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Title: Ram-pressure stripping of the multiphase interstellar medium of the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406)

Abstract

The available infrared, optical, and X-ray data on the elliptical galaxy M86, which is experiencing strong ram-pressure stripping in the intracluster medium of the Virgo Cluster, are analyzed. A significant component of infrared 60 micron emission displaced from the center of the galaxy is found. The displaced 60 micron emission lies on the optical major axis of the galaxy in the direction of perturbations to the optical isophotes and is coincident with a small feature in X-ray emission southwest of the X-ray plume. The displaced infrared emission is interpreted in terms of collisionally heated dust exposed to hot gas where ram pressure and turbulence are disrupting the stripped interstellar medium of the galaxy. The displacement of the outer optical isophotes in the direction of the stripped gas in suggested to be due to reflection of star-light on the dust grains. Ram pressure has separated and exposed the various components of the multiphase interstellar medium of M86, enabling these constituents to be identified and analyzed separately for the first time in an elliptical galaxy. 31 refs.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Cambridge University Institute of Astronomy (England) Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (USA)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5225484
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 375; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; GALAXIES; PRESSURE EFFECTS; COSMIC DUST; COSMIC GASES; ELLIPTICAL CONFIGURATION; GALAXY CLUSTERS; GALAXY NUCLEI; INFRARED RADIATION; INTERSTELLAR SPACE; MORPHOLOGY; VISIBLE RADIATION; X RADIATION; CONFIGURATION; DUSTS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; FLUIDS; GASES; IONIZING RADIATIONS; RADIATIONS; SPACE; 640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies

Citation Formats

White, D A, Fabian, A C, Forman, W, Jones, C, and Stern, C. Ram-pressure stripping of the multiphase interstellar medium of the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406). United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.1086/170167.
White, D A, Fabian, A C, Forman, W, Jones, C, & Stern, C. Ram-pressure stripping of the multiphase interstellar medium of the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406). United States. https://doi.org/10.1086/170167
White, D A, Fabian, A C, Forman, W, Jones, C, and Stern, C. 1991. "Ram-pressure stripping of the multiphase interstellar medium of the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406)". United States. https://doi.org/10.1086/170167.
@article{osti_5225484,
title = {Ram-pressure stripping of the multiphase interstellar medium of the Virgo cluster elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406)},
author = {White, D A and Fabian, A C and Forman, W and Jones, C and Stern, C},
abstractNote = {The available infrared, optical, and X-ray data on the elliptical galaxy M86, which is experiencing strong ram-pressure stripping in the intracluster medium of the Virgo Cluster, are analyzed. A significant component of infrared 60 micron emission displaced from the center of the galaxy is found. The displaced 60 micron emission lies on the optical major axis of the galaxy in the direction of perturbations to the optical isophotes and is coincident with a small feature in X-ray emission southwest of the X-ray plume. The displaced infrared emission is interpreted in terms of collisionally heated dust exposed to hot gas where ram pressure and turbulence are disrupting the stripped interstellar medium of the galaxy. The displacement of the outer optical isophotes in the direction of the stripped gas in suggested to be due to reflection of star-light on the dust grains. Ram pressure has separated and exposed the various components of the multiphase interstellar medium of M86, enabling these constituents to be identified and analyzed separately for the first time in an elliptical galaxy. 31 refs.},
doi = {10.1086/170167},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5225484}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal; (United States)},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = ,
volume = 375,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}