Optical IFU observations of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696: The case for a minor merger and shock-excited filaments

C. L. Farage; P. J. McGregor; M. A. Dopita; G. V. Bicknell

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/724/1/267

Optical IFU observations of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696: The case for a minor merger and shock-excited filaments

C. L. Farage, P. J. McGregor, M. A. Dopita, G. V. Bicknell

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Abstract

We present deep optical integral-field spectroscopic observations of the nearby (z ∼ 0.01) brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696 in the core of the Centaurus Cluster, made with the Wide Field Spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. We investigate the morphology, kinematics, and excitation of the emission-line filaments and discuss these in the context of a model of a minor merger. We suggest that the emission-line filaments in this object have their origin in the accretion of a gas-rich galaxy and that they are excited by v ∼ 100-200 km s^-1 shocks driven into the cool filament gas by the ram pressure of the transonic passage of the merging system through the hot halo gas of NGC 4696.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	267-284
Number of pages	18
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	724
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/724/1/267
Publication status	Published - 20 Nov 2010

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title = "Optical IFU observations of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696: The case for a minor merger and shock-excited filaments",

abstract = "We present deep optical integral-field spectroscopic observations of the nearby (z ∼ 0.01) brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696 in the core of the Centaurus Cluster, made with the Wide Field Spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. We investigate the morphology, kinematics, and excitation of the emission-line filaments and discuss these in the context of a model of a minor merger. We suggest that the emission-line filaments in this object have their origin in the accretion of a gas-rich galaxy and that they are excited by v ∼ 100-200 km s-1 shocks driven into the cool filament gas by the ram pressure of the transonic passage of the merging system through the hot halo gas of NGC 4696.",

keywords = "Galaxies: ISM, Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD, Galaxies: individual (NGC 4696), Galaxies: interactions, Shock waves, Techniques: imaging spectroscopy",

author = "Farage, {C. L.} and McGregor, {P. J.} and Dopita, {M. A.} and Bicknell, {G. V.}",

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T1 - Optical IFU observations of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696

T2 - The case for a minor merger and shock-excited filaments

AU - Farage, C. L.

AU - McGregor, P. J.

AU - Dopita, M. A.

AU - Bicknell, G. V.

PY - 2010/11/20

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N2 - We present deep optical integral-field spectroscopic observations of the nearby (z ∼ 0.01) brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696 in the core of the Centaurus Cluster, made with the Wide Field Spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. We investigate the morphology, kinematics, and excitation of the emission-line filaments and discuss these in the context of a model of a minor merger. We suggest that the emission-line filaments in this object have their origin in the accretion of a gas-rich galaxy and that they are excited by v ∼ 100-200 km s-1 shocks driven into the cool filament gas by the ram pressure of the transonic passage of the merging system through the hot halo gas of NGC 4696.

AB - We present deep optical integral-field spectroscopic observations of the nearby (z ∼ 0.01) brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696 in the core of the Centaurus Cluster, made with the Wide Field Spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. We investigate the morphology, kinematics, and excitation of the emission-line filaments and discuss these in the context of a model of a minor merger. We suggest that the emission-line filaments in this object have their origin in the accretion of a gas-rich galaxy and that they are excited by v ∼ 100-200 km s-1 shocks driven into the cool filament gas by the ram pressure of the transonic passage of the merging system through the hot halo gas of NGC 4696.

KW - Galaxies: ISM

KW - Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

KW - Galaxies: individual (NGC 4696)

KW - Galaxies: interactions

KW - Shock waves

KW - Techniques: imaging spectroscopy

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EP - 284

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

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Optical IFU observations of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 4696: The case for a minor merger and shock-excited filaments

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