A detailed X-ray study of the cooling intracluster gas in A496

Abstract

X-ray observations of the galaxy cluster A496 are presented. Imaging and spectral data, together with the presence of optical filaments, show that radiative cooling is occurring in the cluster core and indicate a mass flow rate of |$\sim\,200\,{M}_{\odot}\,\text{yr}^{-1}$| on to the central galaxy. The gas temperature and density profiles within the core are similar to those in the Perseus cluster (A426) despite a six-fold difference in total X-ray luminosity. This is consistent with the model of Fabian & Nulsen for steady flows caused by cooling. The evolution of cooling flows is discussed and it is shown that thermal conduction is suppressed to well below the Spitzer rate.