2004ApJ...613..238B -
Astrophys. J., 613, 238-246 (2004/September-3)
Hot gas structure in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472.
BILLER B.A., JONES C., FORMAN W.R., KRAFT R. and ENSSLIN T.
Abstract (from CDS):
We present X-ray spectroscopic and morphological analyses using Chandra ACIS and ROSAT observations of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4472 in the Virgo Cluster. We discuss previously unobserved X-ray structures within the extended galactic corona. In the inner 2' of the galaxy, we find X-ray holes or cavities with radii of ∼2 kpc, corresponding to the position of radio lobes. These holes were produced during a period of nuclear activity that began 1.2x107 yr ago and may be ongoing. We also find an asymmetrical edge in the galaxy X-ray emission 3' (14 kpc) northeast of the core and an ∼8' tail (36 kpc) extending southwest of the galaxy. These two features probably result from the interaction of NGC 4472 gas with the Virgo gas, which produces compression in the direction of NGC 4472's infall and an extended tail from ram pressure stripping. Assuming that the tail is in pressure equilibrium with the surrounding gas, we compute its angle to our line of sight and estimate that its true extent exceeds 100 kpc. Finally, in addition to emission from the nucleus (first detected by Soldatenkov, Vikhlinin, and Pavlinsky), we detect two small extended sources within 10" of the nucleus of the galaxy, both of which have luminosities of ∼7x1038 ergs/s.
Abstract Copyright:
∼
Journal keyword(s):
Galaxies: Elliptical and Lenticular, cD - Galaxies: Individual: NGC Number: NGC 4472 - X-Rays: Galaxies
Nomenclature:
Table 2: [BJF2004] JHHMMSS.sss+DDMMSS.ss N=2.
Simbad objects:
18
Full paper
View the references in ADS
To bookmark this query, right click on this link: simbad:2004ApJ...613..238B and select 'bookmark this link' or equivalent in the popup menu