Evidence for an X-Ray to Gamma-Ray Virial Shock Signal from the Coma Cluster
Abstract
Following evidence for an east-west elongated virial ring around the Coma galaxy cluster in a ∼220 GeV VERITAS mosaic, we search for corresponding signatures in >GeV γ-rays from Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT), and in soft, ∼0.1 keV X-rays from ROSAT. For the ring elongation and orientation inferred from VERITAS, we find a nominal 3.4σ LAT excess, and the expected signature (> 5σ ) in ROSAT bands R1 and R1+R2. The significances of both LAT and ROSAT signals are maximal near the VERITAS ring parameters. The intensities of the ROSAT, Fermi, and VERITAS signals are consistent with the virial shock depositing ∼ 0.3 % (with an uncertainty factor of ∼3) of its energy over a Hubble time in a nearly flat, p\equiv -d{ln}{N}e/d{ln}E≃ 2.0{--}2.2 spectrum of cosmic-ray electrons. The sharp radial profiles of the LAT and ROSAT signals suggest preferential accretion in the plane of the sky, as indicated by the distribution of neighboring large-scale structures. The X-ray signal gauges the compression of cosmic-rays as they are advected deeper into the cluster.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-4357/aaeb1d
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1709.07442
- Bibcode:
- 2018ApJ...869...53K
- Keywords:
-
- acceleration of particles;
- galaxies: clusters: individual: Coma;
- gamma rays: galaxies: clusters;
- X-rays: galaxies: clusters;
- shock waves;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 14 pages, 13 figures, comments welcome