TY - JOUR
T1 - Chandra observations of The Mice
AU - Read, Andrew
PY - 2003/7/1
Y1 - 2003/7/1
N2 - Presented here are high spatial and spectral resolution Chandra X-ray observations of the famous interacting galaxy pair, the Mice, a system similar to, though less evolved than, the well-known Antennae galaxies. Previously unpublished ROSAT High Resolution Imager data of the system are also presented. Starburst-driven galactic winds outflowing along the minor axis of both galaxies (but particularly the northern one) are observed, and spectral and spatial properties, and energetics are presented. That such a phenomenon can occur in such a rapidly evolving and turbulent system is surprising, and this is the first time that the very beginning - the onset, of starburst-driven hot gaseous outflow in a full-blown disc-disc merger has been seen. Point-source emission is seen at the galaxy nuclei, and within the interaction-induced tidal tails. Further point-source emission is associated with the galactic bar in the southern system. A comparison of the source X-ray luminosity function and of the diffuse emission properties is made with the Antennae and other galaxies, and evidence of a more rapid evolution of the source population than the diffuse component is found. No evidence for variability is found between the Chandra and previous observations.
AB - Presented here are high spatial and spectral resolution Chandra X-ray observations of the famous interacting galaxy pair, the Mice, a system similar to, though less evolved than, the well-known Antennae galaxies. Previously unpublished ROSAT High Resolution Imager data of the system are also presented. Starburst-driven galactic winds outflowing along the minor axis of both galaxies (but particularly the northern one) are observed, and spectral and spatial properties, and energetics are presented. That such a phenomenon can occur in such a rapidly evolving and turbulent system is surprising, and this is the first time that the very beginning - the onset, of starburst-driven hot gaseous outflow in a full-blown disc-disc merger has been seen. Point-source emission is seen at the galaxy nuclei, and within the interaction-induced tidal tails. Further point-source emission is associated with the galactic bar in the southern system. A comparison of the source X-ray luminosity function and of the diffuse emission properties is made with the Antennae and other galaxies, and evidence of a more rapid evolution of the source population than the diffuse component is found. No evidence for variability is found between the Chandra and previous observations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0142041893&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06603.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06603.x
M3 - Article
SN - 1365-2966
VL - 342
SP - 715
EP - 724
JO - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
JF - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
IS - 3
ER -