ASCA temperature maps of three clusters of galaxies: Abell 1060, AWM 7, and the Centaurus cluster

We present two-dimensional temperature maps of three bright clusters of gal axies (Abell 1060, AWM 7, and the Centaurus cluster), based on multi-pointi ng observations with the ASCA GIS. The temperatures were derived from hardn ess ratios by taking into account the XRT response. For the Centaurus clust er, we subtracted the central cool component using the previous ASCA and RO SAT results, and the metallicity gradients observed in AWM 7 and the Centau rus cluster were included in deriving the temperatures. The intracluster me dium in Abell 1060 and AWM 7 is almost isothermal from the center to the ou ter regions with temperatures of 3.3 and 3.9 keV, respectively. The Centaur us cluster exhibits remarkable hot regions within about 30 ' from the clust er center, showing a temperature increase of +0.8 keV from the surrounding level of 3.5 keV, and the outer cool regions with lower temperatures by -1. 3 keV. These results imply that a strong merger has occurred in the Centaur us in the recent 2-3 Gyr, and that the central cool component has survived it. In contrast, the gas in Abell 1060 was well-mixed in an early period, w hich probably has prevented the development of a central cool component. In AWM 7, mixing of the gas should have occurred in a period earlier than the epoch of metal enrichment.