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At least 325 records · Page 18

The structure and evolution of X-ray clusters of galaxies

Einstein Observatory observations of the structures of nearby X-ray clusters of galaxies are discussed in relation to dynamic cluster evolution. Examples of Virgo-type clusters, in which cool and hot gas associated with cluster members are presented and variations in surface brightness profile and the location of the cluster center are used to classify the observed clusters. The types of clusters observed are interpreted in terms of dynamic cluster evolution, with Virgo-type clusters with broad, highly clumped emission and low velocity dispersion representing early evolutionary stages, clusters containing a cD galaxy formed as the cluster evolves, and clusters with dominant galaxies and Coma-type clusters representing an equilibrium stage. X-ray emission from poor clusters of galaxies is also considered, and similarities between the presumably collisionally formed cD galaxies in rich and poor clusters are noted. Finally, observations of distant clusters are discussed, and it is noted that their analysis will lead to a better determination of the evolutionary sequence.

Jones, C.↗

Narrow-angle tail radio sources and the distribution of galaxy orbits in Abell clusters

The present data on the orientations of the tails with respect to the cluster centers of a sample of 70 narrow-angle-tail (NAT) radio sources in Abell clusters show the distribution of tail angles to be inconsistent with purely radial or circular orbits in all the samples, while being consistent with isotropic orbits in (1) the whole sample, (2) the sample of NATs far from the cluster center, and (3) the samples of morphologically regular Abell clusters. Evidence for very radial orbits is found, however, in the sample of NATs near the cluster center. If these results can be generalized to all cluster galaxies, then the presence of radial orbits near the center of Abell clusters suggests that violent relaxation may not have been fully effective even within the cores of the regular clusters.

O'Dea, Christopher P.↗

On the distribution of radio emission in the X-ray cluster of galaxies Abell 401

The study deals with 4885-MHz very large array (VLA) observations of four galaxies in the rich cluster Abell 401. High-resolution VLA maps reveal several new features in the radion galaxies, e.g., 4C13.17A is unusually highly polarized near the galaxy nucleus unlike other head-tail sources. 4C13.17B is shown for the first time to have characteristics similar to the U-shaped source NGC 1265. From these maps models are produced that required the hot ICM that has been detected by X-ray observations. It is noted that there should be a correlation between the radio and X-ray emission from massive galaxies in clusters.

Burns, J. O.↗

CO deficiency in galaxies of the Fornax cluster?

There is ample observational evidence that cluster galaxies are different from those in the field. Interaction with the hot intracluster medium affects the morphology of the galaxies, their gaseous content and possibly their star-formation activity. Tidal encounters between galaxies also play an important role. The atomic component has been investigated in detail for several clusters, among them our neighbor Virgo. With the Swedish-ESO 15 m telescope, we have observed in the 12CO(1-0) transition the 23 brightest spirals and lenticulars of the Formax cluster.

Horellou, Cathy↗

Improved models for the evolution of the coma cluster of galaxies

The analysis by Fitchett & Webster of the observations of the Coma Cluster of galaxies has demonstrated that the center of the Coma Cluster consists of two subclusters. Therefore, it is important to construct realistic dynamical models of a galaxy cluster with two mass centers.

dark↗

Infall patterns around rich clusters of galaxies

The pattern of infall velocities induced by a rich cluster of galaxies is considered, using an infall model based on the Friedmann solution to determine the exact implicit dependence of the peculiar velocity on the density enhancment and the mean cosmological mass density, Omega(0). An analytic model for the distribution of galaxies around a cluster core in redshift space is developed. The high-density caustics in redshift space are shown to appear as envelopes around rich clusters. Assuming that the galaxies trace the matter distribution, low Omega(0) models can explain observational data obtained for four clusters. The present results support the prediction that light traces mass in the infall region.

Regos, Eniko↗

The structure and evolution of X-ray clusters of galaxies

The structure of clusters is described from observations at the Einstein Observatory. It was concluded that the nature of the X-ray emission is complex and varies from broad and highly clumped to smooth and centrally peaked. The clusters whose emission is clumped tend to be rich in spirals and to have X-ray temperatures in the few kilovolt range and low velocity dispersions. The smooth centrally peaked clusters are spiral poor, and have higher temperatures and larger velocity dispersions. For many of the clusters, the emission is irregular and cannot be described by the simple, spherically symmetric models for a hot isothermal or adiabatic gas. For these clusters, the low density, intracluster gas is influenced by the potential of individual bright galaxies.

Jones, C.↗

Spectral constraints on models of gas in clusters of galaxies

The HEAO 1A2 spectra of clusters of galaxies are used to determine the temperature profile which characterizes the X-ray emitting gas. Strong evidence of nonisothermality is found for the Coma, A85, and A1795 clusters. Properties of the cluster potential which binds the gas are calculated for a range of model parameters. The typical binding mass, if the gas is adiabatic, is 2-4E14 solar masses and is quite centrally concentrated. In addition, the Fe abundance in Coma is .26 + or - .06 solar, less than the typical value (.5) found for rich clusters. The results for the gas in Coma may imply a physical description of the cluster which is quite different from what was previously believed.

