A2111: a z=0.23 Butcher–Oemler cluster with a non-isothermal atmosphere and normal metallicity

We report results from an X-ray study of the Abell 2111 galaxy cluster using the Advanced Satellite for Astrophysics and Cosmology ( ASCA ) and the ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC). By correcting for the energy-dependent point-spread function of the ASCA instruments, we have examined the temperature structure of the cluster. The core of the cluster within 3 arcmin is found to have a temperature of 6.46±0.87 keV, significantly higher than the value of 3.10±1.19 keV in the surrounding region of r =3–6 arcmin. This radially decreasing temperature structure can be parametrized by a polytropic index of γ ≃ 1.45. The X-ray morphology of the cluster appears elongated and clumpy on scales ≤1 arcmin. These results, together with earlier ROSAT and optical studies which revealed that the X-ray centroid and ellipticity of A2111 shift with spatial scale, are consistent with the hypothesis that the cluster is a dynamically young system. Most likely, the cluster has recently undergone a merger, which may also be responsible for the high fraction of blue galaxies observed in the cluster. Alternatively, the temperature structure may also be caused by the gravitational potential of the cluster. We have also measured the emission-weighted abundance of the X-ray-emitting intracluster medium as 0.25±0.14 solar. This value is similar to those of nearby clusters that do not show a large blue galaxy fraction, indicating that star formation in disc galaxies and subsequent loss to the medium do not drastically alter the average abundance of a cluster. This is consistent with recent results, which indicate that cluster abundances have remained constant since at least z ∼0.3.     

X-ray observations of the galaxy cluster PKS 0745−191: to the virial radius, and beyond

We measure X-ray emission from the outskirts of the cluster of galaxies PKS 0745−191 with Suzaku , determining radial profiles of density, temperature, entropy, gas fraction and mass. These measurements extend beyond the virial radius for the first time, providing new information about cluster assembly and the diffuse intracluster medium out to  ∼1.5  r ₂₀₀( r ₂₀₀≃ 1.7 Mpc ≃ 15 arcmin  ). The temperature is found to decrease by roughly 70 per cent from 0.3 to  1 r ₂₀₀  . We also see a flattening of the entropy profile near the virial radius and consider the implications this has for the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium when deriving mass estimates. We place these observations in the context of simulations and analytical models to develop a better understanding of non-gravitational physics in the outskirts of the cluster.     

The dynamical state of RX J1347.5−1145 from a combined strong lensing and X-ray analysis

We perform a combined X-ray and strong lensing analysis of RX J1347.5−1145, one of the most luminous galaxy clusters at X-ray wavelengths. We show that evidence from strong lensing alone, based on published Very Large Telescope (VLT) and new Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) data, strongly argues in favour of a complex structure. The analysis takes into account arc positions, shapes and orientations, and is done thoroughly in the image plane. The cluster inner regions are well fitted by a bimodal mass distribution, with a total projected mass of   M _tot= (9.9 ± 0.3) × 10¹⁴ M_⊙  h ⁻¹  within a radius of 360 kpc  h ⁻¹ (1.5 arcmin). Such a complex structure could be a signature of a recent major merger as further supported by X-ray data. A temperature map of the cluster, based on deep Chandra observations, reveals a hot front located between the first main component and an X-ray emitting south-eastern subclump. The map also unveils a filament of cold gas in the innermost regions of the cluster, most probably a cooling wake caused by the motion of the cD inside the cool core region. A merger scenario in the plane of the sky between two dark matter subclumps is consistent with both our lensing and X-ray analyses, and can explain previous discrepancies with mass estimates based on the virial theorem.     

Simulating the formation of a protocluster at z∼ 2

We present results from two high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of protocluster regions at   z ≃ 2.1  . The simulations have been compared to observational results for the so-called Spiderweb galaxy system, the core of a putative protocluster region at   z = 2.16  , found around a radio galaxy. The simulated regions have been chosen so as to form a poor cluster with   M ₂₀₀≃ 10¹⁴  h ⁻¹ M_⊙  (C1) and a rich cluster with   M ₂₀₀≃ 2 × 10¹⁵  h ⁻¹ M_⊙  (C2) at   z = 0  . The simulated protoclusters show evidence of ongoing assembly of a dominating central galaxy. The stellar mass of the brightest cluster galaxy of the C2 system is in excess with respect to observational estimates for the Spiderweb galaxy, with a total star formation rate which is also larger than indicated by observations. We find that the projected velocities of galaxies in the C2 cluster are consistent with observations, while those measured for the poorer cluster C1 are too low compared with the observed velocities. We argue that the Spiderweb complex resembles the high-redshift progenitor of a rich galaxy cluster. Our results indicate that the included supernovae feedback is not enough to suppress star formation in these systems, supporting the need of introducing active galactic nuclei feedback. According to our simulations, a diffuse atmosphere of hot gas in hydrostatic equilibrium should already be present at this redshift, and enriched at a level comparable to that of nearby galaxy clusters. The presence of this gas should be detectable with future deep X-ray observations.     

Radio properties of the Shapley Concentration – III. Merging clusters in the A3558 complex

We present the results of a 22-cm radio survey carried out with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) covering the A3558 complex, a chain formed by the merging ACO clusters A3556–A3558–A3562 and the two groups SC 1327−312 and SC 1323−313, located in the central region of the Shapley Concentration. The purpose of our survey is to study the effects of cluster mergers on the statistical properties of radio galaxies and to investigate the connection between mergers and the presence of radio haloes and relic sources.
We found that the radio source counts in the A3558 complex are consistent with the background source counts. The much higher optical density compared with the background is not reflected as a higher density of radio sources. Furthermore, we found that no correlation exists between the local density and the radio source power, and that steep-spectrum radio galaxies are not segregated in denser optical regions.
The radio luminosity function for elliptical and S0 galaxies is significantly lower than for cluster early-type galaxies and for those not selected to be in clusters at radio powers log  P _1.4≳22.5, implying that the probability of a galaxy becoming a radio source above this power limit is lower in the Shapley Concentration compared with any other environment. Possible explanations will be presented.
The detection of a head–tail source in the centre of A3562, coupled with careful inspection of the 20-cm NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) and of 36-cm MOST observations, allowed us to spot two extended sources in the region between A3562 and SC 1329−313, i.e. a candidate radio halo at the centre of A3562 and low brightness extended emission around a 14.96-mag Shapley galaxy. The relation between these two extended galaxies and the ongoing group merger in this region of the Shapley Concentration are discussed.