A Strong Merger Shock in Abell 665

Mar 3, 2016
5 pages
Published in:
  • Astrophys.J.Lett. 820 (2016) 1, L20
  • Published: Mar 17, 2016
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Abstract: (IOP)
Deep (103 ks) Chandra observations of Abell 665 have revealed rich structures in this merging galaxy cluster, including a strong shock and two cold fronts. The newly discovered shock has a Mach number of M = 3.0 ± 0.6, propagating in front of a cold disrupted cloud. This makes Abell 665 the second cluster, after the Bullet cluster, where a strong merger shock of M3M\,\approx \,3 has been detected. The shock velocity from jump conditions is consistent with (2.7 ± 0.7) × 10(3) km s(−)(1). The new data also reveal a prominent southern cold front with potentially heated gas ahead of it. Abell 665 also hosts a giant radio halo. There is a hint of diffuse radio emission extending to the shock at the north, which needs to be examined with better radio data. This new strong shock provides a great opportunity to study the re-acceleration model with the X-ray and radio data combined.
Note:
  • Accepted for publication in ApJL
  • galaxies: clusters: general
  • galaxies: clusters: individual
  • radio continuum: general
  • shock waves
  • X-rays: galaxies: clusters