Magnetorotational instability in galaxy clusters: looking forward to ATHENA
Abstract
Clusters of galaxies are embedded in halos of weakly magnetized plasma at the system's virial temperature. Though mainly pressure supported,such intracluster medium (ICM) might rotate significantly. Currentlyavailable measures of X-ray emission lines, X-ray isophote flatteningand hydrostatic mass bias leave ample room for rotational motions. If the ICM rotates significantly, its stability properties aresubstantially modified and, in particular, the magnetorotationalinstability (MRI) can play an important role. We present simplemodels of rotating cool-core clusters and we demonstrate that the MRIcan be the dominant instability over significant portions of theclusters, with possible implications for the dynamics of the coolcores. The direct measures of the ICM rotation that will be obtainedwith ATHENA will allow us to gauge the importance of the MRI for theevolution of galaxy clusters.
- Publication:
-
Exploring the Hot and Energetic Universe: The first scientific conference dedicated to the Athena X-ray observatory
- Pub Date:
- September 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015eheu.conf...42N