The Baryonic Fraction in Groups of Galaxies from X-Ray Measurements

The recent {\sl ROSAT \/} X-ray detections of hot intergalactic gas in three groups of galaxies are reviewed and the resulting baryonic fraction in these groups is reevaluated. We show that the baryonic fraction obtained, assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, should depend, perhaps sensitively, on the radius out to which the X-rays are detected, and the temperature profile of the gas. We find that the NGC 2300 group has a baryonic fraction out to $25'$ of at least 20\%, thus over five times higher than in the original analysis of Mulchaey \etal\ (1993), and also much higher than one would obtain from big-bang nucleosynthesis, but similar to the other two groups as well as rich clusters. With this baryonic fraction, groups would be fair tracers of the distribution of baryons in the Universe if $\Omega h_{50}^2 = 0.3$. A baryonic fraction that increases with radius is consistent with the X-ray data from all three groups. However, a detailed analysis of the NGC 2300 group shows that the dependence of baryonic fraction on radius is not well constrained by the data, in part because of uncertainties in the estimated background.Comment: ApJ Lett 421 (Feb 1 1994), in press. 4 pages of uuencoded compressed Postscript (extract on UNIX with 'csh' after removing header: 1st line should be '#/bin/csh -f') with 3 figures. POP-DAEC-9306

Diffuse Non-thermal X-ray Emission: Evidence for Cosmic-ray Acceleration at the Shock Front in IC1262

We report the first localization of diffuse, non-thermal, X-ray emission from a nearby galaxy cluster. Using Chandra data, we have isolated a diffuse non-thermal X-ray component with a photon index, Gamma_ X = 2.21 +0.14 -0.15 and a flux of 9.5 +1.1 -2.5 x 10^-5 photons cm^-2 s^-1 keV^-1 at 1 keV, that extends from ~1'.5 to ~2'.5 to the south of the X-ray flux peak. Comparison to simulations implies that the diffuse non-thermal emission is produced by primary electrons, accelerated at shocks to relativistic velocities. Using these results and the flux and hardness maps produced with data from the Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer, we conclude that a smaller subclump coming from the north merged with IC1262. The offset of the cD galaxy from the X-ray peak and large peculiar velocity indicate that the subclump's impact parameter was to the west and on the near side of IC1262.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted by ApJ

Non-isothermal X-ray Emitting Gas in Clusters of Galaxies

We have analyzed X-ray spectra from six galaxy clusters which contain cooling flows: A85, A478, A1795, A2142, A2147, & A2199. The X-ray spectra were taken with the HEAO1-A2 Medium and High Energy Detectors and the Einstein Solid State Spectrometer. For each cluster, we simultaneously fit the spectra from these three detectors with models incorporating one or more emission components comprised of either thermal or cooling flow models. Five of the clusters (all but A2142) are better fit by a multi-component model (a cooling flow plus one or two thermal components or a two thermal component model) than by isothermal models. In four of the clusters (A85, A1795, A2147, & A2199), we find evidence for cool gas outside of the canonical cooling flow region. These latter four clusters can be characterized by three temperature components: a temperature inversion in the central region, a hotter region with an emission-weighted temperature which is higher than that of an isothermal model fit to the entire cluster, and a cooler region with an emission-weighted temperature of ~1 keV. The cool component outside the cooling flow region has a large minimum emission measure which we attribute, in part, to diffuse cool gas in the outer cluster atmosphere. If at least some of the cool exterior gas is virialized, this would imply a radially decreasing temperature profile. Together with the density profiles we have found, this leads to a baryon fraction in gas which increases with radius and is larger than that for an isothermal cluster atmosphere. Consequently, if clusters of galaxies trace the mass distribution in the Universe, the gas mass fraction we have calculated for an isothermal gas (which is ~15%) together with the nominal galaxy contribution (~5%) gives a baryon fraction of ~20%. Using the upper limit to the baryon density derived from BigComment: gzipped tar file of 26 PostScript pages, including 2 figures, 7 tables. Also available at http://www.astr.ua.edu/preprints/white/INDEX_READ_ME_1st.htm

