X-ray emission from RX J1720.1+2638 and Abell 267: a comparison between a fossil and a non-fossil system

TL;DR

This study compares X-ray properties of a fossil and a non-fossil galaxy cluster, revealing differences in core temperature profiles and suggesting complex dynamical histories.

Contribution

First detailed X-ray analysis comparing fossil and non-fossil systems, highlighting their core properties and mass profiles.

Findings

RXJ1720.1+2638 has a cool core and signs of recent merger.

Abell267 shows a constant temperature profile with no gradient.

Mass estimates for both systems are in the range of (5-7)×10^{14} M_sun.

Abstract

We present the XMM-Newton X-ray analysis of RXJ1720.1+2638 and Abell267, a non-fossil and a fossil system, respectively. The whole spectrum of both objects can be explained by thermal emission. The luminosities found for RXJ1720.1+2638 and Abell267 in the 2-10 keV band are 6.20^{+0.04}_{-0.02}\times10^{44} and 3.90^{+0.10}_{-0.11}\times10^{44} cgs, respectively. The radial profiles show a cool core nature for the non-fossil system RXJ1720.1+2638, while Abell267 shows a constant behaviour of temperature with radius. Metallicity profiles have also been produced, but no evidence of any gradient was detected due to the large uncertainties in the determination of this parameter. Finally, density and mass profiles were also produced allowing to derive M_500 for RXJ1720.1+2638 and Abell267. The masses obtained are high, in the range of (5-7)10^{14}\,M_{\odot}. The X-ray properties obtained for both systems are not always in good agreement with what is expected: cool cores are expected for fossil systems, as Abell267, considering them as and relaxed systems. However, the decrement of the temperature in Abell267 could start at lower radii. Also the presence of a recent merger in Abell267, already suggested in the literature, could have increased the central temperature. The non-fossil system RXJ1720.1+2638 actually exhibits a cool core profile, but also evidence of a recent merger has been reported.