Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007aas...211.9702f&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #211, #97.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.904
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
As part of a larger study to understand the evolution of highly isolated early-type galaxies identified within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we are developing diagnostics for the x-ray morphology of isolated systems. We have analyzed the diffuse x-ray emission of a variety of galactic systems, including 11 Hickson compact groups (HCG), several "fossil groups", isolated early-type systems, and normal S0s, using archival data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. We use the morphology and physical extent of the soft (0.3-2.5 keV) emission, x-ray luminosity, and gas temperature as diagnostics of the dynamical state of these systems. Compact groups contain galaxies within dense galactic environments. Due to their short dynamical timescales, these systems are excellent probes of merging and interaction phenomena, and are possible precursors to fossil groups and highly isolated elliptical galaxies. A hot intergroup medium is not detected in 5 HCGs. The remaining 6 HCGs contain an intergroup medium, which extends beyond the optical extent of individual galaxies and shows significant structure. The x-ray luminosity of the group sample ranges from 6.8 × 1039 to 8 × 1041 ergs/sec, with gas temperatures ranging from 0.62 keV ≤ kT ≤ 1.1 keV. It appears possible that galaxies in a compact groups can merge to form an isolated elliptical. However, isolated elliptical galaxies are not commonly detected possessing a group-like x-ray halo. These data suggest that fossil groups are unlikely to be the remnants of a merged compact group. We acknowledge support from NASA's Astrophysical Data Program; grant #NNG05C53G, the GALEX Guest Investigator program, and a Texas Space Grant Consortium Fellowship
Aars Christian
Fanelli Michael
Fuse Christopher R.
Marcum Pam
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