XMM-Newton and Chandra Observations of the Remarkable Dynamics of the Intracluster Medium and Radio Sources in the Clusters Abell 2061 and 3667

Craig L. Sarazin, University of Virginia
Taylor Hogge, University of Virginia
Marios Chatzikos, University of Kentucky
Daniel R. Wik, Johns Hopkins University
Simon Giacintucci, University of Maryland at College Park
Tracy Clarke, Naval Research Laboratory
Ka-Wah Wong, Minnesota State University Mankato
Myriam Gitti, University of Bologna
Alexis Finoguenov, University of Helsinki

Abstract

XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of remarkable dynamic structures in the X-ray gas and connected radio sources in three clusters are presented. Abell 2061 is a highly irregular, merging cluster in the Corona Borealis supercluster. X-ray observations show that there is a plume of very cool gas (˜1 keV) to the NE of the cluster, and a hot (7.6 keV) shock region just NE of the center. There is a very bright radio relic to the far SW of the cluster, and a central radio halo/relic with an extension to the NE. Comparison to SLAM simulations show that this is an offset merger of a ˜5 × 10^{13} M⊙ subcluster with a ˜2.5 × 10^{14} M⊙ cluster seen after first core passage. The plume is the cool-core gas from the subcluster, which has been ``slingshot'' to the NE of the cluster. The plume gas is now falling back into the cluster center, and shocks when it hits the central gas. The model predicts a strong shock to the SW at the location of the bright radio relic, and another shock at the NE radio extension. Time permitting, the observations of Abell 2626 and Abell 3667 will also be presented.