The dynamics of the Anglerfish cluster
Abstract
Merging galaxy clusters represent the ideal laboratory to test our understanding of the large scale structure formation history and the processes involved. While many merging clusters have been identified, only a limited number have been studied in detail through multi-wavelength analysis and dynamical reconstruction, this type of analysis being crucial to account for projection degeneracies. This work investigates the merger dynamics of the massive and complex cluster MACS0600 using high spatial, ∼ 15 arcsec, radio and X-ray datasets in combination with ancillary optical data. We analyze the cluster morphology and the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) through XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray observations, and explore the non-thermal component via diffuse radio emission observed with Meerkat. We find a disturbed X-ray morphology with multiple substructures and a clear offset between the bulk of the radio emission and the X-ray peak. At the location of the X-ray peak, we detect a compact cool core surrounded by hotter gas and associated with a surface brightness discontinuity consistent with a cold front. The central region exhibits elevated temperatures and hosts most of the diffuse radio emission, suggesting merger-driven turbulence. Optical data further support a relative motion between the cool core and the main cluster along the line of sight. We conclude that MACS0600 is undergoing a merger in which a compact cool core has crossed the main, more massive cluster without being completely disrupted, while significantly perturbing the surrounding ICM.
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BibTeX
@misc{destefanis2026dynamics,
title = {{The dynamics of the Anglerfish cluster}},
author = {B. Destefanis and M. Balboni and I. Bartalucci and M. Annunziatella and F. Gastaldello and S. De Grandi and S. Ghizzardi and C. Grillo and L. Lovisari and S. Molendi and M. Rossetti},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2606.10483},
eprint = {2606.10483},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.10483},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - The dynamics of the Anglerfish cluster
AU - B. Destefanis
AU - M. Balboni
AU - I. Bartalucci
AU - M. Annunziatella
AU - F. Gastaldello
AU - S. De Grandi
AU - S. Ghizzardi
AU - C. Grillo
AU - L. Lovisari
AU - S. Molendi
AU - M. Rossetti
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/11
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2606.10483
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.10483
AB - Merging galaxy clusters represent the ideal laboratory to test our understanding of the large scale structure formation history and the processes involved. While many merging clusters have been identified, only a limited number have been studied in detail through multi-wavelength analysis and dynamical reconstruction, this type of analysis being crucial to account for projection degeneracies. This work investigates the merger dynamics of the massive and complex cluster MACS0600 using high spatial, ∼ 15 arcsec, radio and X-ray datasets in combination with ancillary optical data. We analyze the cluster morphology and the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) through XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray observations, and explore the non-thermal component via diffuse radio emission observed with Meerkat. We find a disturbed X-ray morphology with multiple substructures and a clear offset between the bulk of the radio emission and the X-ray peak. At the location of the X-ray peak, we detect a compact cool core surrounded by hotter gas and associated with a surface brightness discontinuity consistent with a cold front. The central region exhibits elevated temperatures and hosts most of the diffuse radio emission, suggesting merger-driven turbulence. Optical data further support a relative motion between the cool core and the main cluster along the line of sight. We conclude that MACS0600 is undergoing a merger in which a compact cool core has crossed the main, more massive cluster without being completely disrupted, while significantly perturbing the surrounding ICM.
ER -