Search

We present the results of deep 140 ks Suzaku X-ray observations of the north-east (NE) radio relic of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 2255. The temperature structure of Abell 2255 is measured out to 0.9 times the virial radius (1.9 Mpc) in the NE direction for the first time. The Suzaku temperature map of the central region suggests a complex temperature distribution, which agrees with previous work. Additionally, on a larger-scale, we confirm that the temperature drops from 6 keV around the cluster center to 3 keV at the outskirts, with two discontinuities at r ~ 50' (450 kpc) and ~12' (1100 kpc) from the cluster center. Their locations coincide with surface brightness discontinuities marginally detected in the XMM-Newton image, which indicates the presence of shock structures. From the temperature drop, we estimate the Mach numbers to be Minner ~ 1:2 and, Mouter ~ 1:4. The first structure is most likely related to the large cluster core region (~350-430 kpc), and its Mach number is consistent with the XMM-Newton observation (M ~ 1:24: Sakelliou & Ponman 2006, MNRAS, 367, 1409). Our detection of the second temperature jump, based on the Suzaku key project observation, shows the presence of a shock structure across the NE radio relic. This indicates a connection between the shock structure and the relativistic electrons that generate radio emission. Across the NE radio relic, however, we find a significantly lower temperature ratio (T1=T2 ~ 1:44±0:16 corresponds to MX-ray ~ 1:4) than the value expected from radio wavelengths, based on the standard diffusive shock acceleration mechanism (T1=T2 > 3:2 orMRadio > 2:8). This may suggest that under some conditions, in particular the NE relic of A2255 case, the simple diffusive shock acceleration mechanism is unlikely to be valid, and therefore, more a sophisticated mechanism is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend our previous study of the cool gas responsible for the emission of O vii X-ray lines in the cores of clusters and groups of galaxies. This is the coolest X-ray emitting phase and connects the 10 000 K H α emitting gas to the million degree phase, providing a useful tool to understand cooling in these objects. We study the location of the O vii gas and its connection to the intermediate Fe xvii and hotter O viii phases. We use high-resolution X-ray grating spectra of elliptical galaxies with strong Fe xvii line emission and detect O vii in 11 of 24 objects. Comparing the O vii detection level and resonant scattering, which is sensitive to turbulence and temperature, suggests that O vii is preferably found in cooler objects, where the Fe xvii resonant line is suppressed due to resonant scattering, indicating subsonic turbulence. Although a larger sample of sources and further observations is needed to distinguish between effects from temperature and turbulence, our results are consistent with cooling being suppressed at high turbulence as predicted by models of active galactic nuclei feedback, gas sloshing and galactic mergers. In some objects, the O vii resonant-to-forbidden line ratio is decreased by either resonant scattering or charge exchange boosting the forbidden line, as we show for NGC 4636. Charge exchange indicates interaction between neutral and ionized gas phases. The Perseus cluster also shows a high Fe xvii forbidden-to-resonance line ratio, which can be explained with resonant scattering by low-turbulence cool gas in the line of sight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the EPIC and RGS data from a deep (200 ks) XMM-Newton observation, we investigate the temperature structure (kT and σT) and the abundances of nine elements (O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni) of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) in the nearby (z = 0:046) cool-core galaxy cluster Abell 4059. Next to a deep analysis of the cluster core, a careful modelling of the EPIC background allows us to build radial profiles up to 12' (~650 kpc) from the core. Probably because of projection effects, the temperature ICM is not found to be in single phase, even in the outer parts of the cluster. The abundances of Ne, Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe, but also O are peaked towards the core. The elements Fe and O are still significantly detected in the outermost annuli, which suggests that the enrichment by both type Ia and core-collapse SNe started in the early stages of the cluster formation. However, the particularly high Ca/Fe ratio that we find in the core is not well reproduced by the standard SNe yield models. Finally, 2D maps of temperature and Fe abundance are presented and confirm the existence of a denser, colder, and Fe-rich ridge south-west of the core, previously observed by Chandra. The origin of this asymmetry in the hot gas of the cluster core is still unclear, but it might be explained by a past intense ram-pressure stripping event near the central cD galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. We present the results of Suzaku observations of a massive galaxy cluster A2744, which is an active merger at z = 0.308. Aims. By using long X-ray observations of A2744, we aim to understand the growth of the cluster and the gas heating process through mass accretion along the surrounding filaments. Methods. We analyzed data from two-pointed Suzaku observations of A2744 to derive the temperature distribution out to the virial radius in three different directions. We also performed a deprojection analysis to study radial profiles of gas temperature, density, and entropy and compared the X-ray results with multiwavelength data to investigate correlations with the surface density of galaxies and with radio relics. Results. The gas temperature was measured out to the virial radius r200 in the north-eastern region and to about 1.5r200 in the northwestern and southern regions. The radial profile of the gas temperature is rather flat and the temperature is very high (even near r200), which makes it comparable to the mean temperature of this cluster (kT = 9 keV). These characteristics have not been reported in any other cluster. We find a hint of temperature jump in the north-eastern region whose location coincides with a large radio relic, indicating that the cluster experienced gas heating because of merger or mass accretion onto the main cluster. The temperature distribution is anisotropic and shows no clear positive correlation with the galaxy density, which suggests an inhomogeneous mass structure and a complex merger history in A2744. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The precise determination of global properties of galaxy clusters, and their scaling relations, is a task of prime importance for the use of clusters as cosmological probes. We performed a detailed XMM-Newton study of 14 X-ray luminous REFLEX Survey clusters at z ∼0.3. We found that the properties of the galaxy clusters show a self-similar behavior at r >0.1r vir. This helps us to establish tighter scaling relations. Peculiarities in the individual clusters are important to understand the scatter from the self-similar frame in the cluster central parts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A correction to the article "Star-formation efficiency and metal enrichment of the intracluster medium in local massive clusters of galaxies," by Y.-Y. Zhang and colleagues that was published in the 2011 issue is presented.

Abstract: We put together the results of XMM-Newton observations of a number of representative group and cluster samples at low and high redshifts. These results confirm the entropy ramp as an explanation of the observed scaling relations. We observe a mild evolution in the entropy of clusters. The observed degree of evolution is consistent with expectations of the shock heating at a fixed overdensity (500) with respect to the critical density in ΛCDM. The study of the evolution in the pressure scaling imposes strong requirements in the definition of the average temperature of the cluster. The scaling temperature should be consistent to better than the 10% level. Once such a consistency is achieved, no additional evolution in the pressure has been detected in addition to the prediction of the shock heating in the ΛCDM Universe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]