arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 0904.2569astro-ph.COastro-ph.HE
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深钱德拉观测揭示的NGC4636异常X射线形态:过去AGN爆发产生的空洞和冲击

The unusual X-ray morphology of NGC4636 revealed by deep Chandra observations: cavities and shocks created by past AGN outbursts

A. Baldi, W. Forman, C. Jones, R. Kraft, P. Nulsen, E. Churazov, L. David, S. Giacintucci

摘要:

本文介绍了位于室女星系团外围的X射线发光椭圆星系NGC 4636的Chandra ACIS-I和ACIS-S观测结果(共约200千秒)。软带(0.5-2 keV)图像显示,在中心存在一个明亮的核心,周围是一个扩展的X射线日冕和两个明显的准对称,8 kpc长,臂状特征。这些特征中的每一个限定椭圆形泡的边缘。一个额外的气泡状特征,其北部边缘位于东北臂以南约2千秒差距,也被检测到。我们目前的表面亮度和温度分布在整个边缘的气泡,表明它们的边缘是尖锐的,其特征在于约20- 25%的温度跳跃。通过与理论激波模型的比较,我们证明了一个方案,其中气泡产生的冲击,可能是由能量沉积的偏离中心的射流驱动,是最可行的解释观察到的X射线形态的中心部分的NGC 4636。作为对这种情况的确认,射电喷流延伸到泡沫和一个中心弱X射线和射电源被检测到,最有可能是活动星系核活动的迹象,这是在过去更强烈。在NGC 4636的中心观察到一个明亮的致密核,半径约为1 kpc。观察到从核心到周围气体的表面亮度急剧下降,并且不伴随温度的变化,因此不可能处于热压平衡。然而,如果射电喷流是热压力的平衡因素,或者明亮的核心是由陡峭的丰度梯度产生的,那么明亮的核心可能是一个长期存在的特征。

英文摘要:

We present Chandra ACIS-I and ACIS-S observations (~200ks in total) of the X-ray luminous elliptical galaxy NGC4636, located in the outskirts of the Virgo cluster. A soft band (0.5-2 keV) image shows the presence of a bright core in the center surrounded by an extended X-ray corona and two pronounced quasi-symmetric, 8 kpc long, arm-like features. Each of this features defines the rim of an ellipsoidal bubble. An additional bubble-like feature, whose northern rim is located ~2 kpc south of the north-eastern arm, is detected as well. We present surface brightness and temperature profiles across the rims of the bubbles, showing that their edges are sharp and characterized by temperature jumps of about 20-25%. Through a comparison of the observed profiles with theoretical shock models, we demonstrate that a scenario where the bubbles were produced by shocks, probably driven by energy deposited off-center by jets, is the most viable explanation to the X-ray morphology observed in the central part of NGC4636. As a confirmation to this scenario, radio jets extending towards the bubbles and a central weak X-ray and radio source are detected and are most likely the signs of AGN activity which was more intense in the past. A bright dense core of ~1 kpc radius is observed at the center of NGC4636. A sharp decline in surface brightness from the core to the ambient gas is observed and is not accompanied by a variation in the temperature and thus could not be in thermal pressure equilibrium. However the bright core could be a long lived feature if the radio jets are acting as a balancing factor to thermal pressure or if the bright core is produced by steep abundance gradients.

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