Observations of Galaxy Clusters: Evidence for Modest Cooling Flows

A prediction of the galaxy cluster cooling flow model is that as gas cools from the ambient cluster temperature, emission lines are produced in gas at subsequently decreasing temperatures. Gas passing through 10 K emits in the lines of O VI λλ1032, 1035, and here we report a FUSE study of these lines in three cooling flow clusters, Abell 426, Abell 1795, and AWM 7. No emission was detected from AWM 7, but O VI is detected from the centers of Abell 426 and Abell 1795, and possibly to the south of the center in Abell 1795, where X-ray and optical emission line filaments lie. In Abell 426, these line luminosities imply a cooling rate of 32±6 M⊙ yr −1 within the central r = 6.2 kpc region, while for Abell 1795, the central cooling rate is 26±7 M⊙ yr −1 (within r = 22 kpc), and about 42±9 M⊙ yr −1 including the southern pointing. Including other studies, three of six clusters have O VI emission, and they also have star formation as well as emission lines from 10 K gas. These observations are generally consistent with the cooling flow model but at a rate closer to 30 M⊙ yr −1 than originally suggested values of 10–10 M⊙ yr . Subject headings: galaxies: clusters: individual (Abell 426, Abell 1795, AWM7) — cooling flows — ultraviolet: galaxies