Henriksen, M. J.↗

Spectral constraints on models of gas in clusters of galaxies

The HEAO 1A2 spectra of clusters of galaxies are used to determine the temperature profile which characterizes the X-ray emitting gas. Strong evidence of nonisothermality is found for the Coma, A85, and A1795 clusters. Properties of the cluster potential which binds the gas are calculated for a range of model parameters. The typical binding mass, if the gas is adiabatic, is 2-4E14 solar masses and is quite centrally concentrated. In addition, the Fe abundance in Coma is .26 + or - .06 solar, less than the typical value (.5) found for rich clusters. The results for the gas in Coma may imply a physical description of the cluster which is quite different from what was previously believed.

Henriksen, M. J.↗

A lower limit of the cosmic mean density from the ages of clusters of galaxies

The presence of substructure in clusters of galaxies indicates that they have recently formed or accreted a significant fraction of their mass. The cosmic time at which this occurs is set in large part by the density of that region of space at very large redshift. If the distribution of density perturbations at high redshift is Gaussian, then the frequency of subclustering now is set by the mean density at recombination. Thus, the observed frequency of subclustering can be used to constrain. Surprisingly, plausible values of Lambda have little effect on this result. Unless three independent evaluations of the incidence of subclustering are all overestimates, or substructure lasts significantly longer than a crossing time in clusters, or perturbations at high redshift are not Gaussian, the universe is fairly dense (Omega sub 0 greater than about 0.5). The same line of argument suggests that direct observations (e.g., with Rosat) of evolution of the cluster population with shifts will provide a complementary direct measure of Omega sub 0.

Richstone, D.↗

X-ray Spectra of Distant Clusters

The masses of galaxy clusters are dominated by dark matter, and a robust determination of their temperatures and masses has the potential of indicating how much dark matter exists on large scales in the universe, and the cosmological parameter Omega. X-ray observations of galaxy clusters provide a direct measure of both the gas mass in the intra-cluster medium, and also the total gravitating mass of the cluster. We used new and archival ASCA and ROSAT observations to measure these quantities for a sample of intermediate redshift clusters which have also been subject to intensive dynamical studies, in order to compare the mass estimates from different methods. We used data from 12 of the CNOC cluster sample at 0.18 less than z less than 0.55 for this study. A direct comparison of dynamical mass estimates from Carlberg, Yee & Ellingson (1997) yielded surprisingly good results. The X-ray/dynamical mass ratios have a mean of 0.96+/- 0.10, indicating that for this sample, both methods are probably yielding very robust mass estimates. Comparison with mass estimates from gravitational lensing studies from the literature showed a small systematic with weak lensing estimates, and large discrepancies with strong lensing estimates. This latter is not surprising, given that these measurements are made close to the central core, where optical and Xray estimates are less certain, and where substructure and the effects of individual galaxies will be more pronounced. These results are presented in Lewis, Ellingson, Morris \& Carlberg, 1998, submitted to the Astrophysical Journal.

Ellingson, E.↗

X-ray clusters of galaxies - Correlations with optical morphology and galaxy density

The entire sample of 37 X-ray clusters of galaxies detected by the Ariel 5 satellite at high latitudes is analyzed optically. Morphological types (for all clusters) and central galaxy densities (for all clusters with measured redshifts) are determined, and the positions, redshifts, and richness groups of the set of Southern Hemisphere X-ray clusters are estimated. The X-ray luminosity is found to be correlated with both cluster morphology and central galaxy density. The observed correlations are consistent with a thermal-bremsstrahlung model in which the hot intracluster gas density is proportional to the galaxy density, and the temperature is proportional to the galaxy velocity dispersion.

Bahcall, N. A.↗

Galaxy and cluster redshift surveys

The present evaluation of galaxy and cluster redshift surveys gives attention to the CfA redshift survey and a deep Abell cluster redshift survey. These data support a structure in which galaxies lie on thin sheets which nearly surround vast, low-density voids. Voids such as that in Bootes are a common feature of galaxy distribution, posing a serious challenge for models. The Huchra et al. (1988) deep-cluster survey exhibits a correlation function amplitude that is a factor of about 2 smaller than that of the earlier Bahcall and Soneira (1983) sample; the difference may not be significant, however, because the cluster samples are sufficiently small to be dominated by single systems.

Geller, Margaret J.↗

Temperatures of distant clusters of galaxies

The evolution of cluster X-ray temperatures is moderate to redshifts of 0.33 for clusters with luminosities of approximately 3.7 x 10(exp 44) ergs/s. On average, these clusters are no more than a factor of approximately 2 cooler than those at low redshift; they could have the same temperature.

Henry, J. P.↗

The dynamics of the intergalactic medium in the vicinity of clusters of galaxies

Numerical solutions to the problem of infall of matter into clusters of galaxies are presented. It is assumed that the universe can be described by a Friedmann cosmological model with a Hubble constant 50 km/s/Mpc. It is found that physically reasonable models having a deceleration parameter of 1/2 lead to excessive X-ray emission from clusters of galaxies. Models including a heat flux due to thermal conduction, heating of the intracluster medium by galaxy motions, and a gas outflow from the galaxies in the cluster are discussed, and the results are compared with the observational data in both the X-ray and radio bands. It is concluded that the density parameter must be less than 0.2 in order that the predicted X-ray emission not exceed that observed. No models have been found which give a good description of the observed cluster X-ray sources, with the exception of a fully adiabatic model in a high-density universe.

Lea, S. M.↗