X-ray (ASCA) measurements of elliptical galaxies
Abstract
Mainly using the X-ray observatory ASCA, studies have been made on the gravitational potential distribution from local vicinities of luminous elliptical galaxies out to the scale of clusters in which they reside. Evidences have been obtained for clustering of X-ray emitting hot gas on two distinct spatial scales, namely on the galaxy scale and on the cluster scale. Such examples include NGC 4472 in the Virgo cluster, NGC 4696 in the Centaurus cluster, and NGC 1399 in the Fornax cluster. At least in the Fornax/NGC 1399 case, it has further been revealed that the observed hierarchical gas clustering is a direct consequence of a hierarchical structure in the gravitational potential, hence in the dark matter distribution.
- Publication:
-
Dark Matter
- Pub Date:
- July 1995
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.48311
- Bibcode:
- 1995AIPC..336..172M
- Keywords:
-
- 95.35.+d;
- 95.85.Nv;
- 98.52.Eh;
- 98.62.Ck;
- Dark matter;
- X-ray;
- Elliptical galaxies;
- Masses and mass distribution