Related papers: Constraining supernova models using the hot gas in…
Clusters of galaxies as the largest clearly defined objects in our Universe are ideal laboratories to study the distribution of the most abundant chemical elements heavier than hydrogen and helium and the history of their production. 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 interstellar medium (ISM) in starburst galaxies contains plenty of chemical elements synthesised by core-collapse supernova explosions. By measuring the abundances of these metals, we can study the chemical enrichment within galaxies…
The X-ray emission by hot gas around the central galaxies of galaxy clusters is commonly modeled assuming the existence of steady-state, multiphase cooling flows. The inflowing gas will be chemically enriched by type Ia supernovae and…
Using Chandra X-ray data of a sample of 15 X-ray bright galaxy groups, we present preliminary results of a coherent study of the radial distribution of metal abundances in the hot gas in groups. The iron content in group outskirts is found…
Emission lines in X-ray spectra of clusters of galaxies reveal the presence of heavy elements in the diffuse hot plasma (ICM) in virial equilibrium in the dark matter potential well. Thanks to the X-ray satellites Chandra and XMM-Newton we…
We present the first measurements of the abundances of $\alpha$-elements (Mg, Si, and S) extending out to beyond the virial radius of a cluster of galaxies. Our results, based on Suzaku Key Project observations of the Virgo Cluster, show…
Galaxy clusters provide an ideal laboratory for investigating the chemical enrichment history of the universe because they host the hot intracluster medium (ICM), which contains various chemical elements. The X-ray observations have…
Chemical abundances in the X-ray halos (also known as the intracluster medium, ICM) of clusters and groups of galaxies can be measured via prominent emission line features in their X-ray spectra. Elemental abundances are footprints of…
We present constraints on theoretical models of Type Ia supernovae using spatially resolved ASCA X-ray spectroscopy of three galaxy clusters: Abell 496, Abell 2199 and Abell 3571. All three clusters have central iron abundance enhancements;…
X-ray measurements suggest the abundance of Calcium in the intracluster medium is higher than can be explained using favored models for core-collapse and Type Ia supernovae alone. We investigate whether the Calcium conundrum in the…
We examine the origin of heavy elements in the intracluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters, concentrating upon the roles played by supernovae (SNe) Types Ia and II. The most accurately determined elemental abundances, Si and Fe, imply a…
Clusters of galaxies allow a direct estimate of the metallicity and metal production yield on the largest scale so far. The ratio of the total iron mass in the ICM to the total optical luminosity of the cluster (the iron…
X-ray observations with Chandra and XMM are providing valuable new measurements of the baryonic and dark matter content of groups and clusters. Masses of cD clusters obtained from X-ray and gravitational lensing studies generally show good…
The iron mass in galaxy clusters is about 6 times larger than could have been produced by core-collapse SNe, assuming the stars in cluster galaxies formed with a standard IMF. Type-Ia SNe have been proposed as the alternative dominant iron…
Metals play a fundamental role in ICM cooling processes in cluster cores through the emission of spectral lines. But when and how were these metals formed and distributed through the ICM? The X-ray band has the unique property of containing…
We present estimates of the energy input from supernovae (SNe) into the intergalactic medium using (i) recent measurements of Si and Fe abundances in the intracluster medium (ICM) and (ii) self-consistent gasdynamical galaxy formation…
Heavy chemical elements such as iron in the intra-cluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters are a signpost of the interaction between the gas and stellar components. Observations of the ICM metallicity in present-day massive systems, however,…
The new era of high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy will significantly improve our understanding of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) by providing precise constraints on its underlying physical properties. However, spectral fitting requires…
We present a detailed comparison between an extended set of elemental abundances observed in some of the most metal poor stars presently known and the ejecta produced by a generation of primordial core collapse supernovae. We used five…