The Effects of Mergers on Relaxed X-ray Clusters

This suite of idealized two-body hydrodynamic simulations were constructed to study how galaxy clusrters respond to merger events.
Three impact parameters were run for three mass ratios (a total of 9 cases) were run for mergers involving a primary system 10¹⁵ solar masses in size.

Selected Publications

Some highlighted publications involving this simulation suite:

This study shows how a collision between the Universe's largest objects progresses.

Click here to see the full paper on NASA ADS (if you do not have access to the journal, follow the arXiv link).

This study examines how properties like luminosity, temperature and mass co-evolve during collisions between galaxy clusters: the Universe's largest bound objects..

Click here to see the full paper on NASA ADS (if you do not have access to the journal, follow the arXiv link).

Galaxy clusters generally have relatively dense and cold material in their centres. This study examines how mergers affect this material..

Click here to see the full paper on NASA ADS (if you do not have access to the journal, follow the arXiv link).

Image Gallery

Select an image to open the gallery:

Image of the distribution of hot gas following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Image of the distribution of hot gas temperature following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Image of the distribution of entropy following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Image of the distribution of X-ray flux following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Image of the distribution of Compton y-parameter (electron pressure integrated along the line of sight) following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Movie Gallery

Select an image to open the gallery:

Evolution of the distribution of hot gas following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Evolution of the distribution of hot gas temperature following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Evolution of the distribution of entropy following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Evolution of the distribution of X-ray flux following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).

Evolution of the distribution of Compton y-parameter (electron pressure integrated along the line of sight) following the close passage of two galaxy clusters (primary: 10¹⁵ solar masses; primary: 10^14.5 solar masses).