Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Feb 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996rftu.proc..381i&link_type=abstract
International Conference on X-ray Astronomy and Astrophysics: Röntgenstrahlung from the Universe, p. 381 - 382
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Elliptical Galaxies: Virgo, Elliptical Galaxies: Interacting Galaxies, Elliptical Galaxies: X-Ray Spectra, Elliptical Galaxies: Morphology
Scientific paper
The authors present spatial and spectral X-ray analyses of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4472, the brightest galaxy in the Virgo cluster. This galaxy is believed to be interacting with the dwarf irregular galaxy UGC 7636. A cloud of neutral hydrogen was discovered southeast of NGC 4472 (Kumar and Thonnard 1983). The cloud is located midway between the two galaxies and appears to have been removed from the irregular through interaction with NGC 4472 (Sancisi et al. 1987). The authors find evidence for an X-ray "hole" at the position of the cloud with the ROSAT HRI, significant at the 3.5σ level. Although a similar feature was not found in the full bandwidth image of the PSPC, a soft-band PSPC image of the region also shows a hole significant at the 2.3σ level. The X-ray contours of NGC 4472 are elongated in the NE-SW direction, perhaps as a result of motion through the Virgo intracluster gas. A bow shock structure is evident on the galaxy's north side. The temperature at a given radius in this bow shock region is slightly higher than the temperature at the same radius on the galaxy's south side. The surface brightness profile of NGC 4472 can be detected out to a radius of 263 kpc. Beyond this distance the authors find evidence for emission from both the Virgo cluster and the North Polar Spur (believed to be the rim of a hot galactic superbubble). Finally they calculate gas and gravitational masses from the region of the galaxy undisturbed by the bow shock.
Irwin Jimmy A.
Sarazin Craig L.
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