Constraints on UV Absorption in the Intracluster Medium of Abell 1030

Abstract

We present results from an extensive HST spectroscopic search for UV absorption lines in the spectrum of the quasar B2~1028+313, which is associated with the central dominant galaxy in the cluster Abell~1030 ($z=0.178$). This is one of the brightest known UV continuum sources located in a cluster, and therefore provides an ideal opportunity to obtain stringent constraints on the column densities of any cool absorbing gas that may be associated with the intracluster medium (ICM). Our HST spectra were obtained with the FOS and GHRS, and provide continuous coverage at rest-frame wavelengths from $\sim 975$ to 4060~Å, thereby allowing the investigation of many different elements and ionization levels. We utilize a new technique that involves simultaneous fitting of large numbers of different transitions for each species, thereby yielding more robust constraints on column densities than can be obtained from a single transition. This method yields upper limits of $\lesssim 10^{11}-10^{13}$ cm${}^{-2}$ on the column densities of a wide range of molecular, atomic and ionized species that may be associated with the ICM. We also discuss a possible \Lya and C IV absorption system associated with the quasar. We discuss the implications of the upper limits on cool intracluster gas in the context of the physical properties of the ICM and its relationship to the quasar.

Astrophysical Journal, in press, 19 pages, includes 5 PostScript figures. Latex format, uses aas2pp4.sty and epsfig.sty files

References in corpus (2)

• Extreme Ultraviolet Emission from Clusters of Galaxies: Inverse Compton Radiation from a Relic Population of Cosmic Ray Electrons?
• An Unusual Radio Galaxy in Abell 428: A Large, Powerful FR I Source in a Disk-Dominated Host

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Warm Gas in the Virgo Cluster: I. Distribution of Lya Absorbers
• Far-Infrared Emission from Intracluster Dust in Abell Clusters
• X-ray Properties of B2 1028+313: A Quasar at the Center of the Abell Cluster A1030
• HST/STIS Spectroscopy of the Lyman-Alpha Emission Line in the Central Dominant Galaxies in A426, A1795, and A2597: Constraints on Clouds in the Intracluster Medium