Inverse Compton Scattering as the Source of Diffuse EUV Emission in the Coma Cluster of Galaxies

We have examined the hypothesis that the majority of the diffuse EUV flux in the Coma cluster is due to inverse Compton scattering of low energy cosmic ray electrons (0.16 < epsilon < 0.31 GeV) against the 3K black-body background. We present data on the two-dimensional spatial distribution of the EUV flux and show that these data provide strong support for a non-thermal origin for the EUV flux. However, we show that this emission cannot be produced by an extrapolation to lower energies of the observed synchrotron radio emitting electrons and an additional component of low energy cosmic ray electrons is required.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Heating and Turbulence Driving by Galaxy Motions in Galaxy Clusters

Using three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations, we investigate heating and turbulence driving in an intracluster medium (ICM) by orbital motions of galaxies in a galaxy cluster. We consider Ng member galaxies on isothermal and isotropic orbits through an ICM typical of rich clusters. An introduction of the galaxies immediately produces gravitational wakes, providing perturbations that can potentially grow via resonant interaction with the background gas. When Ng^{1/2}Mg_11 < 100, where Mg_11 is each galaxy mass in units of 10^{11} Msun, the perturbations are in the linear regime and the resonant excitation of gravity waves is efficient to generate kinetic energy in the ICM, resulting in the velocity dispersion sigma_v ~ 2.2 Ng^{1/2}Mg_11 km/s. When Ng^{1/2}Mg_11 > 100, on the other hand, nonlinear fluctuations of the background ICM destroy galaxy wakes and thus render resonant excitation weak or absent. In this case, the kinetic energy saturates at the level corresponding to sigma_v ~ 220 km/s. The angle-averaged velocity power spectra of turbulence driven in our models have slopes in the range of -3.7 to -4.3. With the nonlinear saturation of resonant excitation, none of the cooling models considered are able to halt cooling catastrophe, suggesting that the galaxy motions alone are unlikely to solve the cooling flow problem.Comment: 12 pages including 3 figures, To appear in ApJ

Determination of Potassium Ion Concentration using Paper-Based Devices and Electrochemical Methods

poster abstractRapid quantification of ions in bodily fluids can be important for guiding an individual’s nutrition to prevent illness. The level of micronutrients (magnesium, calcium, potassium) is also relevant for diagnostics, such as identifying a health condition. For example, potassium levels in blood below 3 mM can be indicative of abnormal heart rhythms. We are currently working on the detection of potassium on a paper-based device as a proof-of-concept of a novel electrochemical micronutrient sensing platform. Paper-based platforms are useful in bioanalysis for point-of-care measurements because of their simplicity, low cost, portability and disposability. These advantages make them a valid alternative to conventional ionselective electrodes, which are fragile, subject to interference from biological samples, often expensive and require careful calibration and maintenance. Our platform is based on an unusual electrochemical method employing the measurement of the shift in potential of a redox reaction. For potassium quantification, we measured the redox reaction of an electrodeposited Prussian blue layer. The shift in potential is proportional to the concentration of the targeted ion (potassium). We explored the best conditions for electrodepositing Prussian blue using commercial screen-printed electrodes and successfully tested aqueous solutions containing potassium ions in the range of 0 to 1 M. The results in this range show a reliable and reproducible trend correlating the shift in potential and the concentration of potassium. We also verified that sodium ions at high concentration in blood have a negligible interference. The next steps of the project include the validation of the assay on paper-based electrodes, tests of human serum samples throughout the relevant health range (3.5-5 mM) and assessment of the reproducibility and specificity of the platform by considering other potentially interfering ions

