Simulated X-ray Emission in Galaxy Clusters with Feedback from Active Galactic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper uses simulations to study how active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback influences the diffuse X-ray emission in galaxy groups and clusters, revealing that AGN displace hot gas and affect observable X-ray profiles.

Contribution

It combines cosmological hydrodynamic simulations with the APEC code to generate synthetic X-ray maps, providing new insights into AGN feedback effects on the intracluster medium.

Findings

AGN displace hot X-ray emitting gas from cluster centers

Signatures of AGN feedback are observable in X-ray surface brightness profiles

Simulations successfully reproduce key features of observed X-ray emission

Abstract

To investigate the effect of feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) on their surrounding medium, we study the diffuse X-ray emission from galaxy groups and clusters by coupling the Astrophysical Plasma Emission Code (APEC) with the cosmological hydrodynamic simulation involving AGN feedback. We construct a statistical sample of synthetic Chandra X-ray photon maps to observationally characterize the effect of AGN on the ambient medium. We show that AGN are effective in displacing the hot X-ray emitting gas from the centers of groups and clusters, and that these signatures remain evident in observations of the X-ray surface brightness profiles.