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

Abell 754: A Non-Head On Collision of Subclusters

We have analyzed spatially resolved spectra of A754 obtained with ASCA. The combination of spectral and imaging capabilities of ASCA has set unprecedented constraints on the hydrodynamical effects of a cluster merger. We find significant gas temperature variations over the cluster face, indicating shock heating of the atmosphere during the merger. The hottest region, >12 keV, is located in the region of the Northwest galaxy clump though the entire region along the cluster axis appears to be hotter than the mean cluster temperature (~9 keV). The cool, ~5 keV gas originally found with the HEAO1-A2 experiment, resides in the exterior of the cluster atmosphere and in plume of gas we identify with a stripped cool atmosphere of the infalling subcluster. We have also attempted to reconstruct an iron abundance map of this merging system. Though poorly constrained, no significant deviations of abundance from the mean value are apparent in the individual regions. A754 is the only cluster so far which shows the significant temperature pattern expected in a subcluster merger, in both the ROSAT (Henry & Briel 1995) and ASCA data, providing the first possibility to compare it with theoretical predictions. The observed temperature and surface brightness maps suggest that the two colliding subunits have missed each other by about 1 Mpc, and are now moving perpendicular to the cluster axis in the image plane (as, e.g., in the simulations by Evrard etal 1996).Comment: Latex, 10 pages, 3 figures incl. color plate, uses aaspp4.sty, flushrt.sty and pstricks.sty. Submitted to ApJ Letter

Hard X-ray Emission from the NGC 5044 Group

Observations made with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (PCA) to constrain the hard X-ray emission in the NGC 5044 group are reported here. Modeling a combined PCA and ROSAT position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) spectrum with a 0.5 - 15 keV energy range shows excess hard emission above 4 keV. Addition of a powerlaw component with spectral index of 2.6 - 2.8 and luminosity of 2.6 x10^42 ergs/s within 700 kpc in the observed energy band removes these residuals. Thus, there is a detection of a significant non-thermal component that is 32% of the total X-ray emission. Point source emission makes up at most 14% of the non-thermal emission from the NGC 5044 group. Therefore, the diffuse, point source subtracted, non-thermal component is 2.2 - 3.0x10^42 ergs/s . The cosmic-ray electron energy density is 3.6 x10^[-12] ergs cm-3 and the average magnetic field is 0.034 \muGauss in the largest radio emitting region. The ratio of cosmic-ray electron energy density to magnetic field energy density, ~2.5x10^4, is significantly out of equipartition and is therefore atypical of radio lobes. In addition, the group's small size and low non-thermal energy density strongly contradicts the size-energy relationship found for radio lobes. Thus, it is unlikely to the related to the active galaxy and is most likely a relic of the merger. The energy in cosmic-rays and magnetic field is consistent with simulations of cosmic-ray acceleration by merger shocks.Comment: 17 pages, including 4 figures and 2 table

A Soft X-ray Component in the Abell 754 Cluster

We have analyzed the Chandra, BeppoSax, and ROSAT observations of Abell 754 and report evidence of a soft, diffuse X-ray component. The emission is peaked in the cluster center and is detected out to 8' from the X-ray center. Fitting a thermal model to the combined BeppoSax and PSPC spectra show excess emission below 1 keV in the PSPC and above 100 keV in the BeppoSax PDS. The source 26W20 is in the field of view of the PDS. The addition of a powerlaw with the spectral parameters measured by Silverman et al. (1998) for 26W20 successfully models the hard component in the PDS. The remaining excess soft emission can be modeled by either a low temperature, 0.75 - 1.03 keV component, or by a powerlaw with a steep spectral index, 2.3. Addition of a second thermal component model provides a much better fit to the data than does the addition of a non-thermal component. The Chandra temperature map does not show any region cooler than 6.9 keV within the region where the cool component was detected. Simulations of the emission from embedded groups were performed and compared with the Chandra temperature map which show groups are a plausible source of ~1 keV emission. The cool component is centrally peaked in the cluster and the gas density and temperature are relatively high arguing against the WHIM as the source of the X-ray emission. X-ray emission from elliptical galaxies is not high enough to provide the total cool component luminosity, 7.0x10^43 ergs s^-1. The peak of the cool component is located between the low frequency radio halos arguing against a non-thermal interpretation for the emission. We conclude that emission from embedded groups is the most likely origin of the cool component in Abell 754.Comment: Submitted to Ap