RXTE and ASCA Constraints on Non-thermal Emission from the A2256 Galaxy Cluster

An 8.3 hour observation of the Abell 2256 galaxy cluster using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer proportional counter array produced a high quality spectrum in the 2 - 30 keV range. Joint fitting with the 0.7 - 11 keV spectrum obtained with the Advanced Satellite for Astrophysics and Cosmology gas imaging spectrometer gives an upperlimit of 2.3x10^-7 photons/cm^2/sec/keV for non-thermal emission at 30 keV. This yields a lower limit to the mean magnetic field of 0.36 micro Gauss (uG) and an upperlimit of 1.8x10^-13 ergs/cm^3 for the cosmic-ray electron energy density. The resulting lower limit to the central magnetic field is ~1 - 3 uG While a magnetic field of ~0.1 - 0.2 uG can be created by galaxy wakes, a magnetic field of several uG is usually associated with a cooling flow or, as in the case of the Coma cluster, a subcluster merger. However, for A2256, the evidence for a merger is weak and the main cluster shows no evidence of a cooling flow. Thus, there is presently no satisfactory hypothesis for the origin of an average cluster magnetic field as high as >0.36 uG in the A2256 cluster.Comment: 8 pages, Astrophysical Journal (in press

Turbulent Mixing in Clusters of Galaxies

We present a spherically-symmetric, steady-state model of galaxy clusters in which radiative cooling from the hot gas is balanced by heat transport through turbulent mixing. We assume that the gas is in hydrostatic equilibrium, and describe the turbulent heat diffusion by means of a mixing length prescription with a dimensionless parameter alpha_mix. Models with alpha_mix ~ 0.01-0.03 yield reasonably good fits to the observed density and temperature profiles of cooling core clusters. Making the strong simplification that alpha_mix is time-independent and that it is roughly the same in all clusters, the model reproduces remarkably well the observed scalings of X-ray luminosity, gas mass fraction and entropy with temperature. The break in the scaling relations at kT \~ 1-2 keV is explained by the break in the cooling function at around this temperature, and the entropy floor observed in galaxy groups is reproduced naturally.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

Contamination of Cluster Radio Sources in the Measurement of the Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Angular Power Spectrum

We present a quantitative estimate of the confusion of cluster radio halos and galaxies in the measurement of the angular power spectrum of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. To achieve the goal, we use a purely analytic approach to both radio sources and dark matter of clusters by incorporating empirical models and observational facts together with some theoretical considerations. It is shown that the correction of cluster radio halos and galaxies to the measurement of the thermal SZ angular power spectrum is no more than 20% at $l>2000$ for observing frequencies $\nu>30$ GHz. This eliminates the concern that the SZ measurement may be seriously contaminated by the existence of cluster radio sources.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Non-Thermal Emission from Relativistic Electrons in Clusters of Galaxies: A Merger Shock Acceleration Model

We have investigated evolution of non-thermal emission from relativistic electrons accelerated at around the shock fronts during merger of clusters of galaxies. We estimate synchrotron radio emission and inverse Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background photons from extreme ultraviolet (EUV) to hard X-ray range. The hard X-ray emission is most luminous in the later stage of merger. Both hard X-ray and radio emissions are luminous only while signatures of merging events are clearly seen in thermal intracluster medium (ICM). On the other hand, EUV radiation is still luminous after the system has relaxed. Propagation of shock waves and bulk-flow motion of ICM play crucial roles to extend radio halos. In the contracting phase, radio halos are located at the hot region of ICM, or between two substructures. In the expanding phase, on the other hand, radio halos are located between two ICM hot regions and shows rather diffuse distribution.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Implications of a Nonthermal Origin of the Excess EUV Emission from the Coma Cluster of Galaxies

