Stripped elliptical galaxies as probes of ICM physics: I. Tails, wakes, and flow patterns in and around stripped ellipticals

Understand

Elliptical cluster galaxies are progressively stripped of their atmospheres due to their motion through the intra-cluster medium (ICM).

• Deep X-ray observations reveal the fine-structure of the galaxy's remnant atmosphere and its gas tail and wake.
• This fine-structure depends on dynamic conditions (galaxy potential, initial gas contents, orbit through the host cluster), orbital stage (early infall, pre-/post-pericenter passage), and ICM plasma properties (thermal conductivity, viscosity, magnetic field structure).
• We aim to disentangle dynamic and plasma effects in order to use stripped ellipticals as probes of ICM plasma properties.