Fast simulations of gas sloshing and cold front formation

We present a simplified and fast method for simulating minor mergers between galaxy clusters. Instead of following the evolution of the dark matter halos directly by the N-body method, we employ a rigid potential approximation for both clusters. The simulations are run in the rest frame of the more massive cluster and account for the resulting inertial accelerations in an optimised way. We test the reliability of this method for studies of minor merger induced gas sloshing by performing a one-to-one comparison between our simulations and hydro+N-body ones. We find that the rigid potential approximation reproduces the sloshing-related features well except for two artefacts: the temperature just outside the cold fronts is slightly over-predicted, and the outward motion of the cold fronts is delayed by typically 200 Myr. We discuss reasons for both artefacts.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures. Accepted by MNRA

The role of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ram pressure stripped disk galaxies

Ram pressure stripping, i.e. the removal of a galaxy's gas disk due to its motion through the intracluster medium of a galaxy cluster, appears to be a common phenomenon. Not every galaxy, however, is completely stripped of its gas disk. If the ram pressure is insufficiently strong, only the outer parts of the gas disk are removed, and the inner gas disk is retained by the galaxy. One example of such a case is the Virgo spiral NGC 4402. Observations of NGC 4402 (Crowl et al. 2005) reveal structures at the leading edge of the gas disk, which resemble the characteristic finger-like structures produced by the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. We argue, however, that the RT instability is unlikely to be responsible for these structures. We demonstrate that the conditions under which a galaxy's disk gas experiences ram pressure stripping are identical to those that lead to RT instability. If the galaxy's gravity prevents ram pressure stripping of the inner disk, it also prevents the RT instability. In contrast, the stripped gas could still be subject to RT instability, and we discuss consequences for the stripped gas.Comment: accepted by A&

Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities at the sloshing cold fronts in the Virgo cluster as a measure for the effective ICM viscosity

Sloshing cold fronts (CFs) arise from minor merger triggered gas sloshing. Their detailed structure depends on the properties of the intra-cluster medium (ICM): hydrodynamical simulations predict the CFs to be distorted by Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHIs), but aligned magnetic fields, viscosity, or thermal conduction can suppress the KHIs. Thus, observing the detailed structure of sloshing CFs can be used to constrain these ICM properties. Both smooth and distorted sloshing CFs have been observed, indicating that the KHI is suppressed in some clusters, but not in all. Consequently, we need to address at least some sloshing clusters individually before drawing general conclusions about the ICM properties. We present the first detailed attempt to constrain the ICM properties in a specific cluster from the structure of its sloshing CF. Proximity and brightness make the Virgo cluster an ideal target. We combine observations and Virgo-specific hydrodynamical sloshing simulations. Here we focus on a Spitzer-like temperature dependent viscosity as a mechanism to suppress the KHI, but discuss the alternative mechanisms in detail. We identify the CF at 90 kpc north and north-east of the Virgo center as the best location in the cluster to observe a possible KHI suppression. For viscosities $\gtrsim$ 10% of the Spitzer value KHIs at this CF are suppressed. We describe in detail the observable signatures at low and high viscosities, i.e. in the presence or absence of KHIs. We find indications for a low ICM viscosity in archival XMM-Newton data and demonstrate the detectability of the predicted features in deep Chandra observations.Comment: Accepted for ApJ; 15 pages, 11 figures. A movie can be found here: http://www.hs.uni-hamburg.de/DE/Ins/Per/Roediger/research.html#Virgo-viscou

Shock heating by FR I radio sources in galaxy clusters

Feedback by active galactic nuclei (AGN) is frequently invoked to explain the cut-off of the galaxy luminosity function at the bright end and the absence of cooling flows in galaxy clusters. Meanwhile, there are recent observations of shock fronts around radio-loud AGN. Using realistic 3D simulations of jets in a galaxy cluster, we address the question what fraction of the energy of active galactic nuclei is dissipated in shocks. We find that weak shocks that encompass the AGN have Mach numbers of 1.1-1.2 and dissipate at least 2% of the mechanical luminosity of the AGN. In a realistic cluster medium, even a continuous jet can lead to multiple shock structures, which may lead to an overestimate of the AGN duty cycles inferred from the spatial distribution of waves.Comment: accepted by MNRAS Letter

Ram pressure stripping of disk galaxies

(Abridged) We perform high resolution 2D hydrodynamical simulations of face-on ram pressure stripping (RPS) of disk galaxies to compile a comprehensive parameter study varying galaxy properties (mass, vertical structure of the gas disk) and covering a large range of ICM conditions, reaching from high density environments like in cluster centres to low density environments typical for cluster outskirts or groups. We find that the ICM-ISM interaction proceeds in three phases: firstly the instantaneous stripping phase, secondly the dynamic intermediate phase, thirdly the quasi-stable continuous viscous stripping phase. The stripping efficiency depends slightly on the Mach number of the flow, however, the main parameter is the ram pressure. The stripping efficiency does not depend on the vertical structure and thickness of the gas disk. We discuss uncertainties in the classic estimate of the stripping radius of \citet{gunn72}, and adapt the estimate used by \cite{mori00} for spherical galaxies, (comparison of central pressure with ram pressure). We find that the latter estimate predicts the radius and mass of the gas disk remaining at the end of the second phase very well, and better than the \citet{gunn72} criterion. From our simulations we conclude that gas disks of galaxies in high density environments are heavily truncated or even completely stripped, but also the gas disks of galaxies in low density environments are disturbed by the flow and back-falling material, so that they should also be pre-processed.Comment: 25 pages, 32 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, high resolution version at http://www.astrophysik.uni-kiel.de/~eroediger/publications.htm

