  We present multi-fiber spectroscopy and broadband imaging of early-type
galaxies in five nearby rich clusters of galaxies. The main purpose was to look
for ``abnormal'' spectrum galaxies (i.e., post-starburst galaxies which have
strong Balmer absorption lines and emission line galaxies) in nearby clusters
that are similar to those found by Caldwell et al. (1993) in the Coma cluster.
Our primary conclusion is that 15% of the early-type galaxies in these nearby
rich clusters have signs of ongoing or recent star formation. Thus activity
similar to that seen in distant clusters is still ongoing, at a reduced level,
in present-epoch rich clusters. The frequency of such galaxies appears to be
enhanced significantly over that seen in field galaxies. Most of the new
post-starburst galaxies are disk galaxies; three E galaxies in one cluster and
one in another cluster have current star formation.
  We also find evidence in the spatial and kinematic structure of several of
the clusters that subclusters have recently passed through the main clusters
and are now emerging out the other side. If, as we suspect, the subclusters
passed through the main clusters more than 1 Gyr ago, then the post-starburst
timescales of 1 Gyr imply that the star formation bursts are only triggered
during (or after) the subcluster passage through the center of the main
cluster.

Astrophysics