Forming One of the Most Massive Objects in the Universe: The Quadruple Merger in Abell 1758
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Schellenberger, G.
David, L.
O'Sullivan, E.
Vrtilek, J. M.
Haines, C. P.
Abstract
The system A1758 is made up of two galaxy clusters, a more massive, northern cluster and a southern cluster. Both parts are undergoing major merger events at different stages. Although the mass of the merger constituents provides enough energy to produce visible shock fronts in the X-ray, none have been found to date. We present detailed temperature and abundance maps based on Chandra ACIS data and identify several candidates for shocks and cold fronts from a smoothed gradient map of the surface brightness. One candidate can be confirmed as the missing shock front in the northern cluster through X-ray spectroscopy. Nonthermal radio emission observed with the GMRT confirms the presence of radio halos in the northern and southern clusters and shows evidence for a relic in the periphery of the southern cluster. We do not find evidence for shocked gas between A1758 N and A1758 S.


