X-ray study of the Centaurus Cluster of galaxies using Einstein

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163102· OSTI ID:6060692

Matilsky, T; Jones, C; Forman, W

Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter observations of the core of the Centaurus Cluster of galaxies have been analyzed to map the 0.5-3.5 keV surface brightness and temperature of the intracluster gas. The emission is centered on NGC 4696, the elliptical galaxy believed to be at or near the dynamical center of the cluster. Because the X-ray-emitting gas responds to the gravitational potential of the cluster, the observations may be used to measure the total mass distribution around the central region. It is shown that the gas is very likely in hydrostatic equilibrium. It is found that surrounding NGC 4696, like M87 at the center of the Virgo Cluster, is a dark, massive halo, with a gravitating mass of about 2 x 10 to the 13th M out to a radius of about 20 arcmin (or 200 kpc for H(o) = 50 km/s Mpc). The elliptical galaxy NGC 4709, at the core of a more distant cluster, is also detected with a luminosity of 2 x 10 to the 40th ergs per sec. 47 references.

• Research Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ; Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA
• OSTI ID: 6060692
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 291; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUIDS
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GASES
INTERGALACTIC SPACE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
MASS DISTRIBUTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPACE
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
X RADIATION