The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278)

Details The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278) The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278)

Dec 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995apj...454l.101c&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal Letters v.454, p.L101

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

4

Galaxies: Active, Galaxies: Interactions, Galaxies: Ism

Scientific paper

Deep ROSAT HRI (High-Resolution Imager) imaging of the X-ray--emitting gas associated with the colliding elliptical galaxy pair NGC 4782/4783 reveals for the first time the complexity of the hot gas distribution in a pair of close interacting galaxies. The HRI image of NGC 4782/4783 shows hot gas around each galaxy, a high surface brightness X-ray bridge connecting the galaxy pair, tidal-like tails emerging from the two galaxies, and a sheet of gas at the interaction interface between the two galaxies. The hot gas distributions do not peak at the optical centers of the galaxies but are displaced in the same sense as the tidal distensions seen in the optical luminosity distributions. All of these remarkable features show the complexity of structure that develops in the hot gas distribution when both hydrodynamical and tidal forces come into play during collisions between ellipticals with hot gas components. Models by Borne and Colina of the bent two-sided radio jet 3C 278 (associated with NGC 4782) indicated that there must be a strong interaction between the hot gas components of NGC 4782/4783 and that the deflection of the radio jets is likely caused by the ram pressure exerted on the jet plasma by the hot gas associated with the passing companion NGC 4783. These conclusions are qualitatively confirmed by the HRI image and substantiate the major role played by the hot interstellar medium, and its asymmetries, in the propagation and entrainment of radio jets in colliding radio host ellipticals.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278) does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278), we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Unusal X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278) will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1258019