Multi-wavelength Analysis of the Merging Galaxy Cluster A115


Abstract in English

A115 is a merging galaxy cluster at $zsim0.2$ with a number of remarkable features including a giant ($sim2.5$ Mpc) radio relic, two asymmetric X-ray peaks with trailing tails, and a peculiar line-of-sight velocity structure. We present a multi-wavelength study of A115 using optical imaging data from Subaru, X-ray data from $Chandra$, and spectroscopic data from the Keck/DEIMOS and MMT/Hectospec instruments. Our weak-lensing analysis shows that the cluster is comprised of two subclusters whose mass centroids are in excellent agreement with the two BCG positions ($lesssim10$). By modeling A115 with a superposition of two Navarro-Frenk-White halos, we determine the masses of the northern and southern subclusters to be $M_{200}=1.58_{-0.49}^{+0.56}times 10^{14} text{M}_{odot}$ and $3.15_{-0.71}^{+0.79}times 10^{14} text{M}_{odot}$, respectively. Combining the two halos, we estimate the total cluster mass to be $M_{200}=6.41_{-1.04}^{+1.08}times10^{14} text{M}_{odot}$ at $R_{200}=1.67_{-0.09}^{+0.10}$ Mpc. These weak-lensing masses are significantly (a factor of 3-10) lower than what is implied by the X-ray and optical spectroscopic data. We attribute the difference to the gravitational and hydrodynamic disruption caused by the collision between the two subclusters.

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