Seeing the Invisible. Dark x Baryonic Matter Detachment in Abell 2744
Abstract
Vigorous cluster mergers provide a unique opportunity to directly "see" dark matter and to probe its properties through the analysis of the segregation of the baryonic and non-baryonic components. This is accomplished through detailed comparison of the mass distributions as traced by X-ray emitting gas and by gravitational lensing. This condition is rare and very few cluster have met good observational conditions for such analysis so far. This multi-wavelength analysis has the potential confront alternative gravity models such as MOND. Here, we present the preliminary results of a Chandra-HST analysis of the galaxy cluster A2744, a multiple cluster merger with TX > 12 keV, ample evidence of intracluster light and that presents at least 3 instances of matter-DM segregation.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #11
- Pub Date:
- March 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010HEAD...11.3403D