| Proposal ID | 001042 |
| Title | Merger Shocks in Clusters of Galaxies |
| Download Data Associated to the proposal | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0010420201 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-nla31o2 |
| Principal Investigator, PI | Dr Craig Sarazin |
| Abstract | Major mergers of clusters of galaxies are the most energetic events in thepresent Universe. We propose XMM observations of 5 merging clusters to detectshocks in the intracluster gas. We will use these shocks to determine theglobal dynamics and local physics of the intracluster medium. Shock physicswill determine: (a) if the kinetic energy is effectively thermalized inshocks or if much of the shock energy goes into turbulence, magnetic fields,or cosmic rays; (b) if electrons undergo collisionless heating in the shocks;(c) whether the acceleration of relativistic electrons is effective in theseshocks; (d) how angular momentum affects mergers; and (e) what the persistenceof small cooling cores tells us about the dynamics of mergers and peaks in |
| Publications |
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| Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2 |
| Temporal Coverage | 2001-01-08T12:48:31Z/2001-01-08T22:18:49Z |
| Version | 21.51_20241115_1113 |
| Mission Description | The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis. |
| Creator Contact | https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk |
| Date Published | 2002-10-09T00:00:00Z |
| Last Update | 2026-06-19 |
| Keywords | "shock energy goes", "intracluster gas", "global dynamics", "merging cluster", "merger shoc", "XMM", "major mergers", "effectively thermalized", "cooling cores tells", "intracluster medium", "energetic events", "collisionless heating", "relativistic electrons", "shock physics", "magnetic fields", "local physics", "cosmic rays", "kinetic energy" |
| Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
| Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, Dr Craig Sarazin, 2002, 'Merger Shocks in Clusters of Galaxies', 21.51_20241115_1113, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-nla31o2 |
| Rights | Data hosted in the ESA Space Science Archives are distributed under the CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO license. |