Beppo-Sax Observation of the Coma cluster

Abstract

We present first results of the BeppoSAX observation of the Coma Cluster. Thanks to the unprecedented sensitivity of the PDS instrument, the source has been detected up to ~80 keV. There is clear evidence for emission in excess to the thermal one above ~25 keV, very likely of non-thermal origin. We have therefore, for the first time, detected the long sought Inverse Compton emission on CMB photons predicted in clusters, like Coma, with radio halos. Combining X and radio observations, a value of 0.16 micro Gauss for the volume-averaged intracluster magnetic field is derived.

4 LaTex pages, 1 encapsulated Postscript figure, to appear in the Proceedings of "32nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Nagoya, Japan, 12-19 July 1998"; dario@saturn.ias.rm.cnr.it