A Chandra archival study of the temperature and metal abundance profiles in hot Galaxy Clusters at 0.1 < z < 0.3

We present the analysis of the temperature and metallicity profiles of 12 galaxy clusters in the redshift range 0.1--0.3 selected from the Chandra archive with at least ~20,000 net ACIS counts and kT>6 keV. We divide the sample between 7 Cooling-Core (CC) and 5 Non-Cooling-Core (NCC) clusters according to their central cooling time. We find that single power-laws can describe properly both the temperature and metallicity profiles at radii larger than 0.1 r_180 in both CC and NCC systems, showing the NCC objects steeper profiles outwards. A significant deviation is only present in the inner 0.1 r_180. We perform a comparison of our sample with the De Grandi & Molendi BeppoSAX sample of local CC and NCC clusters, finding a complete agreement in the CC cluster profile and a marginally higher value (at ~1sigma) in the inner regions of the NCC clusters. The slope of the power-law describing kT(r) within 0.1 r_180 correlates strongly with the ratio between the cooling time and the age of the Universe at the cluster redshift, being the slope >0 and tau_c/tau_age<=0.6 in CC systems.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication by the Astrophysical Journa

Intracluster Comptonization of the CMB: Mean Spectral Distrortion and Cluster Number Counts

The mean sky-averaged Comptonization parameter, y, describing the scattering of the CMB by hot gas in clusters of galaxies is calculated in an array of flat and open cosmological and dark matter models. The models are globally normalized to fit cluster X-ray data, and intracluster gas is assumed to have evolved in a manner consistent with current observations. We predict values of y lower than the COBE/FIRAS upper limit. The corresponding values of the overall optical thickness to Compton scattering are < 10^{-4} for relevant parameter values. Of more practical importance are number counts of clusters across which a net flux (with respect to the CMB) higher than some limiting value can be detected. Such number counts are specifically predicted for the COBRAS/SAMBA and BOOMERANG missions.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, 11 PostScript figures, 5 PostScript tables, to appear in Ap

1WGAJ1226.9+3332: a high redshift cluster discovered by Chandra

We report the detection of 1WGAJ1226.9+3332 as an arcminute scale extended X-ray source with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The Chandra observation and R and K band imaging strongly support the identification of 1WGAJ1226.9+3332 as a high redshift cluster of galaxies, most probably at z=0.85 +- 0.15, with an inferred temperature kT =10 (+4;-3) keV and an unabsorbed luminosity (in a r=120" aperture) of 1.3 (+0.16;-0.14) x 1e45 erg/s (0.5-10 keV). This indication of redshift is also supported by the K and R band imaging, and is in agreement with the spectroscopic redshift of 0.89 found by Ebeling et al. (2001). The surface brightness profile is consistent with a beta-model with beta=0.770 +- 0.025, rc=(18.1 +-0.9)" (corresponding to 101 +- 5 kpc at z=0.89), and S(0)=1.02 +- 0.08 counts/arcsec**2. 1WGAJ1226.9+3332 was selected as an extreme X-ray loud source with FX/FV>60; this selection method, thanks to the large area sampled, seems to be a highly efficient method for finding luminous high z clusters of galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in ApJ main journal. Uses emulateapj.st

A2163: Merger events in the hottest Abell galaxy cluster II. Subcluster accretion with galaxy-gas separation

Located at z = 0.203, A2163 is a rich galaxy cluster with an intra-cluster medium (ICM) that exhibits extraordinary properties, including an exceptionally high X-ray luminosity, average temperature, and a powerful and extended radio halo. The irregular and complex morphology of its gas and galaxy structure suggests that this cluster has recently undergone major merger events that involve two or more cluster components. In this paper, we study the gas structure and dynamics by means of spectral-imaging analysis of X-ray data obtained from XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. From the evidence of a cold front, we infer the westward motion of a cool core across the E-W elongated atmosphere of the main cluster A2163-A. Located close to a galaxy over-density, this gas 'bullet' appears to have been spatially separated from its galaxy (and presumably dark matter component) as a result of high-velocity accretion. From gas brightness and temperature profile analysis performed in two opposite regions of the main cluster, we show that the ICM has been adiabatically compressed behind the crossing 'bullet' possibly because of shock heating, leading to a strong departure of the ICM from hydrostatic equilibrium in this region. Assuming that the mass estimated from the Yx proxy best indicates the overall mass of the system and that the western cluster sector is in approximate hydrostatic equilibrium before subcluster accretion, we infer a merger scenario between two subunits of mass ratio 1:4, leading to a present total system mass of M500 $\propto 1.9 \times 1015 M_{\odot}$. The exceptional properties of A2163 present various similarities with those of 1E0657-56, the so-called 'bullet-cluster'. These similarities are likely to be related to a comparable merger scenario.Comment: A&A, in pres

effect of calcipotriol on etanercept partial responder psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis patients

