Calibrating AGN Feedback in Clusters
Abstract
Whether caused by AGN jets, shocks, or mergers, the most definitive evidence for heating in cluster cores comes from X-ray spectroscopy. Unfortunately such spectra are essentially limited to studying the emission spectrum from the cluster as a whole. However since the same underlying emission measure distribution produces both the observed CCD and RGS spectra, X-ray imaging can still provide spatial information on the heating process. Using Chandra archival data for a sample of 9 clusters, we demonstrate how imaging data can be used to constrain departures from a canonical, isobaric cooling flow model as a function of position in a given cluster. The results of this analysis are also shown for the deep archival exposure of the Perseus cluster. Such ``heating maps'' can provide constraints on both the location and magnitude of the heating in the cores of clusters. When combined with detections and spectral index maps from low-frequency radio observations, these maps can be used to distinguish between different models for heating in these objects.
- Publication:
-
The Monster's Fiery Breath: Feedback in Galaxies, Groups, and Clusters
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3293067
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0910.5091
- Bibcode:
- 2009AIPC.1201..326W
- Keywords:
-
- galactic nuclei;
- jets;
- X-ray spectroscopy;
- charge-coupled devices;
- 98.62.Js;
- 98.62.Nx;
- 95.85.Nv;
- 95.55.Aq;
- Galactic nuclei circumnuclear matter and bulges;
- Jets and bursts;
- galactic winds and fountains;
- X-ray;
- Charge-coupled devices image detectors and IR detector arrays;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 2 figures