SLOSHING GAS IN THE CORE OF THE MOST LUMINOUS GALAXY CLUSTER RXJ1347.5-1145
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023 (United States)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
We present new constraints on the merger history of the most X-ray luminous cluster of galaxies, RXJ1347.5-1145, based on its unique multiwavelength morphology. Our X-ray analysis confirms that the core gas is undergoing 'sloshing' resulting from a prior, large-scale, gravitational perturbation. In combination with multiwavelength observations, the sloshing gas points to the primary and secondary clusters having had at least two prior strong gravitational interactions. The evidence supports a model in which the secondary subcluster with mass M = 4.8 {+-} 2.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 14} M{sub Sun} has previously ({approx}>0.6 Gyr ago) passed by the primary cluster, and has now returned for a subsequent crossing where the subcluster's gas has been completely stripped from its dark matter halo. RXJ1347 is a prime example of how core gas sloshing may be used to constrain the merger histories of galaxy clusters through multiwavelength analyses.
- OSTI ID:
- 22037203
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 751, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
BINARY BLACK HOLES, GAS SLOSHING, AND COLD FRONTS IN THE X-RAY HALO HOSTING 4C+37.11
Strong and weak lensing united: II. The cluster mass distribution of the most X-ray luminous cluster RX J1347.5-1145