Patients who respond only partially to etanercept may require additional treatments that act synergistically to improve their therapeutic response while at the same time reducing the dose required and the risk of side-effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of topical calcipotriol in etanercept partial responder patients. We enrolled 120 patients affected by psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis. A 50 mg dose of etanercept was administered twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, followed by a 25 mg dose twice weekly for an additional 12 weeks. At week 12, for 45 patients who had not achieved PASI 50, calcipotriol cream was also prescribed twice daily for 4 weeks and then once daily for a further 8 weeks. At week 24, of the 45 patients in the group treated with etanercept plus calcipotriol,14 (31.1%) had achieved PASI 75, and 23 PASI 50, while 8 (17.7%) had dropped out of therapy; of the 75 patients who continued etanercept in monotherapy with a 25 mg dose twice weekly for another 12 weeks, 71 (94.6%) had achieved PASI 50 and 57 (76.0%) PASI 75. The application of calcipotriol in etanercept partial responder patients had therefore helped 37 out of 120 patients (31 %) achieve at least PASI 50. This is the first report about the controlled combination of topical calcipotriol and etanercept in a large group of psoriatic patients. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the combined treatment is evidenced by the good response shown at week 24 by a group of etanercept low-responder patients using drugs sparingly and limiting likely toxicity

An X-ray and optical study of the cluster A33

We report the first detailed X-ray and optical observations of the medium-distant cluster A33 obtained with the Beppo-SAX satellite and with the UH 2.2m and Keck II telescopes at Mauna Kea. The information deduced from X-ray and optical imaging and spectroscopic data allowed us to identify the X-ray source 1SAXJ0027.2-1930 as the X-ray counterpart of the A33 cluster. The faint, F_{2-10 keV} \approx 2.4 \times 10^{-13} \ergscm2, X-ray source 1SAXJ0027.2-1930, $\sim 2$ arcmin away from the optical position of the cluster as given in the Abell catalogue, is identified with the central region of A33. Based on six cluster galaxy redshifts, we determine the redshift of A33, $z=0.2409$; this is lower than the value derived by Leir and Van Den Bergh (1977). The source X-ray luminosity, L_{2-10 keV} = 7.7 \times 10^{43} \ergs, and intracluster gas temperature, $T = 2.9$ keV, make this cluster interesting for cosmological studies of the cluster $L_X-T$ relation at intermediate redshifts. Two other X-ray sources in the A33 field are identified. An AGN at z$=$0.2274, and an M-type star, whose emission are blended to form an extended X-ray emission $\sim 4$ arcmin north of the A33 cluster. A third possibly point-like X-ray source detected $\sim 3$ arcmin north-west of A33 lies close to a spiral galaxy at z$=$0.2863 and to an elliptical galaxy at the same redshift as the cluster.Comment: 9 pages, 6 Figures, Latex (using psfig,l-aa), to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics S. (To get better quality copies of Figs.1-3 send an email to: [email protected]). A&AS, in pres

Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters: X-ray scaling relations and their evolution

We analyse cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters to study the X-ray scaling relations between total masses and observable quantities such as X-ray luminosity, gas mass, X-ray temperature, and $Y_{X}$. Three sets of simulations are performed with an improved version of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics GADGET-3 code. These consider the following: non-radiative gas, star formation and stellar feedback, and the addition of feedback by active galactic nuclei (AGN). We select clusters with $M_{500} > 10^{14} M_{\odot} E(z)^{-1}$, mimicking the typical selection of Sunyaev-Zeldovich samples. This permits to have a mass range large enough to enable robust fitting of the relations even at $z \sim 2$. The results of the analysis show a general agreement with observations. The values of the slope of the mass-gas mass and mass-temperature relations at $z=2$ are 10 per cent lower with respect to $z=0$ due to the applied mass selection, in the former case, and to the effect of early merger in the latter. We investigate the impact of the slope variation on the study of the evolution of the normalization. We conclude that cosmological studies through scaling relations should be limited to the redshift range $z=0-1$, where we find that the slope, the scatter, and the covariance matrix of the relations are stable. The scaling between mass and $Y_X$ is confirmed to be the most robust relation, being almost independent of the gas physics. At higher redshifts, the scaling relations are sensitive to the inclusion of AGNs which influences low-mass systems. The detailed study of these objects will be crucial to evaluate the AGN effect on the ICM.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables, replaced to match accepted versio

XMM-Newton view of MS0735+7421: the most energetic AGN outburst in a galaxy cluster

We discuss the possible cosmological effects of powerful AGN outbursts in galaxy clusters by starting from the results of an XMM-Newton observation of the supercavity cluster MS0735+7421.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of "Heating vs. Cooling in Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies", August 2006, Garching (Germany