2003A&A...398...31L

We report new results on the cluster of galaxies Abell 970 obtained from X-ray observation with BeppoSAX. Our analysis of the BeppoSAX MECS and LECS data in the range [0.15-10]keV reveals a mean cluster gas temperature of kT=4.46_–0.15^+0.14, a metallicity of Z=0.31_–0.04^+0.05Z_☉, and an interstellar hydrogen absorption column density of N_H=6.05_–0.97^+1.29x10²⁰cm^–2. Moreover, we obtained azimuthally averaged radial profiles of these quantities. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Abell 970 has been disturbed by a past merger or by the ongoing merger process of a substructure, that put the cluster out of equilibrium. This is also demonstrated by the offset between the gas and galaxy distributions. Combining the X-ray data with a recently published analysis of new galaxy radial velocities, we conclude that a subcluster 8 arcmin to the NW is falling into Abell 970 and will merge in a few Gigayears, thus disturbing Abell 970's newly acquired equilibrium. The high α-elements/iron ratio that we derive for this cluster supports the hypothesis of early intracluster medium enrichment by Type II supernovae.