SIMBAD references

2017ApJ...847...79W - Astrophys. J., 847, 79-79 (2017/September-3)

The infall of the Virgo elliptical galaxy M60 toward M87 and the gaseous structures produced by Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities.

WOOD R.A., JONES C., MACHACEK M.E., FORMAN W.R., BOGDAN A., ANDRADE-SANTOS F., KRAFT R.P., PAGGI A. and ROEDIGER E.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present Chandra observations of hot gas structures, which are characteristic of gas-stripping during infall, in the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M60 (NGC4649) located 1 Mpc east of M87. Chandra X-ray images at 0.5-2 keV show a sharp leading edge in the surface brightness that is 12.4 ± 0.1 kpc north and west of the galaxy center in the direction of M87 and characteristic of a merger cold front due to M60's motion through the Virgo ICM. We measured a temperature of 1.00 ± 0.02 keV for an abundance of 0.5 Z☉ inside the edge and 1.37–0.19+0.35 keV for an abundance of 0.1 Z☉ in the Virgo ICM free stream region. We find that the observed jump in surface brightness yields a density ratio nin/nout=6.44–0.67+1.04 between gas inside the edge and in the cluster free stream region. If the edge is a cold front due solely to the infall of M60 in the direction of M87, we find a pressure ratio of 4.7–1.4+1.7 and Mach number of 1.7–0.3+0.3. For 1.37 keV Virgo gas, we find a total infall velocity for M60 of vM60=1030±180 km s–1. We calculate the motion in the plane of the sky to be vtran=1012–192+183 km s–1, implying an inclination angle of ξ=11–3+3°. Surface brightness profiles also show the presence of a faint, diffuse gaseous tail. We identify filamentary gaseous wing structures caused by the galaxy's motion through the ICM. The structure and dimensions of these wings are consistent with simulations of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, as expected if the gas-stripping is close to inviscid.

Abstract Copyright: © 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Journal keyword(s): galaxies: clusters: individual: Virgo - galaxies: individual: (NGC4649, M60) - galaxies: intergalactic medium - intergalactic medium - X-rays: galaxies - X-rays: galaxies

Simbad objects: 9

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