A BeppoSAX Observation of the IC1262 Galaxy Cluster

We present an analysis of BeppoSAX observations of the IC1262 galaxy cluster and report the first temperature and abundance measurements, along with preliminary indications of diffuse, nonthermal emission. By fitting a 6' (~360 h_50^-1 kpc) region with a single Mewe-Kaastra-Liedahl model with photoelectric absorption, we find a temperature of 2.1 - 2.3 keV, and abundance of 0.45 - 0.77 (both 90% confidence). We find the addition of a power-law component provides a statistically significant improvement (F-test = 90%) to the fit. The addition of a second thermal component also improves the fit but we argue that it is physically implausible. The power-law component has a photon index (Gamma_X) of 0.4 - 2.8 and a nonthermal flux of (4.1 - 56.7) x 10-5 photons cm^-2 s^-1 over the 1.5 - 10.5 keV range in the Medium Energy Concentrator spectrometer detector. An unidentified X-ray source found in the ROSAT High Resolution Imager observation (~0'.9 from the center of the cluster) is a possible explanation for the nonthermal flux; however, additional evidence of diffuse, nonthermal emission comes from the NRAO VLA Sky Survey and the Westerbork Northern Sky Survey radio measurements, in which excess diffuse, radio flux is observed after point-source subtraction. The radio excess can be fitted to a simple power law with a spectral index of ~1.8, which is consistent with the nonthermal X-ray emission spectral index. The steep spectrum is typical of diffuse emission and the size of the radio source implies that it is larger than the cD galaxy and not due to a discreet source

Chandra Observations of the A3266 Galaxy Cluster Merger

Analysis of a 30,000 s X-ray observation of the Abell 3266 galaxy cluster with the ACIS on board the Chandra Observatory has produced several new insights into the cluster merger. The intracluster medium has a non-monotonically decreasing radial abundance profile. We argue that the most plausible origin for the abundance enhancement is unmixed, high abundance subcluster gas from the merger. The enrichment consists of two stages: off-center deposition of a higher abundance material during a subcluster merger followed by a strong, localized intracluster wind that acts to drive out the light elements, producing the observed abundance enhancement. The wind is needed to account for both an increase in the heavy element abundance and the lack of an enhancement in the gas density. Dynamical evidence for the wind includes: (1) a large scale, low surface brightness feature perpendicular to the merger axis that appears to be an asymmetric pattern of gas flow to the northwest, away from the center of the main cluster, (2) compressed gas in the opposite direction (toward the cluster center), and (3), the hottest regions visible in the temperature map coincide with the proposed merger geometry and the resultant gas flow. The Chandra data for the central region of the main cluster shows a slightly cooler, filamentary region that is centered on the central cD galaxy and is aligned with the merger axis directly linking the dynamical state of the cD to the merger. Overall, the high spectral/spatial resolution Chandra observations support our earlier hypothesis (Henriksen, Donnelly, & Davis 1999) that we are viewing a minor merger in the plane of the sky.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. 13 pages, 4 tables, 11 figure

In Vitro–expanded Antigen-specific Regulatory T Cells Suppress Autoimmune Diabetes

The low number of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), their anergic phenotype, and diverse antigen specificity present major challenges to harnessing this potent tolerogenic population to treat autoimmunity and transplant rejection. In this study, we describe a robust method to expand antigen-specific Tregs from autoimmune-prone nonobese diabetic mice. Purified CD4+ CD25+ Tregs were expanded up to 200-fold in less than 2 wk in vitro using a combination of anti-CD3, anti-CD28, and interleukin 2. The expanded Tregs express a classical cell surface phenotype and function both in vitro and in vivo to suppress effector T cell functions. Most significantly, small numbers of antigen-specific Tregs can reverse diabetes after disease onset, suggesting a novel approach to cellular immunotherapy for autoimmunity