Chandra Observations of the Massive Cluster MS2137.3-2353
Abstract
We report on a Chandra observation of the massive, medium redshift (z=0.313) cooling flow cluster MS2137.3-2353. MS2137.3-2353 was observed by Chandra using the ACIS-S for 43.6 ksec in order to search for evidence of accumulated cooled material from the purportedly large (mdotX ~1400 msunyr) cooling flow. We confirm the presence of a steep temperature gradient in the central 240 kpc of the cluster. The temperature drops from an ambient value of ~7.0 keV at the cooling radius to a central value of ~3.5 keV. The ACIS spectra are best fit by a cooling flow model only in the cluster core with a total mass accretion rate of mdotX ~300 msunyr. This value is a factor of ~7 below the value of 1400 msunyr reported by previous ASCA and ROSAT analyses. At larger radii, a single temperature thermal model provides an excellent fit. The spatially resolved spectra show some evidence for increased absorption relative to the Galactic value as a function of decreasing projected radius in the cluster. The measured level of Delta NH(r) is, however, less than implied by the measured mdotX(r). We find no reliable evidence for an absorption edge in the ACIS PHA spectrum consistent with redshifted O K associated with accumulated cooled material. 2-D maps of the temperature, abundance, and absorbing columns are presented. In addition, MS2137.3-2353 has been studied extensively with HST due to the presence of strong radial arcs presumably produced by gravitational lensing. Such radial arcs are consistent with very small core radii (rc <~ 50 h-150 kpc) in the underlying dark matter distribution and suggest that MS2137.3-2353 is likely a relaxed cluster. Comparisons between the X-ray derived mass from Chandra and previous estimates based on gravitational lensing show good agreement.
- Publication:
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Two Years of Science with Chandra
- Pub Date:
- September 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001tysc.confE.217W
- Keywords:
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- CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES