Abstract / Description of output
Analysis of a 30,000 s X-ray observation of the A3266 galaxy cluster
with the ACIS on board the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has produced
several new insights into the cluster merger. The intracluster medium
has a nonmonotonically decreasing radial abundance profile. We argue
that the most plausible origin for the abundance enhancement is unmixed,
high-abundance subcluster gas from the merger. The enrichment consists
of two stages: off-center deposition of a higher abundance material
during a subcluster merger followed by a strong, localized intracluster
wind that acts to drive out the light elements, producing the observed
abundance enhancement. The wind is needed to account for both an
increase in the heavy-element abundance and the lack of an enhancement
in the gas density. Dynamical evidence for the wind includes (1) a
large-scale, low surface brightness feature perpendicular to the merger
axis that appears to be an asymmetric pattern of gas flow to the
northwest, away from the center of the main cluster; (2) compressed gas
in the opposite direction (toward the cluster center); and (3) the fact
that the hottest regions visible in the temperature map coincide with
the proposed merger geometry and the resultant gas flow. The Chandra
data for the central region of the main cluster show a slightly cooler,
filamentary region that is centered on the central cD galaxy and is
aligned with the merger axis directly linking the dynamical state of the
cD to the merger. Overall, the high spectral/spatial resolution Chandra
observations support our earlier hypothesis that we are viewing a minor
merger in the plane of the sky.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 701-709 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 577 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2002 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- Galaxies: Clusters: Individual: Name: Abell 3266
- Galaxies: Intergalactic Medium
- X-Rays: Galaxies: Clusters