Related papers: Plasma physics of the intracluster medium
Clusters of galaxies are the largest self-gravitating structures in the universe. Each cluster is filled with a large-scale plasma atmosphere, in which primordial matter is mixed with matter that has been processed inside stars. This is a…
Radio observations prove the existence of relativistic particles and magnetic field associated with the intra-cluster-medium (ICM) through the presence of extended synchrotron emission in the form of radio halos and peripheral relics. This…
The interaction of magnetic turbulence and relativistic particles is a important process for understanding particles propagation and acceleration in many astrophysical environments. Large-scale turbulence can be generated in the…
Acceleration of cosmic-ray electrons (CRe) in the intra-cluster-medium (ICM) is probed by radio observations that detect diffuse, Mpc-scale, synchrotron sources in a fraction of galaxy clusters. Giant radio halos are the most spectacular…
The most massive baryonic component of galaxy clusters is the "intracluster medium" (ICM), a diffuse, hot, weakly magnetized plasma that is most easily observed in the X-ray band. Despite being observed for decades, the macroscopic…
Clusters of galaxies are the most massive virialized structures in the Universe. The microphysical properties of the intracluster plasma can affect dynamical processes over an enormous range: from the feedback of active galactic nuclei to…
Observations of galaxy clusters show that the intracluster medium (ICM) is likely to be turbulent and is certainly magnetized. The properties of this magnetized turbulence are determined both by fundamental nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic…
Galaxy clusters are the largest and most massive bound objects resulting from cosmic hierarchical structure formation. Baryons account for somewhat more than 10% of that mass, with roughly 90% of the baryonic matter distributed throughout…
Non-thermal components are key ingredients for understanding clusters of galaxies. In the hierarchical model of structure formation, shocks and large-scale turbulence are unavoidable in the cluster formation processes. Understanding the…
Cluster media are dynamical, not static; observational evidence suggests they are turbulent. High-resolution simulations of the intracluster media (ICMs) and of idealized, similar media help us understand the complex physics and…
Understanding the thermodynamic state of the hot intracluster medium (ICM) in a galaxy cluster requires a knowledge of the plasma transport processes, especially thermal conduction. The basic physics of thermal conduction in plasmas with…
I present a review of nonthermal processes in the large scale structure of the universe. After examining the properties of cosmological shock waves and their role as particle accelerators, I discuss the main observational facts, from radio…
The existence of cosmic rays and weak magnetic fields in the intracluster volume has been well proven by deep radio observations of galaxy clusters. However a detailed physical characterization of the non-thermal component of large…
Recent observations of galaxy clusters in radio and X-ray indicate that cosmic rays and magnetic fields may be energetically important in the intracluster medium. According to the estimates based on theses observational studies, the…
The main component of the intracluster medium (ICM) in clusters of galaxies is represented by the X-ray emitting thermal plasma. In addition, the presence of relativistic electrons and large-scale magnetic fields in a fraction of galaxy…
While the concept of "clustering" primarily refers to galaxies, the fact is that galaxies can be neglected - at least in terms of mass - when considering the continuous competition between accretion and relaxation processes of dark matter…
Transport properties, such as viscosity and thermal conduction, of the hot intergalactic plasma in clusters of galaxies, are largely unknown. While for laboratory plasmas these characteristics are derived from the gas density and…
This chapter contains a short discussion of some fundamental plasma phenomena. In section 2 we introduce key plasma properties like quasi-neutrality, shielding, particle transport processes and sheath formation. In section 3 we describe the…
The Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM) is a rarefied, hot, highly ionized, metal rich, weakly magnetized plasma. In these proceeding, after having reviewed some basic ICM properties, I discuss recent results obtained with the BeppoSAX, XMM-Newton…
The following notes are intended to provide a brief primer in plasma physics, introducing common definitions, basic properties and processes typically found in plasmas. These concepts are inherent in contemporary plasma-based accelerator…