X-ray spectroscopy of galaxy clusters: studying astrophysical processes in the largest celestial laboratories

Böhringer, H.; Werner, Norbert

doi:10.1007/s00159-009-0023-3

Cited by 194 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 252 publications

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“…The hot intracluster medium of these objects can be described by CIE models with kT values up to ∼10 keV (for a review, see Böhringer & Werner 2010). At such high temperatures, the spectrum is effectively featureless, which is especially true for low metallicity plasmas.…”

Section: Thermalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-frequency study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Kavanagh

Sasaki

Bozzetto

et al. 2015

A&A

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Aims. We present a multi-frequency study of the supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Methods. We used new data from XMM-Newton to characterise the X-ray emission and data from the Australian Telescope Compact Array, the Magellanic Cloud Emission Line Survey, and Spitzer to gain a picture of the environment into which the remnant is expanding. We performed a morphological study, determined radio polarisation and magnetic field orientation, and performed an X-ray spectral analysis. Results. We estimated the remnant's size to be 24.9 (±1.5) × 21.9 (±1.5) pc, with the major axis rotated ∼29 • east of north. Radio polarisation images at 3 cm and 6 cm indicate a higher degree of polarisation in the northwest and southeast tangentially oriented to the SNR shock front, indicative of an SNR compressing the magnetic field threading the interstellar medium. The X-ray spectrum is unusual as it requires a soft (∼0.2 keV) collisional ionisation equilibrium thermal plasma of interstellar medium abundance, in addition to a harder component. Using our fit results and the Sedov dynamical model, we showed that the thermal emission is not consistent with a Sedov remnant. We suggested that the thermal X-rays can be explained by MCSNR J0512−6707 having initially evolved into a wind-blown cavity and is now interacting with the surrounding dense shell. The origin of the hard component remains unclear. We could not determine the supernova type from the X-ray spectrum. Indirect evidence for the type is found in the study of the local stellar population and star formation history in the literature, which suggests a core-collapse origin. Conclusions. MCSNR J0512−6707 likely resulted from the core-collapse of high mass progenitor which carved a low density cavity into its surrounding medium, with the soft X-rays resulting from the impact of the blast wave with the surrounding shell. The unusual hard X-ray component requires deeper and higher spatial resolution radio and X-ray observations to confirm its origin.

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Section: Thermalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-frequency study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Kavanagh

Sasaki

Bozzetto

et al. 2015

A&A

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“…These two methods have some limitations either way. In the case of X-ray technique, the limitation comes from the usual assumption that the plasma of the cluster is in hydrostatic equilibrium, and the cluster approximately spherically symmetric (Ettori et al 2002) with no important recent merger activity (Böhringer & Werner 2010). As for the lensing technique, its limitation is that it only allows computing the projected mass, and this includes all the line-ofsight (LOS) mass contributions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass, velocity anisotropy, and pseudo phase-space density profiles of Abell 2142

Munari

Biviano

Mamon

2014

A&A

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Aims. We aim to compute the mass and velocity anisotropy profiles of Abell 2142 and, from there, the pseudo phase-space density profile Q(r) and the density slope − velocity anisotropy β − γ relation, and then to compare them with theoretical expectations. Methods. The mass profiles were obtained by using three techniques based on member galaxy kinematics, namely the caustic method, the method of dispersion-kurtosis, and MAMPOSSt. Through the inversion of the Jeans equation, it was possible to compute the velocity anisotropy profiles. Results. The mass profiles, as well as the virial values of mass and radius, computed with the different techniques agree with one another and with the estimates coming from X-ray and weak lensing studies. A combined mass profile is obtained by averaging the lensing, X-ray, and kinematics determinations. The cluster mass profile is well fitted by an NFW profile with c = 4.0 ± 0.5. The population of red and blue galaxies appear to have a different velocity anisotropy configuration, since red galaxies are almost isotropic, while blue galaxies are radially anisotropic, with a weak dependence on radius. The Q(r) profile for the red galaxy population agrees with the theoretical results found in cosmological simulations, suggesting that any bias, relative to the dark matter particles, in velocity dispersion of the red component is independent of radius. The β − γ relation for red galaxies matches the theoretical relation only in the inner region. The deviations might be due to the use of galaxies as tracers of the gravitational potential, unlike the non-collisional tracer used in the theoretical relation.

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“…The study of clusters of galaxies allows one to investigate the large-scale structure of the Universe, constrain the cosmological parameters and the spectrum of the primordial density fluctuations, and study the interactions between the member galaxies and the ambient intra cluster medium (ICM, see Rosati et al 2002;Schuecker 2005;Voit 2005;Borgani 2006;Tozzi 2007;Vikhlinin et al 2009;Mantz et al 2010;Böhringer & Werner 2010). The X-ray band is an optimal observational window for identifying and studying clusters of galaxies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring redshifts using X-ray spectroscopy of galaxy clusters: results fromChandradata and future prospects

Tozzi

Borgani

et al. 2011

A&A

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Context. The ubiquitous presence of the Fe line complex in the X-ray spectra of galaxy clusters offers the possibility of measuring their redshift without resorting to spectroscopic follow-up observations. In practice, the blind search of the Fe line in X-ray spectra is a difficult task and is affected not only by limited S/N (particularly at high redshift), but also by several systematic errors, associated with varying Fe abundance values, ICM temperature gradients, and instrumental characteristics. Aims. We assess the accuracy with which the redshift of galaxy clusters can be recovered from an X-ray spectral analysis of Chandra archival data. We present a strategy to compile large surveys of clusters whose identification and redshift measurement are both based on X-ray data alone. Methods. We apply a blind search for K-shell and L-shell Fe line complexes in X-ray cluster spectra using Chandra archival observations of galaxy clusters. The Fe line can be detected in the ICM spectra by simply analyzing the C-statistics variation ΔC stat as a function of the redshift parameter, when all the other model parameters are frozen to the best-fit values. We repeat the measurement under different conditions, and compare the X-ray derived redshift z X with the one obtained by means of optical spectroscopy z o . We explore how a number of priors on metallicity and luminosity can be effectively used to reduce catastrophic errors. The ΔC stat provides the most effective means of discarding wrong redshift measurements and estimating the actual error in z X . Results. We identify a simple and efficient procedure for optimally measuring the redshifts from the X-ray spectral analysis of clusters of galaxies. When this procedure is applied to mock catalogs extracted from high sensitivity, wide-area cluster surveys, such as those proposed with Wide Field X-ray Telescope (WFXT) mission, it is possible to obtain complete samples of X-ray clusters with reliable redshift measurements, thus avoiding time-consuming optical spectroscopic observations. Our analysis shows that, in the case of WFXT, a blind Fe line search is 95% successful for spectra with more than 1000 net counts, whenever ΔC stat > 9, corresponding formally to a 3σ confidence level. The average error in the redshift z X decreases rapidly for higher values of ΔC stat . Finally, we discuss how to estimate the completeness of a large cluster samples with measured z X . This methodology will make it possible to trace cosmic growth by studying the evolution of the cluster mass function directly using X-ray data.

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X-ray spectroscopy of galaxy clusters: studying astrophysical processes in the largest celestial laboratories

Cited by 194 publications

References 252 publications

Multi-frequency study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Multi-frequency study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Mass, velocity anisotropy, and pseudo phase-space density profiles of Abell 2142

Measuring redshifts using X-ray spectroscopy of galaxy clusters: results fromChandradata and future prospects

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