The Properties of Cold Clouds in Cooling Flows

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

36

Scientific paper

We discuss the properties of the large masses of cold gas found in the central regions of cooling flow clusters via X-ray absorption, and explore some consequences of inefficient star formation in cooling flows. The X-ray-absorbing cold gas must be in the form of small, cold, pressure-confined clouds, whIch are supported against infall in the cluster potential by the hot, X-ray-emitting gas ad approximately comove with it. Magnetic fields are important in supporting ad containing the clouds. Cold gas deposited at large radii in the cooling flow may simply accumulate and have negligible star formation; the inner regions of the cooling flow accumulate dynamically dominant masses of cold gas on a short time-scale and some gas-removal process must be operating. We show that the constraints placed by observational detections and limits of H I ad CO in some flows leave little room there for widespread cold gas in a form which is either atomic or similar to Galactic molecular clouds. Ongoing cluster mergers, or stirring produced by a intermittent central radio source, disrupt accumulated cold clouds in the core of a flow and release enough kinetic or thermal energy via cloud collisions or mixing layers to power transiently the optical emission-line nebulosity around central cluster galaxies. The large masses of disordered clumpy, turbulent atomic gas observed near the centre of the Perseus cluster via 21-cm absorption have probably been stirred up by such an event in the past few billion years.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

The Properties of Cold Clouds in Cooling Flows 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 Properties of Cold Clouds in Cooling Flows, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Properties of Cold Clouds in Cooling Flows will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1505493

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.