Non-thermal X-rays, a high abundance ridge and fossil bubbles in the core of the Perseus cluster of galaxies

Abstract

Using a deep Chandra observation of the Perseus cluster of galaxies, we find a high-abundance shell 250 arcsec (93 kpc) from the central nucleus. This ridge lies at the edge of the Perseus radio mini-halo. In addition we identify two Halpha filaments pointing towards this shell. We hypothesise that this ridge is the edge of a fossil radio bubble, formed by entrained enriched material lifted from the core of the cluster. There is a temperature jump outside the shell, but the pressure is continuous indicating a cold front. A non-thermal component is mapped over the core of the cluster with a morphology similar to the mini-halo. Its total luminosity is 4.8x10^43 erg/s, extending in radius to ~75 kpc. Assuming the non-thermal emission is the result of inverse Compton scattering of the CMB and infrared emission from NGC 1275, we map the magnetic field over the core of the cluster.

8 pages, colour, accepted by MNRAS