The Recent Growth History of the Fornax Cluster Derived from Simultaneous Sloshing and Gas Stripping: Simulating the Infall of NGC 1404

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to reconstruct the recent infall history of NGC 1404 into the Fornax Cluster, explaining observed gas dynamics and predicting features like a detached bow shock and turbulence patterns.

Contribution

It presents a tailored simulation-based scenario indicating multiple past encounters of NGC 1404 with Fornax, excluding a first infall, and predicts observable features for future verification.

Findings

NGC 1404 had multiple encounters with Fornax, not a first infall.

Simulations reproduce observed cold fronts and gas stripping features.

Predicted detached bow shock and turbulence patterns consistent with observations.

Abstract

We derive the recent growth history of the Fornax Cluster, in particular the recent infall of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 1404. We show, using a simple cluster minor merger simulation tailored to Fornax and NGC 1404, that a second or more likely third encounter between the two reproduces all main merger features observed in both objects; we firmly exclude a first infall scenario. Our simulations reveal a consistent picture: NGC 1404 passed by NGC 1399 about 1.1 - 1.3 Gyrs ago from the NE to the SW and is now almost at the point of its next encounter from the S. This scenario explains the sloshing patterns observed in Fornax - a prominent northern cold front and an inner southern cold front. This scenario also explains the truncated atmosphere, the gas stripping radius of NGC 1404, and its faint gas tail. Independent of the exact history, we can make a number of predictions. A detached bow shock south of NGC 1404 should exist which is a remnant of the galaxy's previous infall at a distance from NGC 1404 between 450 - 750 kpc with an estimated Mach number between 1.3 and 1.5. The wake of NGC 1404 also lies S of the galaxy with enhanced turbulence and a slight enhancement in metallicity compared to the undisturbed regions of the cluster. SW of NGC 1404, there is likely evidence of old turbulence originating from the previous infall. No scenario predicts enhanced turbulence outside of the cold front north west of the cluster center.