Ra. Dupke et Ka. Arnaud, Central elemental abundance ratios in the Perseus Cluster: Resonant scattering or SN Ia enrichment?, ASTROPHYS J, 548(1), 2001, pp. 141-149
We have determined abundance ratios in the core of the Perseus Cluster for
several elements. These ratios indicate a central dominance of Type 1a supe
rnova (SN Ia) ejecta similar to that found for A496, A2199, and A3571. Simu
ltaneous analysis of ASCA spectra from SIS1, GIS2, and GIS3 shows that the
ratio of Ni to Fe abundances is similar to3.4 +/- 1.1 times solar within th
e central 4'. This ratio is consistent with (and more precise than) that ob
served in other clusters whose central regions are dominated by SN Ia eject
a. Such a large Ni overabundance is predicted by "convective deflagration"
explosion models for SNe Ia such as W7 but is inconsistent with delayed det
onation models. We note that with current instrumentation the Ni K alpha li
ne is confused with Fe K beta and that the Ni overabundance we observe has
been interpreted by others as an anomalously large ratio of Fe K beta to Fe
K alpha caused by resonant scattering in the Fe K alpha line. We argue tha
t a central enhancement of SN Ia ejecta and hence a high ratio of Ni to Fe
abundances are naturally explained by scenarios that include the generation
of chemical gradients by suppressed SN Ia winds or ram pressure stripping
of cluster galaxies. It is not necessary to suppose that the intracluster g
as is optically thick to resonant scattering of the Fe K alpha line.