What effect do Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) have on infalling galaxies?

Tidal forces can shear off outer stellar halos

Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) are the most massive and dominant galaxies located near the center of a cluster's gravitational potential well. As other galaxies fall toward the core, they interact significantly with these giants even before reaching the absolute center. These interactions involve powerful tidal forces generated by the large mass concentration of the BCG. These tidal forces can effectively exert a gravitational pull that shears off the outer stellar halos of the infalling galaxies. This gravitational pruning alters the morphology of the newly arrived galaxies, shaping them into a different structure than they might have developed in isolation, showcasing the complex environmental sculpting present within clusters.