Observation of the core of the Perseus cluster with the Einstein solid state spectrometer: Cooling gas and elemental abundances

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/183477· OSTI ID:6335013

Mushotzky, R F; Holt, S S; Smith, B W; Boldt, E A; Serlemitsos, P J

Solid State Spectrometer observations of the core of the Perseus cluster have resulted in the detection of X-ray emission lines due to Si, S, and Fe. Analysis of the spectrum indicates that the X-ray emission has at least two characteristic temperatures. This is interpreted in the framework of radiative accretion in the core of the cluster. The derived parameters are a cooling time t/sub c/< or approx. =2 x 10/sup 9/ yr for the low-temperature gas, a mass accretion rate of approx.300M/sub sun/ yr/sup -1/, and a characteristic size of 10--20 kpc for the cool gas. The Fe abundance in the core, approx.0.4, is similar to the Fe abundance averaged over the whole cluster, indicating that Fe emission is not strongly concentrated about NGC 1275. The Si and S abundances are consistent with solar values.

• Research Organization: Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 6335013
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Vol. 244:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GASES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
GALAXY CLUSTERS
X-RAY SPECTRA
IRON
COSMOCHEMISTRY
SILICON
SULFUR
ABUNDANCE
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
EMISSION
INTERGALACTIC SPACE
CHEMISTRY
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
METALS
NONMETALS
SEMIMETALS
SPACE
SPECTRA
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
640105* - Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology- Galaxies