Suzaku Observations of the cluster of galaxies Abell 2052

TL;DR

This study uses Suzaku XIS data to analyze the intra-cluster medium of Abell 2052, revealing soft X-ray excess, temperature profiles, and metal abundances, enhancing understanding of galaxy cluster properties.

Contribution

First spectroscopic measurement of radial temperature and metal abundance profiles in Abell 2052 using Suzaku observations.

Findings

Confirmed soft X-ray excess emission above foreground

Measured radial temperature decline to 0.5-0.6 of peak

Determined average metal abundance of 0.21 solar

Abstract

The results from Suzaku XIS observations of the relaxed cluster of galaxies Abell2052 are presented. Offset pointing data are used to estimate the Galactic foreground emission in the direction to the cluster. Significant soft X-ray excess emission above this foreground, the intra-cluster medium emission, and other background components is confirmed and resolved spectroscopically and radially. This excess can be described either by (a) local variations of known Galactic emission components or (b) an additional thermal component with temperature of about 0.2 keV, possibly associated with the cluster. The radial temperature and metal abundance profiles of the intra-cluster medium are measured within \sim 20 in radius (about 60% of the virial radius) from the cluster center . The temperature drops radially to 0.5-0.6 of the peak value at a radius of \sim 15'. The gas-mass-weighted metal abundance averaged over the observed region is found to be 0.21 +- 0.05 times solar.