The inverse Compton (IC) interpretation of the excess EUV emission, that was recently reported from several clusters of galaxies, suggests that the amount of relativistic electrons in the intracluster medium is highly significant, W_e>10^{61} erg. Considering Coma as the prototype galaxy cluster of nonthermal radiation, we discuss implications of the inverse Compton origin of the excess EUV fluxes in the case of low intracluster magnetic fields of order 0.1 muG, as required for the IC interpretation of the observed excess hard X-ray flux, and in the case of high fields of order 1 muG as suggested by Faraday rotation measurements. Although for such high intracluster fields the excess hard X-rays will require an explanation other than by the IC effect, we show that the excess EUV flux can be explained by the IC emission of a `relic' population of electrons driven into the incipient intracluster medium at the epoch of starburst activity by galactic winds, and later on reenergized by adiabatic compression and/or large-scale shocks transmitted through the cluster as the consequence of more recent merger events. For high magnetic fields B > 1 muG the interpretation of the radio fluxes of Coma requires a second population of electrons injected recently. They can be explained as secondaries produced by a population of relativistic protons. We calculate the fluxes of gamma-rays to be expected in both the low and high magnetic field scenarios, and discuss possibilities to distinguish between these two principal options by future gamma-ray observations.Comment: LaTeX, 6 figures; accepted for publication in Ap

The Energy Spectrum of Primary Cosmic Ray Electrons in Clusters of Galaxies and Inverse Compton Emission

Models for the evolution of the integrated energy spectrum of primary cosmic ray electrons in clusters of galaxies have been calculated, including the effects of losses due to inverse Compton (IC), synchrotron, and bremsstrahlung emission, and Coulomb losses to the intracluster medium (ICM). The combined time scale for these losses reaches a maximum of ~3e9 yr for electrons with a Lorentz factor ~300. Only clusters in which there has been a substantial injection of relativistic electrons since z <~ 1 will have any significant population of primary cosmic ray electrons at present. In typical models, there is a broad peak in the electron energy distribution extending to gamma~300, and a steep drop in the electron population beyond this. In clusters with current particle injection, there is a power-law tail of higher energy electrons with an abundance determined by the current rate of injection. A significant population of electrons with gamma~300, associated with the peak in the particle loss time, is a generic feature of the models. The IC and synchrotron emission from these models was calculated. In the models, EUV and soft X-ray emission are nearly ubiquitous. This emission is produced by electrons with gamma~300. The spectra are predicted to drop rapidly in going from the EUV to the X-ray band. The IC emission also extends down the UV, optical, and IR bands with a fairly flat spectrum. Hard X-ray (HXR) and diffuse radio emission due to high energy electrons (gamma~10e4) is present only in clusters which have current particle acceleration. Assuming that the electrons are accelerated in ICM shocks, one would only expect diffuse HXR/radio emission in clusters which are currently undergoing a large merger.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, with minor revisons to wording for clarity and one additional reference. 19 pages with 16 embedded Postscript figures in emulateapj.sty. Abbreviated abstract belo

On The Origin of Radio Halos in Galaxy Clusters

Previously it has been recognized that radio halos in galaxy clusters are preferentially associated with merging systems as indicated by substructure in the X-ray images and temperature maps. Since, however, many clusters without radio halos also possess substructure, the role of mergers in the formation of radio halos has remained unclear. By using power ratios to relate gravitational potential fluctuations to substructure in X-ray images, we provide the first quantitative comparison of the dynamical states of clusters possessing radio halos. A correlation between the 1.4 GHz power (P_{1.4}) of the radio halo (or relic) and the magnitude of the dipole power ratio (P_1/P_0) is discovered such that approximately P_{1.4} ~ P_1/P_0; i.e., the strongest radio halos appear only in those clusters currently experiencing the largest departures from a virialized state. From additional consideration of a small number of highly disturbed clusters without radio halos detected at 1.4 GHz, and recalling that radio halos are more common in clusters with high X-ray luminosity (Giovannini, Tordi, & Feretti), we argue that radio halos form preferentially in massive (L_x >~ 0.5 x 10^{45} erg/s) clusters experiencing violent mergers (P_1/P_0 >~ 0.5 x 10^{-4}) that have seriously disrupted the cluster core. The association of radio halos with massive, large-P_1/P_0, core-disrupted clusters is able to account for both the vital role of mergers in accelerating the relativistic particles responsible for the radio emission as well as the rare occurrence of radio halos in cluster samples.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, Accepted for Publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, updated reference