Star formation in shocked cluster spirals and their tails

Recent observations of ram pressure stripped spiral galaxies in clusters revealed details of the stripping process, i.e., the truncation of all interstellar medium (ISM) phases and of star formation (SF) in the disk, and multiphase star-forming tails. Some stripped galaxies, in particular in merging clusters, develop spectacular star-forming tails, giving them a jellyfish-like appearance. In merging clusters, merger shocks in the intra-cluster medium (ICM) are thought to have overrun these galaxies, enhancing the ambient ICM pressure and thus triggering SF, gas stripping and tail formation. We present idealised hydrodynamical simulations of this scenario, including standard descriptions for SF and stellar feedback. To aid the interpretation of recent and upcoming observations, we focus on particular structures and dynamics in SF patterns in the remaining gas disk and in the near tails, which are easiest to observe. The observed jellyfish morphology is qualitatively reproduced for, both, face-on and edge-on stripping. In edge-on stripping, the interplay between the ICM wind and the disk rotation leads to asymmetries along the ICM wind direction and perpendicular to it. The apparent tail is still part of a highly deformed gaseous and young stellar disk. In both geometries, SF takes place in knots throughout the tail, such that the stars in the tails show no ordered age gradients. Significant SF enhancement in the disk occurs only at radii where the gas will be stripped in due course.Comment: 6 pages, submitted to MNRAS Letter

Viscous Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in highly ionised plasmas

Transport coefficients in highly ionised plasmas like the intra-cluster medium (ICM) are still ill-constrained. They influence various processes, among them the mixing at shear flow interfaces due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The observed structure of potential mixing layers can be used to infer the transport coefficients, but the data interpretation requires a detailed knowledge of the long-term evolution of the KHI under different conditions. Here we present the first systematic numerical study of the effect of constant and temperature-dependent isotropic viscosity over the full range of possible values. We show that moderate viscosities slow down the growth of the KHI and reduce the height of the KHI rolls and their rolling-up. Viscosities above a critical value suppress the KHI. The effect can be quantified in terms of the Reynolds number Re = U{\lambda}/{\nu}, where U is the shear velocity, {\lambda} the perturbation length, and {\nu} the kinematic viscosity. We derive the critical Re for constant and temperature dependent, Spitzer-like viscosities, an empirical relation for the viscous KHI growth time as a function of Re and density contrast, and describe special behaviours for Spitzer-like viscosities and high density contrasts. Finally, we briefly discuss several astrophysical situations where the viscous KHI could play a role, i.e., sloshing cold fronts, gas stripping from galaxies, buoyant cavities, ICM turbulence, and high velocity clouds.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. 22 pages, 21 figure

Stripped elliptical galaxies as probes of ICM physics: I. Tails, wakes, and flow patterns in and around stripped ellipticals

Elliptical cluster galaxies are progressively stripped of their atmospheres due to their motion through the intra-cluster medium (ICM). Deep X-ray observations reveal the fine-structure of the galaxy's remnant atmosphere and its gas tail and wake. This fine-structure depends on dynamic conditions (galaxy potential, initial gas contents, orbit through the host cluster), orbital stage (early infall, pre-/post-pericenter passage), and ICM plasma properties (thermal conductivity, viscosity, magnetic field structure). We aim to disentangle dynamic and plasma effects in order to use stripped ellipticals as probes of ICM plasma properties. This first paper of a series investigates the hydrodynamics of progressive gas stripping by means of inviscid hydrodynamical simulations. We distinguish a long-lasting initial relaxation phase and a quasi-steady stripping phase. During quasi-steady stripping, the ICM flow around the remnant atmosphere resembles the flow around solid bodies, including a `deadwater' region in the near wake. Gas is stripped from the remnant atmosphere predominantly at its sides via Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. The downstream atmosphere is largely shielded from the ICM wind and thus shaped into a tail. Observationally, both, this `remnant tail' and the stripped gas in the wake can appear as a `tail', but only in the wake can galactic gas mix with the ambient ICM. While the qualitative results are generic, the simulations presented here are tailored to the Virgo elliptical galaxy M89 (NGC 4552) for the most direct comparison to observations. Papers II and III of this series describe the effect of viscosity and compare to Chandra and XMM-Newton observations, respectively.Comment: ApJ, in press. 19 pages, 13 figures. Clarifications added, text restructured. Conclusions unchange