the close relationships between host and satellite galaxies in isolated groups are also found in the harsh environment of a galaxy cluster, we carry out a case study of WHL 085910.0+294957, a galaxy cluster at z=0.30, using deep images obtained with the 2.1-m Otto Struve telescope and CQUEAN CCD camera. When environmental parameters are controlled, the local weighted mean color of faint galaxies shows a measurable correlation with the color of their bright ($M_i$ < -18) neighbor. The most striking result is that the red (r - i > 0.2) and bright galaxies within 200 kpc distance from the center of the cluster are correlated in color with very faint ($M_i$ > -14) galaxies around them by $(r-i)_{satellites}=(7.276{\pm}1.402){\times}(r-i)_{host}-2.434$ (correlation coefficient = 0.665). We suggest three scenarios to interpret the results: vestiges of infallen groups, dwarf capturing, and tidal tearing of bright galaxies.